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Last week, I tweeted that I was making homemade fruit leather. Well, I guess lots of people want to know how to make homemade fruit leather because I received several tweets and emails asking for the recipe. So today, I am sharing a simple recipe on how to make homemade fruit leather or fruit roll-ups. It is the same recipe-the only difference is if you roll up the final product up or cut into squares:)
Fruit leather can be pricey to buy at the store, but making it at home is cheaper and so easy. I love making it because I feel all domestic. Plus, I love eating it! It is a great healthy snack!
We are still swimming in peaches so I made homemade peach fruit leather, but you can use any fruit you like. Strawberry and raspberry are two of our other favorite fruit flavors. You can also mix fruits! Peach raspberry fruit leather is delish! I try to use whatever fruits are in season.
To make peach fruit leather, I removed the skins and pits of the peaches and gave them a rough chop. I threw them in my Blendtec blender and added a little agave. Our peaches were ripe and super juicy so they only needed a little bit of agave. Taste your fruit and add sweetener according to the sweetness of the fruit. You can also use honey or granulated sugar.
Blend the fruit until smooth. Pour the fruit mixture onto a baking sheet that has been lined with a Silpat and smooth with a spatula. If you don’t have a Silpat, you can use parchment paper or plastic wrap, but Silpats work the best, in my opinion:)
Put the baking sheet in the oven for 6-8 hours, or until the fruit leather is set and the center is not tacky. Your house will smell delicious while the fruit leather is drying in the oven.
When the fruit leather is finished, pull it out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Peel back the fruit leather from the Silpat baking mat. It should peel right off. You can cut the fruit leather into squares or long strips if you want to make fruit-roll ups. If you want to make fruit roll-ups, cut a long strip of parchment paper and roll the fruit leather up! It’s that easy!
Store the fruit leather and fruit roll-ups in an air-tight container for up to a month. We always eat it pretty quickly:) You can make a few pans at once. We have double ovens and sometimes I will do four pans at the same time. We love homemade fruit leather.
Give Homemade Fruit Leather a go! It is easy and is a great healthy snack for road trips, lunch boxes, hikes, and every day snacking. Enjoy!
Vegetarian
Homemade fruit leather is so easy to make and is a great healthy snack! I used peaches for this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite fruit. Strawberries and raspberries are my other favorite fruits to use.
Servings 1 pan fruit leather-about 10 fruit roll-ups
Ingredients
- 3 cups ripe chopped fruit I used peaches this time
- Sweetener to taste (I use honey or maple syrup)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 150 degrees F or the lowest temperature your oven will go. Line a 11 x 17 baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat. Set aside.
Puree the peaches and sweetener of your choice in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour fruit mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread to about a 1/8″ thick. I always pound the baking sheet on the counter a few times to make sure the fruit mixture is evenly distributed.
Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 6-8 hours, until pan is set and the center is not tacky. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Gently peel off the fruit leather from the Silpat. Cut into squares or strips using a pizza cutter, knife, or scissors. If you want to make fruit roll-ups, roll the strips in parchment paper. Store in an air-tight container.
Note-if you don't have a Silpat baking mat, you can line the baking sheet with plastic wrap or parchment paper. The plastic wrap will not melt in the oven because the temperature is so low. I prefer to use a Silpat though. Get creative and use your favorite fruits, you can also mix fruits! The fruit leather will keep up to a month in an air-tight container.
Have you tried this recipe?
Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod
FAQs
When making fruit leather at home you can control how much sugar is added. For the diabetic fruit leathers without sugar are a healthy choice for snacks or desserts. Individual fruit leathers should contain the amount of fruit allowed for a fruit exchange.
What fruits can be made into leather? ›
Making fruit leather is a good way to use leftover canned fruit and slightly overripe fresh fruit. The following fruits were rated as “excellent” or “good” by the University of Georgia for preparing fruit leather: apples, apricots, berries, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears, pineapple, plums and strawberries.
How long does homemade fruit leather last? ›
How Long Does Fruit Leather Last? You can easily store fruit leather, rolled up and placed in a large lidded jar or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 1 month. For longer storage (up to 6 months), refrigerate your fruit leather. For even longer storage (up to 1 year), you can freeze your homemade treats.
What are the disadvantages of fruit leather? ›
As the results show, most fruit leathers have few disadvantages which are mostly on the lack of preservatives to protect the color.
Why is fruit leather expensive? ›
Fruit and plant leather is more expensive than animal leather due to the technical effort required, but it is considerably simpler and more environmentally friendly to produce this leather in terms of the number of natural resources used.
Does homemade fruit leather need to be refrigerated? ›
Fruit leather will keep about two to four weeks at room temperature when stored in a dark, cool place. For storage up to one year, store in the freezer.
Why isn't leather edible? ›
Leather is made from the skin of animals, which undergoes a tanning process to make it durable and flexible. Consuming leather can be harmful to humans, as it is not digestible and can cause digestive issues and other health problems. Additionally, leather may contain chemicals or dyes that can be toxic if ingested.
Does fruit leather go bad? ›
The preservation of fruit leathers depends on their low moisture content (15-25%), the natural acidity of the fruit and the high sugar content. When properly dried and packaged, fruit leathers have a shelf life of up to 9 months.
Is homemade fruit leather shelf stable? ›
Chances are the fruit leather will not last long enough for storage. If it does, it will keep up to 1 month at room temperature. For storage up to 1 year, place tightly wrapped rolls in the freezer.
Why did my fruit leather burn? ›
If edges are thinner than the middle, your fruit leather will dry unevenly and may burn on the edges. Place into 170 degree F oven for 2 hours. Check tackiness: if lightly touched with your finger, does the puree still feel like puree?
Making fruit leather is like making a smoothie with one extra step. In a blender, you blitz your fruit with lemon juice and any spices or sweeteners and then spread it out on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Pop it in the oven and let it dry for hours.
Can I use parchment paper in my dehydrator for fruit leather? ›
To fill all four of our dehydrator trays we need about 6-8 cups of pureed fruit; depending on your dehydrator this could vary. Line the trays with parchment paper, as sometimes the puree can leak through. We start with the wrap and remove it after a few hours when it has started to dry.
Why is my fruit leather cracking in the dehydrator? ›
If your fruit leather is brittle and cracking easily, that could be a sign that it's too dry. If you are having trouble peeling the fruit leather from the pan, try moistening it to help prevent it from cracking.
How do you turn jam into fruit leather? ›
All you need is jam and a couple of tricks. This is as simple as, well, jam. Take your favorite jam, purée it, strain it and dehydrate it for a spell and you will end up with some tasty fruit leather.
What is the nutritional value of fruit leather? ›
There are 102 calories in a 1 oz (28.400g) serving size of Snacks, fruit leather, pieces. The calorie breakdown is 7% fat, 92% carbs, and 1% protein.
What is a healthy alternative to roll-ups? ›
Dried fruit: Instead of processed fruit snacks, you can opt for dried fruits like apricots, dates, figs, or raisins. They are a good source of fiber and natural sugars. Fresh fruit: Whole fruits like apples, bananas, oranges, or grapes make a healthy and convenient snack.
How much sugar is in fruit leather? ›
Snacks, pieces, fruit leather contains 102 calories per 28.35 g serving. This serving contains 0.8 g of fat, 0.3 g of protein and 23 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 16 g sugar and 0 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate.
What are the advantages of fruit leather? ›
These are apple, banana, berry, grape, jackfruit, kiwifruit, mango, orange, papaya, peach, and tomato. The advantages of fruit leather are easy to prepare method, convenience while eating, cost-effective product, good shelf-life, handy to pack, and attractive texture and taste.
