During the summer months we constantly get emails saying, “Help! I just got a million pounds of [insert fruit of your choice here] what can I make with it??” If that’s you, this should be at the top of your list! And even if you don’t have a million pounds of anything, it should still be a the top of your list. You can use just about any fruit, and it’s perfect for those things that are just a little too ripe to eat any other way. My kids LOVE homemade fruit roll-ups (which is a way more appetizing name than fruit leather, so we’re going to say roll-ups, okay?) Now, I have absolutely nothing against pre-packaged foods. Heck, my 14 month old ate like 7 packs of fruit snacks before I even got dressed this morning. I’m not one of those moms who makes everything from scratch- but, it’s sure nice to do sometimes. I do like to encourage my kids to eat healthy, wholesome food, and it’s a bonus when they can help make it. Besides the fact that these taste simply amazing, you control exactly what goes in there, and I love that. No artificial colors or flavors or preservatives, just perfectly wonderful fruit and the amount of sweetener you like. I’m telling you; whether your 5 or 95, you’ll love eating fruit roll-ups!
You can use just about any fruit or fruit combination you can imagine. I got loads of raspberries and a few peaches yesterday from my sweet friend Carolyn, and we had some strawberries on hand already. I’ve never had a bad fruit combo, so play around and see what you like! And while this is fabulous with fresh fruit, you can also use frozen, or even fruit you’ve canned.
Prepare Fruit: Make sure your fruit is washed and then roughly chop just so you can measure. If you’re into measuring, that is. If you’re not into measuring than this recipe is totally for you since it really doesn’t matter if you measure or not! Those of you who need a number, you’ll need about 3 cups fruit for a standard size rimmed baking sheet (13×18, or 13×15). I always do a little more than that just so I have plenty and can make it as thick as I want. Toss the extra in a smoothie.
Sweeten: If your fruit is naturally sweet enough, you don’t even have to add anything. I always add a little somethin’ somethin’ to mine. You can use granulated sugar, honey, or even splenda or agave syrup. I’m going to add a little honey to my peach-strawberry mix. I added about 3-4 tablespoons. You can also add ground spices and extracts at this point. Keep in mind that flavors and sweetness intensify after drying, so less is more. For light colored fruits, add about 2 teaspoons lemon juice to prevent browning. You can add lemon juice to any fruit combo just to brighten the flavor.
Puree: Many (actually, most) recipes for fruit leathers/roll-ups have you simmer the fruit on the stove first. I used to do that until I realized I didn’t really have to- and you all know I will avoid dirtying a dish if I can! So just pop it all in a food processor so you can get it nice and smooth. This picture below is actually of my raspberry batch. I did all raspberries with white sugar and almond extract. Holy heaven-in-a-food-processor:
Taste the mixture after it’s smooth and add more sweetener if you need to. You need to be able to pour this mixture, so if you puree your fruit and it’s pretty thick, just add a little liquid. You can add water, or fruit juice.
Line Pans: Okay, technically this step should happen at the beginning, but whatever. Just be sure to line your pan. You’ll notice in the photo above, I’ve lined my pan with plastic wrap. While these are going in the oven, the temperature is so low it won’t melt the plastic, BUT- DON’T USE CHEAP PLASTIC WRAP. I need to make that clear. Use good quality plastic wrap, not a bargain brand; some packages even specify for use in a microwave. Others are so flimsy and cheap that you might run the risk of them melting at such a low heat. Use good stuff and you’ll be fine. Just cover the entire pan with plastic and smooth out any wrinkles. You don’t want a ton of overhang, so trim if you need to, but make sure to leave at least an inch or two of overhang because it will kind of shrink up in the oven. Leave the edges loose (as in, don’t tighten them around the pan.) You can also use a silicone baking mat like in the strawberry batch below. Both silicone and plastic wrap work the best in my opinion. The fruit will stick to both foil and parchment so I don’t recommend those. If you do decide to try it, you need to spray it with non-stick spray or brush it with vegetable oil first. I think plastic and silicone really work the best so go with one of those.
Spread Puree: Use an offset spatula to gently spread the mixture in an even layer. The more evenly you spread, the more evenly it cooks. Keep the mixture away from the edges like in the photo below. You’ll want it about 1/8″ thick. Your puree should be thin enough that it pours, but thick enough to stay put where you spread it.
Cook: Set your oven temperature to the lowest setting. Mine is 170, many ovens will go down to 140. 170 works great, and it will be a little faster than 140. You’re basically just warming the air, helping the fruit dry faster. You can actually place the trays outside in the sun as well, but it does take much longer than the oven. And if you have a food dehydrator, obviously just follow the instructions for your machine.
This is where you will have to be patient. It takes about 6-8 hours, sometimes longer, for it to dry. If you aren’t going to be at home and you don’t want to leave your oven on, just keep the oven door shut and turn it off while you’re gone. Turn it back on when you get back and it will just keep on drying. I often make this in the evening and leave it in the oven for a few hours, then turn the oven heat off when I go to bed, and turn it back on in the morning until it’s done. You can test it by touching the center of the fruit mixture- it should not stick to your finger, and not indent when you touch it. The edges will cook faster than the center; if the edges look like they’re getting crispy, you can cut those off later, or brush them with a little water or juice during the baking process to rehydrate. Or if you overbake the entire pan, you can also brush with a little water until it’s pliable again.
See how thin that is? You can see right through it.
I never thought fruit roll-ups could be gorgeous, but this raspberry one is gor-ge-ous! You can certainly strain out the seeds before cooking, but I happen to think straining raspberry seeds is a huge pain in the rear and I love the little bit of texture it gives to the final product.
Remove: You can peel it off the plastic or baking mat while it’s still warm, it should come off easily.
Roll: You can wrap it right back up in the plastic, or cut a sheet of parchment to fit.
I like to use a pizza cutter and trim all of the edges (my kids love to eat that part) so I have nice clean lines to work with. Because I’m a freak like that. If you have a good (clean) pair of scissors, you could roll the whole sheet and then just snip all the way through the roll. If you’re like me and have 14 pairs of crappy scissors, none of which you can ever find when you actually need them, then cut into strips and then roll them up i ndividually. Or if you want large rolls of fruit, you can do it that way. I love these little one-inch segments because they’re a great size for kiddos.
Most of the little rolls will stay rolled, but if they need help, you can always attach a little piece of tape, or a twist tie to keep them all bundled up.
They make yummy little treats in lunch boxes
Or healthy snacks (for Mom and Dad too!)
Since the drying process is long, fit as many pans in your oven as you can! We love to do all different colors and flavors and experiment with flavor combinations.
It’s also a good idea to make lots because these will be gone in a heart beat.
If stored well (I like to keep them in a mason jar) these can stay fresh up to several weeks.
Or so I’ve heard. I’ve honestly never had them last more than a few days.
Okay, one day. About an hour unless I hide the jar.
You can also freeze them.
Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups
From ourbestbites.com
Ingredients
2 1/2 – 3 cups ripe or slightly over-ripe diced fruit
sweetener to taste: honey, sugar, agave, etc.
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
optional: seasonings, spices, extracts to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to lowest temperature. 140° or higher. Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap, or a silicone baking mat (don’t use foil, parchment, or waxed paper), and spread to 1/8″ thick. Place in oven and bake for 6-8 hours, until center is not tacky anymore. Remove from oven and peel off of baking sheet. Cut into strips and roll in parchment or plastic. Store in airtight container or freeze.
Tips:
-All fruits will produce slightly different results. Strawberries and Raspberries are two of my favorites, that consistently produce good flavor and texture. You might have to experiment to find what works well. If you’re going to make a giant batch, you may want to test one first to make sure it works well.
– The addition of sugar or honey enhances the texture and makes the fruit roll ups a little more chewy than if you leave it out.
– If using plastic wrap, it will shrink a little as the fruit dries, so do leave a little extra around the edges. A silicone baking mat works the absolute best in my opinion.
Questions & Reviews
I have tried this twice and failed miserably each time. I am find that it is really thick in the middle and doesn’t cook and the ends get super crispy. Despite evening it out. How can I make it so it cooks evenly?
Amy, is your pan uneven? I wonder if things are gathering in the middle making it so much thicker even after you’ve evened it out? If you have the patience to try it again I might try making it a little *thinner* in the middle, and see if that helps? Sorry for the frustration!
Would this work with vegetables? Or at least adding vegetable juice to the mix? Has anyone tried that…?
Great piece. I’ve been making baked brie wracking my brain for another wrapping rather than the traditional puff pastry. My mind’s been whirling and after what I refer to as spiral logic a fruit roll up came to me. I’ll keep you posted on my findings. Happy cooking and thanks for sharing!
I was wondering if you can use the dehydrator instead of the oven?
Thanks for the recipe, it looks amazingly yummy!
Yep, absolutely!
Have you ever used bananas while making fruit rollups?
Yes, and sometimes they turn out a little funny. I usually stay away from banana.
thanks so much!! i love this recipe. you forfilled my craving. i do not want the junky roll-ups by betty crocker these are the answer; now i have a nice healthy treat for me and my friends
I just made a combination of pears and peaches using a cup of each. Then I made a batch using mixed frozen berries-straw-cran-rasp and just added a little honey to the mix and they both taste really yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
Can you add food coloring to make this a certain color? I am trying to make black for a road on a cake and thought fruit roll ups would be good! Thanks:)
I’m guessing you could, but I’ve never tried so you’d have to experiment!
I’ve currently got a batch of blackberry/raspberry fruit leather in the oven. I added a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and am hoping it turns out!
I really hate blackberry and raspberry seeds, I cant enjoy the flavor of the berry if I’m crunching seeds, so I strained the seeds out.
If it does work well for me ill be making a batch of apple cinnamon!
Hello:
If I use the plastic wrap in the dehydrator will that restrict the air flow and drying process?
Do you know how to extend the life of the rolls beyond a month, to have until the following season?
Thanks so much,
Victoria
I’m not sure, you’d have to check the instructions on your dehydrator. And I’m not sure if you could get them to last that long- maybe in the freezer?
I don’t know how well fruit roll-ups made using ovens or dehydrators stay edible, but I’ll share some thoughts on the matter.
My grandmother still makes mango roll-ups every time we have them in excess. She uses the traditional methods – hand-puree and baked in the sun (this being in the tropics, though, so the sun here is very reliable). It takes her a few days, but they’re really nice and firm. I don’t think she added any sweetener, either.
From personal experience, they can be stored for months in the refrigerator. Storing them in a sealed container (like Tupperware) helps a lot, though it might get a bit chewy after a few months. Don’t bother with the freezer, though, since it can turn out too stiff to chew from the cold.
And another little bit of personal experience – I was able to keep some mango roll-up edible for almost a year with just refrigeration alone. They’re a lot tougher to chew on, but soften up nicely after a few bites.
Oh my, I made strawberry pear roll ups today (since I had a bazillion–as in 40 lbs.–of pears). I didn’t think my son would go for plain pear, and the strawberries made it a pretty pink color that also justified me in telling him that they were strawberry roll-ups. They are SOOOOOO good! Thank you!
How many roll ups does 2 1/2-3 cups of fruit generally make?
Totally depends on the fruit, and the thickness, and the size of rolls. Sorry I don’t have a good answer for ya!
Have you used apples or pears? Do you stew them first, or just raw and into the food processor? How about bananas? You may have already answered but I did a quick scan of the 139 posts and didn’t see anything. I’m excited to try this! Ack!!
I used pear last night, and I just threw them in the blender raw. They worked perfectly, and taste wonderful. I did not use lemon juice and they did not turn brown. I used peaches and they worked great too. I had some homemade applesauce in the freezer that I thawed and made fruit leather with over the weekend. I think for apples it would be best to cook them first, but I haven’t tried them raw. I used little hair elastics to keep them from unraveling. I get a package of 500 of them for $1 at Family Dollar. They worked perfectly.
Sorry I missed this before- I’ve used both apples and pears but along with berries and not by themselves. You’ll have to experiment!
I loved this recipe!! Healthy, cheap easy alternative to store bought Fruit Roll-ups! I featured this recipe on my blog (http://wonderful-life-mer.blogspot.ca/)….thank you!!!
I’ve made these several times & LOVE how easy it is! I use my Silpat and parchment paper. The Silpat works best, but the parchment paper also works well and I’ve never had to grease it. The 1st time I tried, I made the big mistake of using wax paper… disaster!!!
I am really excited to try these with my over-ripe peaches. However, the lowest setting on my gas oven is 200. Do you think that would be too high? I’m hoping it will still work if I just don’t cook them as long.
Yep, just keep an eye on them as they’ll cook faster!
can i use frozen fruit, thawed? have you tried that?
also have you tried blackberries? are they too seedy?
Never tried frozen fruit, but it should work fine. Just strain your berries to eliminate seeds if you don’t want them.
Katie I use applesauce all the time and I like to add a little jello any flavor to change the color and flavor of the applesauce. If you use to much jello your fruit roll ups will come out sticky! I fixed it with a little powered sugar but I won’t make that mistake again
I love this post and can’t wait to try it for my grandsons. I am just wondering about the plastic. I try to make things homemade to avoid
all the additives in store bought items. The BPA’s in plastic in the oven worries me. You say you have had the best results with plastic lined pans?
great idea! i can’t wait to try it! i also love your personality and the way you present this recipe, so funny and true!
My partner and I have been looking for an easy way to make fruit roll ups as we go through uncle tobys ones like there is no tomorrow and now we can make so many more and all because of your website thanks heaps EXCELLENT!!!!!
Has anyone tried applesauce? My niece is a super picky eater but she loves apples and applesauce. I make my own applesauce and it’s kind of chunky. Would that work?
Hey I am definitely looking forward to trying this because I hate giving my kids the store bought fruit roll ups, but they love them. One question though, I don’t usually have much fresh fruit on hand so how does this recipe work with the frozen or canned fruit? do I need to thaw the fruit before putting it in the food processor? Thanks.
I’ve heard it works fine with canned fruit, but I’ve never tried it. I would partially thaw frozen before using, just so it can get smooth.
I want to actually know where to buy the ingredients used in the nasty product, fruit roll-ups. My nephew hates every natural fruit known to man, whether it be grapes, cherries, watermellon, strawberries, blueberries and you name it – he will not eat it. But he’ll eat all the fake sugar infused fake cancer causing, heart attack candy-like crap on the market. I want to show him exactly what he is eating.
I am just worried about putting plastic wrap in the oven.
I was planning on doing this with some of the fruit from our orchard this year. FYI, the FoodSaver brand vacuum sealers have attachments for sealing mason jars. I THINK that if they are sealed they should last months instead of weeks in the cellar?
oops almost burned the house down… my oven doesn’t tell me my lowest setting but apparently its waaaaaaaaaay too hot 😛 sadness
This was awesome! Thanks.
I rolled the entire batch at once and then snipped with my somewhat dull kitchen scissors. It worked great (although it didn’t matter because they were gone within 10 minutes). Yum!
I used a little piece of dental floss to hold the rolls together. You can floss after you eat. Thought that was good idea to share.
My wife and I had something similar to these in a restaurant in New Orleans over the weekend, but they were brittle and filled with whipped cream and had strawberry sorbet on the side. Do you think that once they are done ‘cooking’, you could roll them up into a tube shape and cook them longer to become brittle? The restaurant wouldn’t tell us how they were made, but they were one of the BEST desserts I’ve ever had.
Wow, that sounds delish! i honestly have no idea if it would work!