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Crispy Cucumber Chips with Ranch Dust

Cucumber slices dewatered, dried low in the oven or air fryer, then misted with a whisper of oil and tossed in a finely ground homemade ranch seasoning that actually clings.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 45
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chips
  • 2 large cucumbers sliced 2 to 3 mm thick
  • fine salt about 1/4 tsp per cucumber
  • 1/2 tsp neutral oil for misting
For the ranch dust
  • 4 tsp buttermilk powder or nonfat milk powder plus 1/2 tsp citric acid
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried dill finely crushed
  • 1 tsp dried chives or parsley finely crushed
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp citric acid to taste

Equipment

  • Oven or air fryer
  • Wire rack
  • Spice grinder
  • Spray bottle

Method
 

  1. Lay the slices in a single layer, salt lightly, wait 15 minutes, then blot both sides dry.
  2. Oven: 250°F, single layer, 30 minutes, flip and rotate, then 20 to 40 minutes more until dry and curling. Air fryer: 250°F, 12 to 15 minutes, flip, then 8 to 12 more.
  3. Turn off the heat, crack the door, and leave the chips 10 minutes to finish drying.
  4. Grind the ranch ingredients fine. Mist the hot chips with 1/2 tsp oil total, then toss with 1 to 1.5 tsp ranch dust per heaping cup until speckled.

Notes

Season after drying, not before: steam from the cucumbers pushes the spices off.
Grind the dust fine so it adheres instead of falling off gritty.
Store airtight with a packet of dry rice; revive soft chips at 225°F for 8 to 10 minutes.