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August 28, 2015 6 Comments

How to Make Homemade Fruit Leather in Your Oven

How-to-make-fruit-leather-real-life-dinnerHow To Make Homemade Fruit Leather in Your Oven

My mom did a lot of canning and “putting up” of our homegrown produce at the end of every summer. My very Favorite part of this entire process was when she would make fruit leather.

We had an apricot tree that was usually a maniac producer so we had them coming out of our ears most summers. My mom made the most of them by bottling some whole, making freezer jam with some and then she always used the rest, usually the over ripe or bruised ones, to make fruit leather.

The bruised and over ripe parts of the fruit are perfect for fruit leather. Which is great news for those of us who don’t like to waste anything. I bought two bushels of peaches this summer to make jam and syrup and as I was scrapping off bruises I remembered my moms fruit leather. I just had to make some.

All I did was blend up the pealed pieces of peaches in my blender until they were pureed. I added half a lemon, juiced, and honey to taste. The peaches I used were really sweet so it only took about 1 tbsp of honey.

Next I put two sheets of plastic wrap (overlapped in the center) over a large cookie sheet, making sure to have a few inches hanging over each edge. I then poured the puree mixture carefully onto the cookie sheet and put it in my oven on the lowest setting. For my oven that is 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

How-to-make-fruit-leather-real-life-dinnerI didn’t get a picture of it, but I actually had two in at the same time. One above the other. The top one will dehydrate faster but it doesn’t matter, you can take it out and let the other continue to dehydrate.

Once you have them in the oven, take a butter knife and place it so that the oven door can not completely close. (this is important) Having the oven on it’s lowest setting and allowing air to circulate will dehydrate the fruit puree.

It takes anywhere from 12-20 hours for the fruit leather to be ready. I like to make it at night and put it in before I go to bed so it doesn’t seem like such a long wait.

You will know it is done when it is no longer gooey in the center but is still flexible. You do not want to over cook it or it will be hard and brittle. (the picture above is what mine looked like when I took it out of the oven)

Homemade-fruit-leather-recipeHow-to-make-fruit-leather-real-life-dinner Homemade-fruit-leather-in-the-ovenWhen it’s done, remove it and let it cool before rolling up to store. You can leave it big and rip pieces off or you can cut it into rectangles and roll it up on wax or parchment paper.

Homemade-fruit-leather-recipeIt is so yummy and easy to make just takes a little time, but it’s so worth it.

Peaches, apricots, applesauce, work great on their own. If using berries I would suggest doing half pureed berries and half applesauce to help the consistency.

a pinterest collage photo of homemade fruit leather. it has two pictures in it.

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5.0 from 2 reviews
How to Make Homemade Fruit Leather in Your Oven
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
12 hours
Total time
12 hours 10 mins
 
Homemade fruit leather is a healthy and fun snack to stick in your kids lunch box. Ripe fruit, lemon juice and a little honey are all you need.
Author: Maria
Recipe type: Fruit Leather
Cuisine: Snack
Ingredients
  • 4-5 cups pureed peaches, or fruit of choice
  • Juice of ½ a lemon (approx 1 tbsp)
  • Honey to taste (approx 1-2 tbsp)
Instructions
  1. Puree fruit of choice in blender until smooth. Add Lemon Juice and Honey.
  2. Cover a large cookie sheet that has edges (see picture) with plastic wrap being sure to have a few inches hanging over each edge. Make sure plastic wrap overlaps well in the center so fruit puree can not leak through.
  3. Pour fruit puree mixture on to plastic wrap covered cookie sheet and spread until pan is evenly coated. Place in your oven on the lowest setting (should be around 170 degrees F)
  4. Use a butter knife to prop oven door so that it can not close completely.
  5. Check on fruit leather after 8 hours and then every hour after that.
  6. Remove from oven when center is no longer gooey and it has a fruit leather consistency.
  7. Allow to cool completely before rolling up and storing.
3.3.3077

More fun snacks for kids

Zucchini-Chocolate-Chip-Snack-Cake-kids-LOVE-this-stuffZucchini Chocolate Chip Snack CakeGranola Bar Bites RecipeGranola Bar BitesA toddler cream cheese muffin cut in half with butter smeared on it sitting on a stack of small white plates. Several muffins surround the plates along with two ripe bananas.Toddler Muffins with Banana, Cream Cheese and Oatmeal

a pinterest collage photo of homemade fruit leather. it has one picture in it.

After School Snacks, Gluten Free, Healthy Recipes
Easy, Fruit, fruit Leather, How To, Kid Food
6 Comments

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6 Comments

  1. Morrene Wooten

    October 15, 2018 at 11:32 am

    Doing this with plastic wrap sort of makes me nervous. It won’t melt even at the lowest setting? I don’t want to ruin my cookie sheets or my leather.

    to Morrene Wooten" aria-label='reply to this comment to Morrene Wooten'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      October 17, 2018 at 2:54 pm

      Hi Morrene, I promise it won’t melt. I have been doing it for years, just make sure it is at the lowest setting.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  2. Matthew Tunstall

    April 17, 2020 at 9:42 pm

    is it like the roll ups at the shops?

    to Matthew Tunstall" aria-label='reply to this comment to Matthew Tunstall'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      May 4, 2020 at 1:47 pm

      It’s similar to the type you can buy at trader joes.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  3. lisa l mickey

    February 3, 2021 at 9:57 am

    it can be put on parchment paper instead of plastic wrap. I just cut it out ON the parchment when it’s dry & roll up. 🙂
    also a convection oven makes it a bit faster ..

    to lisa l mickey" aria-label='reply to this comment to lisa l mickey'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      February 3, 2021 at 10:02 am

      Love that! Such a great idea!

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment

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Hi, I'm Maria. A mom of five and a total foodie. My superpower is taking ordinary recipes and making them DELICIOUS. Your family will LOVE these meals! Come cook with me, I promise it will be amazing! Get started here or search my archives below.


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