How to Dehydrate Apples in the Oven
Apples arrive by the bag. Somewhere around apple number 12, you stop looking at them.
Drying fixes that, and you don’t need a dehydrator. If your oven can hold a low, steady heat, you already own one.
How to dehydrate apples, the short version: slice firm apples 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, soak the slices for 10 minutes in lemon juice and water so they don’t brown, and drain them. Spread them in a single layer and dry at 140°F until they’re pliable and leathery with no wet spot in the middle. That’s 6 to 24 hours, depending on your oven and how thin you cut. Cool them, then keep them in a jar for about a week before you store them.
Times and temperatures here follow the drying guides from Colorado State University, Penn State and NDSU.
What do you need to dehydrate apples?
- Apples. Firm ones. 12 pounds dries down to about 1¼ pounds, roughly 3 pints, so a bag of apples fills less jar than you’d think.
- Something for the soak: lemon juice, citric acid, or vitamin C powder.
- A sharp knife, or a mandoline if you have one. Even slices dry evenly.
- Oven racks, or cookie sheets lined with cheesecloth or curtain netting.
- An oven thermometer. Cheap, and the only way to know what your oven is really doing.
- A wooden spoon, to prop the oven door open.
- A glass jar with a lid.
How do you dehydrate apples in the oven, step by step?
- Sort the apples. Toss any that are rotten, bruised or moldy. Wash the rest and core them. Peel if you like: skins turn tough as they dry, so peeled slices finish faster.
- Slice them 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, as rings or slices. Keep them all about the same thickness. Thin slices dry faster, and very thin ones turn into chips.
- Soak the slices for 10 minutes. Cut apples brown fast, and the soak stops it. Pick one:
| Soak | Mix it with cold water | Treats about |
|---|---|---|
| Lemon juice | 1 cup lemon juice plus 1 cup water | 5 quarts of cut apples |
| Citric acid | ½ teaspoon in 2 cups of water | 5 quarts of cut apples |
| Vitamin C powder | 3¾ teaspoons in 2 cups of water, or about 20 crushed 500 mg tablets | 5 quarts of cut apples |
- Lift the slices out and drain them well. A slotted spoon works. The acid soak isn’t just for color: it also helps kill bacteria while the apples dry.
- Lay them on the racks in a single layer, with no slices touching.
- Set the oven to its lowest setting, aiming for 140°F. Put the thermometer on the rack, prop the door open about 2 inches with the wooden spoon, and turn the fan on if you have one.
- Dry them. Turn the slices every 3 to 4 hours if you can. 6 to 24 hours is the range, and thin slices in a fan oven land near the short end.
- Near the end, turn the oven off and leave the door wide open for an hour. Apples scorch easily right at the finish.
- Test one (see below), then let the rest cool completely.
Is your oven up to it?
Some aren’t. Set the oven to its lowest setting, put a thermometer on the rack, prop the door open, and put a fan near it if you can. If it holds 140 to 145°F, you’re fine. If it runs much hotter, the outsides of the slices harden before the middles dry. That’s called case hardening, and it leaves you with apples that feel done and aren’t.
Keep the racks about 2 inches apart. A fan oven beats a regular one because it moves the air. Oven drying isn’t a good idea with young children and pets around, since the door is propped open and the oven runs for hours.
Got a dehydrator? Use it. It’s faster, and 145°F for the first hour, then 135 to 140°F, works well for apples. You just don’t have to buy one.
How long does it take to dehydrate apples?
6 to 24 hours. Thin slices, a fan oven or a dehydrator: shorter. Thick pieces, a regular oven, a humid day or a crowded rack: longer. Go by the test, not the clock.
How do you know when dried apples are done?
Take a couple of slices out and let them cool for a few minutes. Warm fruit always feels softer than it is. Then check:
- They’re pliable and leathery, not sticky.
- Tear one in half. There should be no moist spot in the middle.
- Squeeze a handful. If your hand stays dry and the pieces spring apart when you let go, they’re done.
Do you have to condition dried apples?
Yes, and it takes about a week. Not every slice dries evenly, and a few damp ones in a sealed jar can grow mold. Conditioning shares the moisture around.
Pack the cooled slices loosely into a glass jar, about two-thirds full, with the lid on. Shake it once a day. If beads of moisture form on the inside of the jar, the apples aren’t dry enough. Put them back in the oven and dry them longer.
How long do dried apples last, and how do you store them?
6 to 12 months in a cool, dry, dark place. Heat shortens that, and the fridge or freezer makes it last longer.
- Cool them completely first. Warm fruit sweats inside a jar.
- Use small jars. Every time you open one, air and moisture get in.
- Use glass, so you can spot moisture.
- Label the date.
- Toss anything that smells off or shows mold.
If you dried unpeeled apples or left them uncovered, add one step: heat them in the oven at 160°F for 30 minutes, or freeze them at 0°F or below for 48 hours, to kill any insect eggs.
How do you use dried apples?
Eat them out of the jar. Stir them into granola or oatmeal. For a cooked dish, cover them with boiling water and let them soak until tender, an hour or more, or simmer them covered for about 15 minutes.
Common questions
What temperature do you dehydrate apples at?
140°F. Anywhere from 140 to 150°F works in an oven.
Do you have to peel apples before drying them?
No. Peeled slices dry faster, that’s all.
Do you have to soak apples in lemon juice?
It’s strongly recommended. It keeps the color and helps kill bacteria during drying.
How thick should you slice apples for drying?
1/8 to 1/4 inch. Up to 1/2 inch works, but thicker takes longer.
Can you dehydrate apples without a dehydrator?
Yes. Use an oven that holds 140 to 150°F, with the door propped open.
Your next small step
Slice 2 apples, not 20. Soak them, drain them, put them on one rack and put them in the oven. You’ll know by hour 6 whether you want to do it again.
Got bananas to use up? Here is how to dehydrate bananas in the oven.
Got a whole box? The Bulk-Buy Pantry Calculator (US$19.97) takes a bulk buy of apples and gives you a plan that splits it across drying, sauce, apple butter and the freezer, sized to fit your fridge, freezer and one kitchen cabinet. Or start with the free guide.
Know someone whose apples are going soft in the crisper? Send this their way.
Sources (each read 2026-09-21):
- Colorado State University, Drying Fruits (reviewed August 2025)
- Penn State, Dried Apples (updated September 9, 2026)
- Penn State, Let’s Preserve: Drying Fruits and Vegetables (Dehydration)
- NDSU, Food Preservation: Drying Fruits
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia), Packaging and Storing Dried Foods
