Category Archives: Homemade

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Homemade Apple Chips Perfect for Little Hands

I’m not sure who wins the easy contest, apple chips or the applesauce?!

The apple chips are the perfect snack food for you or your baby.  I love to leave them out on the counter and snack on them throughout the day or give them to the baby while I get his lunch ready.  He loves to crunch on them and the literally melt in your mouth.

First, like the applesauce you need to wash the apples well.  I put them in a sink filled with water and 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar.  I let them sit for 10 minutes or so and then drain and rinse well.

Next, I take the WHOLE APPLE and put it in the food processor on the slice setting.  One by one, I slice the apples.  In total, I can only fit 5 or 6 sliced apples in my food dehydrator, so make sure you keep that in mind and don’t go wild slicing only to find they won’t fit.

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Next you have two options.  Method 1, I put the sliced apples into a bag that I had 3 tablespoons real maple syrup and 2 tablespoons cinnamon.  I seal the bag with the apples, maple syrup mixture and air and shake it to get all of the slices coated.  The second method, I just lay the apples out on the dehydrator and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Try them both and see which you prefer.  I like the sweetness of method 1, but method 2 obviously is more wholesome for your family.

Apples after shaking in the maple syrup cinnamon mix!
Apples after shaking in the maple syrup cinnamon mix!

After you’ve prepped the apples if using method 1, you’ll need to lay them out on the layers of your dehydrator.  Try not to overlap too much or they will “bake” together into one large lump.  Also, when I first started doing apple chips I would spend a lot of time picking out seeds and whatnot, but now, I just bake with them on and find they fall out a lot easier when they are baked.

 

I let them sit in the dehydrator overnight (about 8 hours) and they are nice and crisp in the morning.  I honestly could make these every week I’m so in love with them!

Apples arranged before dehydrating
Apples arranged before dehydrating
And after a night in the dehydrator...notice some appear to be missing...the husband LOVES these too!
And after a night in the dehydrator…notice some appear to be missing…the husband LOVES these too!
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Apple chips are perfect for little hands!

 

Apples made using method 2 with sprinkled cinnamon on top.
Apples made using method 2 with sprinkled cinnamon on top.