Does anyone remember the Seneca brand of apple chips?  They came in all these super delicious flavors like granny smith and my absolute favorite, cinnamon.  When I was younger my sister and I only got to eat them once in a blue moon.  My mom considered them a treat and not an everyday snack.  She was smart to do that because those things were loaded with added sugar.

Well, today’s DIY was partly inspired by those chips.  I wanted to make a snack that tasted just as good but didn’t have all the added sugar.  Fruit is naturally sweet and when you dry it out you concentrate those sugars even more.  Fruit chips don’t need to have any added sugar and they can still be a sweet snack.

For those of you who have a dehydrator, fruit chips are simple to make.  You just slice the fruit, place it on the trays, and go about your day.  Hours later you get tasty fruit chips.  If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can still get fruit chips with a few simple steps.  I tried this with apples, bananas, and peaches.  You can use whatever fruit is your favorite.  Strawberries, mangoes, and pears would also be really good.

DIY Fruit Chips 

• 1-2 of your favorite fruit (apples, bananas, pears, strawberries)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon, optional

1. Preheat your oven to its lowest setting, 170-200.  Wash your fruit and dry it thoroughly.  Slice the fruit VERY thin.  The thinner you slice the fruit the crispier your fruit chips will be.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.  Place the fruit slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Make sure they don’t touch.
3. Sprinkle the lemon juice and cinnamon over the fruit.  Bake the fruit slices in the oven for 2-4 hours, flipping every so often.  The baking time will vary based on the temperature of your oven.  The chips are done when they’re lightly brown, starting to curl, and no longer soft.
4. Once the chips are done, let them cool on the sheet until completely cool.  Store in an airtight container for up to a week.