How to Dry Apple Slices for Decoration

Its that time of year again when I am spending a little extra time each day working on Christmas decor. I have been wanting to create a “little women” type of Christmas. This is more of a colonial style Christmas. I want to use natural elements, decorate with simple items, such as apple slices, ribbons, tinsel and more. Today I want to share how to dry apple slices for decoration.

Honestly you could eat these just as easily as you could decorate with them. I love using fruits to decorate with during the holidays and I have dried orange slices for years and used them in my Christmas decor.

This year I want to highlight the apples that I harvested from my very own apple tree in my Christmas decor.

You can use these dried apple slices as ornaments, make garland with them, or add a basket of them to your side table.

They are just a simple but festive way to add Christmas decor to your home.

How to dry apple slices for Decoration

Step by Step Instructions

Pick a nice red apple so that you can use the red as part of the Christmas decor. The type of apple you choose will reflect how it looks as decor. Granny smith apples have more of a spring vibe to them, while red delicious apples have a more holiday feel.
Set your oven on the lowest temperature. Mine goes down to 150 degrees. You can also use a dehydrator.
Wash your apples and slice them with a sharp knife starting on one end and cut all the way through making a full slice of the apple. You want the full shape of the apple for decor. Do not peel them. The red peel adds to the festive look.
Place the apple slices in a bowl with lemon juice. Make sure they all get coated in lemon juice. This will prevent them from browning in the oven.
Pat your slices dry with a towel or paper towel just to remove some of the moisture.
Lay them out on a baking sheet pan with parchment paper or with a baking rack. The baking rack allows them to dry faster. I only have one rack so I cannot dry all my apples this way.
Place the apples in the oven and turn your light on. If you have a convenction oven turn the fan on as well.
Let them slowly dry in the oven for the next 4-5 hours. About every hour or two flip the apples over so they can dry evenly.
OPTIONAL STEP: Once they are just dry, lay them out on cutting board and place another board on top and press down. This will help them to be nice and flat. If you like the edges to curl, then leave them as is! I plattened mine so that I could use them in different decor installations.

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These dried apples can be used for so many different things! Add them to a holiday potpourri, make some garland with them, or make a wreath! I will be sharing my apple slice wreath tomorrow! There are so many great crafts you can create using dried apples!

Dehydrated apples are such a great decor option for the holidays. I love keeping things organic and real around my house. Using apples, oranges, cranberries and pine boughs are some of my favorite ways to decorate.

Note: Add your apple slices to a glass jar as a simple decor piece for your kitchen or dining room. The advantage is that they can double as a nice healthy snack as well! I would recommend not eating any of the apples that you use as decor such as on a wreath, garland or as an ornament.

If you want to use them as a snack as well you can sprinkle them with cinnamon as a extra yummy treat.