Now that the kids are back in school, these Cinnamon Apple Chips are perfect to send along for snack time, in a lunch box, or just have them ready for an after school snack. This recipe works for most variety of apples, but we used Honeycrisp from our little home orchard. The light dusting of cinnamon and sugar on the apples take it to the next level, making a delicious snack that kids devour. When my oldest, Lily, tried them for the first time, she said “are these good for me? Because they taste like dessert”.
The kids have a blast making the apple chips too. They love cranking the apple peeler/corer. If you don’t have one, I would definitely recommend getting one. This recipe isn’t super kid friendly without it; and I’m sure peeling, coring and slicing apples by hand isn’t something you’d enjoy too much either.
When adding the cinnamon and sugar to the apples, only add a light dusting. If you want the kids to help, have them sprinkle it on with their fingers. The first time we made this, we used a small sieve to dust on the cinnamon and sugar. This was a fail. It heavily coated the apples with cinnamon and sugar. With this recipe, you want the dehydrated apple flavor to come through, so only a light dusting of cinnamon and sugar is all you need.
OK, let’s get started. Here’s a list of supplies you’ll need:
- Apple peeler or corer & peeler
- Knife
- Dehydrator
AGE APPROPROPIATE COOKING TASKS
Every child’s ability varies depending on maturity or cognitive and physical ability. Parents need to use their own discretion when assigning tasks. These are general guidelines for the Cinnamon Apple Chips.
Younger than 3 years old
- Name and count ingredients with child
- Wash apples
- Set apple slices on dehydrator tray
3 – 5 years old
- All of the younger tasks
- Help peel/core apples with apple peeler (kids love to turn the crank)
- Sprinkle apples with cinnamon/sugar mixture
6 – 7 years old
- All of the younger tasks
8 – 9 years old
- All of the younger tasks
10 – 12 years old
- All of the younger tasks
FRIENDLY REMINDERS:
- Wash everyone’s hands!
- Clean all work surfaces before starting.
- Leave tasting until the end. Your child might not understand the difference between a ready-to-eat ingredient and a raw unsafe ingredient.
- It is okay for your kitchen to get a little messy.
- Keep in mind that your child is learning, so patience is key!
- 2 lbs fresh apples
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp sugar
- Wash, peel and core apples. We use an apple peeler however if you don’t have one available, you will need a peeler and a corer, which you could also do with a knife. Slice the apple into thin slices, desirable ⅛ inch thickness.
- Lay apple slices out and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Only apply to one side.
- Place apple slices on dehydrator tray. Set dehydrator to fruit setting. Each dehydrator is a tad different; please refer to your product guide for the appropriate dehydrating time.
