Learn how to make dried apple rings in your dehydrator with this easy and delicious recipe for cinnamon dried apples.
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Every year in September we have our hands busy with picking and preserving apples from our lovely apple tree. Its one of my favorite traditions and makes me love Autumn even more! Is that possible?!
Last year we made these dried apple rings, along with canned apple pie filling, apple butter, and applesauce. I’m hoping to do more canning this year, and I also have plans to make apple gift baskets for friends and family.
I made our first batch of apple goodies this week when I made these dried apples in the dehydrator. And sure enough, they’re already gone!! They are just too good to keep around, we can’t stop snacking on them.
Whether you have your own apple tree, you picked apples from a local orchard, or you’re just hitting up your grocery store, you can make delicious, dried apple rings too!
These are an easy and healthy snack, especially if you omit the sugar. BUT, there’s no harm in adding the sugar right?! Especially with swimsuit season coming to a close;)
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Homemade Dried Apple Rings in the Dehydrator
There are a few different ways that you can make dried apples including oven drying, microwave drying, and even sun drying. Dehydrator drying is my favorite!
THIS is the dehydrator I use and love (I don’t have the jerky gun though), but you can use any dehydrator for this recipe!
Dehydrators are an awesome investment for any homestead or from scratch kitchen. There are so many different things you can make with them and they are great for preserving your garden harvest (or meat!).
You don’t have to heat up your house by having the oven on all day, and its very easy to control the temperature with the dehydrator. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can try one of the other methods mentioned above.
Even though this recipe is crazy simple and easy, it can take up to 6+ hours before your dried apples are ready. Be sure to plan ahead so they are ready when you want them!
How to Store Dried Apples
Once your apple rings have been completely dried (this is important), you can store the dried apples in an air tight container or a sealed plastic bag. The dried apples can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Crazy right?! After about a year the apples will start to lose their flavor and quality.
If you notice any mold or moisture on your dried apples, be sure to discard them! Always check before eating. If you allow your apples to dry completely and store them correctly then they should last you a long time!
Using Dried Apple Rings
Of course dried apple rings make for a delicious snack, but you can also use them a few other ways! Dried apples can be chopped up and used in place of raisins or other dried fruit in baked goods.
Dried apple rings would also make a beautiful gift! Add them to a seal-able mason jar, tie a ribbon on it, and gift dried apples to your friends and family.
Should I Peel My Apples Before Drying Them?
Although its completely optional to peel or not peel your apples before drying them, I would recommend peeling. Sometimes the peels when left on can be extra chewy.
Whenever I make recipes with apples I almost always use my handy apple peeler, which peels, cores, and slices the apples for me. THIS apple peeler is very similar to the one I have, just a different brand.
An apple peeler is an awesome kitchen gadget to have if you make a lot of apple recipes. It will save you so much time and energy!
Dried Apples Ingredients
Apples, any variety (peeled, cored, and sliced)
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)
Dried Apples Instructions
Wash and dry your apples. Using an apple peeler, like THIS one, peel, core and slice your apples.
If you don’t have an apple peeler you can do this step by hand. You want to make sure all of apples are sliced uniformly and are the same thickness. Try to make sure they are no thicker than 1/3 inch.
Place your apples on the racks of your dehydrator, with a small amount of space between each slice. Sprinkle the sliced apples with cinnamon and sugar to your liking (this step is optional, of course).
Set your dehydrator to 140 degrees, and allow the apples to dehydrate and dry for 6-8 hours, or until the apple slices are completely dried. There are a lot of different things that can effect drying time like the apple variety you choose, humidity in the air, temperature in the room, etc.
How to Test Your Dried Apples for Dryness
Take a few apple rings out of the dehydrator and allow them to cool completely. If you break the pieces in half you shouldn’t be able to see any moisture on the inside or squeeze any moisture out.
Be sure to let the dried apples cool completely before testing for dryness. If you allow them to dry for longer they’ll become more crispy, closer to apple chips.
I hope you enjoy your dried apples and you’re able to find a lot of fun ways to use up your apple harvest this year! Let me know in the comments if you make dried apples and what other apple recipes you love for fall.
Check out our other related posts!
How to Preserve Apples Six Different Ways
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