I've found that the combination of the dryer and storing the bagged results in my chest freezer (which draws out a bit more moisture) gives me nicely crisp results. The other reason for keeping them in the freezer is that the hot temperatures in the summer tend to degrade things that should be stored "in a cool, dry place." I bag them up in zip-lock sandwich-sized bags, so generally they stay crisp to the end even with multiple bag-openings.

I'll probably need to start attacking the apples in September. I also need to consume this stuff on a more regular schedule! I have an inventory list on the freezer door with dates for when it was put up. It helps me pull things on a first-in/first-out basis but also reminds me that I've got some really old tomato sauce in there.