Crunchy Ranch Cucumber Chips
These cucumber chips actually crack when you bite into them. Three ingredients — cucumber, ranch seasoning, patience. Oven-baked at low heat for a snack that looks like junk food but is just a vegetable in disguise. Save this for snack prep Sunday.
Equipment
- Mandoline slicer
- Baking sheet (2)
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Mat
- Paper towels or clean kitchen towel
Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber (or 2 standard cucumbers, seeded)
- 1 oz ranch seasoning mix (1 packet)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil spray
- Kosher salt (for sweating)
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Heat oven to 225°F (107°C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Wash and dry cucumbers (no need to peel).
- Slice them thin: Using a mandoline, slice cucumbers into even rounds, about 1/8-inch thick. Thinner than that and they burn; thicker and they won't crisp.
- Salt and sweat: Lay slices in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Let sit 15 minutes until beads of water form.
- Pat completely dry: After 15 minutes, blot both sides of every slice with a paper towel until dry to the touch. This is the most important step for crunch.
- Season them: In a large bowl, toss dried slices with oil spray and ranch seasoning. Use hands to coat every slice evenly.
- Arrange on pans: Lay seasoned slices in a single layer on prepared sheet pans. Do not overlap — overlapping causes steaming. They can touch slightly.
- Bake low and slow: Bake 1 hour, rotating pans halfway. Flip each slice and continue baking 60-90 minutes more, until dry but not yet crispy.
- The cooling crunch: Let chips cool completely on the pans — about 30 minutes. They will become brittle and crackling as they cool. Do not rush this step.
Notes
Storage: Store in a paper-towel lined container with lid slightly cracked. Best within 2 days. To revive soft chips, reheat at 300°F for 5 minutes, then cool on pan.
Swaps: For spicy chili lime, replace ranch with 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp lime zest, 1/2 tsp salt. For everything bagel, sprinkle seasoning after oil. For dill pickle, add 1 tbsp dried dill and 1 tsp garlic powder to ranch.
Air Fryer Method: Cook at 300°F for 8-10 minutes, shaking halfway. Watch closely — they go from pale to burnt quickly.
Make Ahead: These are best within 24 hours. For a party, make day-of for best texture.