How to Make Fruit Leather in a Food Dehydrator

12 servings
10 hr 10 min

Do you know what's better than fruit leather? Making your own homemade fruit leather! It's easy to make and can use any fruit you like. I even use foraged fruits! You don't even have to heat your kitchen. I'll be showing you how to make fruit leather in a food dehydrator. Are you ready to make your own fruit roll-ups?

person peeling back dried fruit leather from tray

If you're like me, sometimes I buy too much produce at the farmers' market and end up with more than I know what to do! Fruit leather is an excellent solution for this problem because it uses some delicious produce that might otherwise go bad before being consumed.

You'll be the cook kid (at any age) and have some delicious snacks. Let's do this!


What is fruit leather?


Fruit leather is a tasty snack that's easy to make at home and it's much better than the store-bought version. Fruit leather can be made from real fruit (or a combination of fruits) and comes in many different flavors. It's great for kids' lunches or even on-the-go snacking!


Why This Recipe Works


This recipe is a great way to use up the ripe fruit. This basic recipe uses only two ingredients: fruit and honey is optional. The beauty of this recipe is that it's easy to make, and perfect for preserving fruit for a long time.


Ingredients


Fruit leather is a healthy snack made from almost any fruit. The drying process preserves its nutrients, meaning you can enjoy all the goodness of your favorite fruits without worrying about added sugars or preservatives. Fruit leather also makes an excellent way to use up extra fruit that may otherwise go to waste.

cropped-Summer-Fruit-Salad-with-Lemon-Honey-Syrup-04.jpg
  • Fruit of your choice: you could start with your favorite fruit or a combination of fruit that's ripe. Any type of fruit will work, but make sure to remove or strain any large seeds.
  • Parchment paper (optional): Wax paper can be a solid swap-in for that as well to keep your snacks staying separated on a hot day. No need for a sticky mess!


Equipment


You'll need a dehydrator to make fruit leather in this recipe. It's a great investment if you love making your food, as it will allow you to dry many different kinds of foods without having too much clutter in your kitchen.

Use sharp knives when slicing up any produce because dull blades tend to tear apart instead of cut cleanly through.

You will also need Wooden Spoon, Spatula, and Silicone Baking Mat (optional).


Instructions


Prepare Fruit and Combine with Other Ingredients
person adding frozen mango chunks to small blender
person adding strawberries to small blender

Place your fruit in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. You want it to be as smooth as possible, but don't worry if there are still some small pieces or seeds—those can be left behind when you spread the fruit out on parchment paper later.

If using a dehydrator, make sure it's set to 135 degrees.

frozen strawberries and mango pieces in a blender
blended fruit in a blender
pureed fruit on a fruit leather dehydrator tray

If you're not planning to use the whole batch immediately, store the puree in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days; it'll keep longer than that if frozen.


Pour Into Dehydrator Tray


Pour the pureed fruit onto your cooking surface so that it covers about ¼ inch thick of the tray; it should still be about ⅛ inch thick on top so that air can circulate them when drying in an oven instead of just being baked from above like cookies would be done at 200 degrees F for one hour only since these require more time than this amount but not enough time for them too dry out entirely within those limits either.

use an offset spatula to make sure the fruit puree is spread out in an even layer.

hand holding fruit leather tray with orange dried mango strawberry dried fruit rolls
person peeling back dried fruit leather from tray

Once it comes to room temperature use a pizza cutter to cut the fruit roll sheets You can also use cookie cutters if you are looking to make fun shapes.

You can cover your fruit heather sheet with a piece of parchment paper if you aren't able to slice them up right away.

Store your fruit rolls between sheets of parchment paper or cover in plastic wrap.


Oven-drying Fruit Leather


If you do not have a dehydrator and want to start this recipe immediately, parchment paper can be used instead! Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and spread the mixture out evenly before placing it in an oven.

Set your dial at its lowest temperature (around 170°F or 75°C). Be warned that this method may take longer than a dehydrator would—upwards of 12 hours rather than 4 hours!


Serving Suggestions


You can make your applesauce for this recipe by blending diced apples (or other soft fruits) until smooth before adding them into your mixture and mixing well until everything's blended together nicely! You could also add cinnamon if desired—remember not too much since it will overpower other flavors quickly if added too liberally.


Storage


Store fruit leather in an airtight container. Fruit leather will stay in the fridge for up to 1 month or six months in the freezer.


Expert Tips


Making fruit leather at home is easy to do in your dehydrator. When you make fruit leather, you are essentially making fruit snacks that can be kept for long periods. Always wash and dry the fruit thoroughly before pureeing it.


📖 Recipe
How to Make Fruit Leather in a Food Dehydrator
Recipe details
  • 12  servings
  • Prep time: 10 Minutes Cook time: 10 Hours Total time: 10 hr 10 min
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups of fruit
  • 2 tablespoon Lemon juice (optional)
Instructions

Maybe you're interested in how to make fruit leather in a dehydrator? I'll show you how easy it is.
First, select ripe or slightly overripe fruit.
Next, wash your fresh fruit or berries in cool water. Remove the peel, seeds, and stems.
Cut your fruit into chunks and pureé in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Add two teaspoons of fresh or bottled lemon juice for every 2 cups light colored fruit (like pears, apples, or bananas). This prevents your fruit leather from becoming too dark during the drying process.
Pour the puree onto the jelly tray, and spread out with an offset spatula to make sure it's spread out evenly. Set your dehydrator to 140-145, and let it go from four to ten hours.
For Oven Drying Fruit Leather
Line the tray with plastic wrap. Waxed paper or aluminum foil will not adhere appropriately while pulling up the fruit leather and leaving stains behind.
Spread your pureé on the jelly tray without getting too close to the edge.
Approximately drying times vary depending on your oven, with suggested times up to 18 hours at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for a time frame that works for your oven's setting.
While still warm, peel the fruit leather from plastic wrap and roll or cut it into desired shapes. This will stay in the freezer for one month at room temperature or for one year!
Stephanie | Slow Living Kitchen
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