Apple Nachos

Are you looking for a quick and easy healthy snack? Try these tasty apple nachos! Garnished with nut butter, crunchy granola, pecans, and cranberries. Plus, a creamy yogurt sauce for dipping. It’s easy to customize with your favorite toppings.

If you want a more indulgent dessert, try my apple pie nachos with baked churro-flavored chips!

Plate of apple nachos served with yogurt dipping sauce.

Recipe Science

Slicing apples thinly increases their surface area, allowing for better caramelization and flavor absorption from the toppings.
Drizzling the apples with chocolate or caramel sauce leverages their natural sweetness, enhancing the overall taste while adding a rich, sticky texture.
Adding toppings like nuts or homemade granola provides a contrast in texture, offering a satisfying crunch that complements the crispness of the apples.

Why It Works

A colorful plate of healthy apple nachos is a fun snack that will disappear fast! My kids love fruit, especially when I make the pairings attractive. Each slice contains nutrient-rich ingredients like nut butter, cranberries, pepitas, and pecans. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to prepare. Just cut and top!

Grab your favorite apples to arrange on the plate. I’ve included fall-inspired toppings, but switching things up with seasonal ingredients is easy. This apple nachos recipe is a quick and easy snack for the whole family.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make this apple nachos recipe.

Apples: Use your favorite type of apple. I like a mix of tart Granny Smith and sweet Honeycrisp or Fuji. Select medium to large apples to yield about 30 slices.
Nut Butter: I use almond butter to drizzle on these nacho apples. It helps to warm it up slightly in the microwave so that it’s not so thick.
Granola: To add healthy oats and crunch, top with homemade granola or store-bought for convenience.
Dried Fruit: Dried cranberries add a sweet, tart flavor and chewy texture. It’s a nice contrast to the crisp apples.
Nuts and Seeds: Add chopped pecans and pepitas (pumpkin seeds). You can even make roasted pumpkin seeds after pumpkin carving.

See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).

Ingredient Substitutions

The best thing about making apple nachos is that you can switch up the flavor combinations any way you like! Feel free to try these tasty suggestions:

Apple Variety: Try different apples, especially in their peak season. If you enjoy tart, then select Granny Smith. Juicy and sweet apples like Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, and Fuji have the perfect balance of flavor.
Nut Butter: Try peanut butter or cashew butter instead of almond butter. Use sunflower seed butter for those with a nut allergy.
Nuts and Seeds: Add almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, or walnuts. Add sunflower seeds or shredded coconut.
Fruit: Add dried fruit like raisins, apricots, pineapple, or cherries.
Sauce: Make caramel apple nachos with my homemade caramel sauce or dulce de leche. Add a fruit sauce like a berry compote or warm cranberry sauce. Instead of yogurt, make whipped cream to dip.
Chocolate: Drizzle on some magic shell sauce or melt white chocolate. Top with mini chocolate chips or white chocolate. Add chocolate candies or chopped candy bars for a more decadent treat.
Spices: Enhance the sweetness of the apples with warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. Try my apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice for a combination of flavors.

How to Make Apple Nachos

Slices of red and green apples on a wooden cutting board.

Step 1: Prepare the Apples

Wash and dry the surface of the apples well before cutting. This prevents the flesh from becoming contaminated after slicing. This is especially important because the fruit will be eaten raw. Cut the apples into 1/4-inch thick slices to yield about 30 pieces if using large apples.

Work quickly after slicing, and add the apples to a serving plate. Tightly cover to reduce exposure to oxygen if not serving the nachos within 30 minutes. This will keep the apples from browning too quickly. Green apples don’t brown as fast as red due to the higher amount of citric acid, a natural antioxidant that slows down oxidation of the cut flesh.

Close up of apple slices, almond butter, pepitas, and granola.

Step 2: Assemble the Apple Nachos

No need to do anything too fancy! You can quickly add the apple slices to a large plate or bowl, then top. However, I prefer to arrange them slightly overlapping in a circle. This ensures that each piece gets maximum coverage with the tasty toppings.

Drizzle the almond butter first to help the other ingredients stick to the apple slices. Sprinkle on the granola, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and pepitas. Make a creamy yogurt dipping sauce to pair with the fruit if desired.

Apple pie spice, yogurt, and maple syrup in a white bowl.

Step 3: Make the Dipping Sauce

Yogurt is creamy and delivers extra protein and healthy probiotics. I use regular or Greek vanilla yogurt. However, you can use plain yogurt if you prefer to add your own sweetener.

A bowl of flavored yogurt after mixing with spices.

A small amount of pure maple syrup and apple pie spice enhances the flavor. Serve with the fruit platter, and now you’re ready to dip!

Person dipping an apple nacho into a bowl of yogurt sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I peel the apples before making apple nachos?

Leave the skin on for texture contrast and extra fiber and nutrients. You can peel the apples to make the flesh easier to eat, especially for young children. The apple may turn brown quickly, so submerge them in water. Adding lemon juice or salt to the water will stop the apples from browning as quickly.

How thin should I slice the apples for apple nachos?

Slice the apples ¼ to ½ inch thick to hold the toppings better. If sliced at ½ inch, this will yield half the amount, about 15 pieces for two apples compared to 30.

Can I make apple nachos ahead of time?

The apples can be sliced and properly stored up to 3 days before. Treat them with water and lemon juice, salt, or honey to keep the flesh bright in color. It’s best to add the toppings before serving, as the granola and cranberries will get soggy when stored in the refrigerator.

How can I keep the apple slices from turning brown?

If eating the apples within an hour, submerge them in cold water and place a paper towel or plastic wrap on top to create an oxygen barrier. If storing for several days, the most effective method is to mix 1 cup of cold water with ½ teaspoon of salt. Make a larger solution for more slices. Soak the apples for 10 minutes, drain, then rinse with water. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days without turning brown.