Fruit Leather Recipe

This simply sweet strawberry fruit leather recipe is easy to make and tastes way better than the store-bought version!

This is one of those kid-friendly snacks that I prefer to make homemade than using store-bought! Some of our other favorite homemade snacks include Cinnamon Graham Crackers and Homemade Granola.

Homemade Fruit Leather

Have you ever made your own Fruit Leather? Fruit Leather is surprisingly easy and totally delicious!

This sweet homemade fruit leather is as simple as can be, but it’s packed with strawberry flavor and tastes way better than store-bought.

We love berry picking in the summer. We can jam, make berry syrup, freeze berries for smoothies, and bake all sorts of cobblers and crisps.

One of my kids’ favorite things to make with our berry abundance is this sweet and delicious fruit leather. It’s the perfect snack for lunch boxes and for taking on adventures.

How to Make Fruit Leather

While it does take a little while to make, Strawberry Fruit Leather is totally hands-off and very easy!

PREP. Preheat the oven to 170°F. (If your oven will not go as low as 170°F, preheat it to its lowest heat setting.) Line two baking sheets with silicone liners and set aside.

STRAWBERRY MIXTURE. Add the strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.

Pour half of the mixture onto each of the prepared baking sheets, and spread in a thin and even layer.

BAKE. Bake for 3-4 hours in the preheated oven, rotating the pans after 1½ hours. After 3 hours, test for doneness by gently tapping the fruit leather.

If it feels dry instead of wet or sticky, the fruit leather is done. (If baking at a higher heat than 170°F, the baking time will be reduced.)

COOL. Allow to cool completely, then cut each pan of fruit leather into 8 strips, and wrap in parchment. Store in an airtight container.

Variations

Switch up your fruit choice or even make combinations. Here are some ideas…

• Fruits: Peaches, apricots plums, blueberries, raspberries, mango, or blackberries.
• Spices: Add a spice such as cinnamon or cloves.
• Nut butters: Roll your fruit leather with a little bit of peanut butter or other nut butter.
• Combine fruits: Strawberry/peach, strawberry/banana, blueberries/raspberries. The combinations are endless.

Recipe Tips

Here are a few general tips for success when making your own fruit leather:

• Use lemon juice to keep the fruit from turning brown.
• Spread your fruit to just under ¼ inch thick.
• Overbaking will create a fruit crisp instead of softer leather. The same will happen if you spread the puree too thin.

Hulling a strawberry simply means removing the leafy green top. The best way is to use a small paring knife and cut the top off while leaving as much fruit flesh intact as possible, or purchase a hulling tool.

Silicone liners. This recipe works best when using a silicone liner. If you do not have one, line your pan with parchment paper.

• Once the fruit leather has been dried allow it to cool off a bit, but remove it from the paper while it is still a little warm otherwise it can tend to stick to the paper. 

Sweetener options. One great thing about fruit leather is that you do not technically need any sweeteners.

• We added some sugar to our recipe because that’s what we liked best.
• Use less sugar, artificial sweeteners, honey, agave, or nothing at all. 
• Reduce the amount of sugar to your liking.

Storage Tips

STORE homemade fruit roll ups in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

FREEZE them in a Ziploc for several months.

It works great to make a big batch and have it on hand for school lunches or snacks. It tastes so delicious, too! The strawberry flavor really comes through, and the texture is perfect.

Recipe FAQ

For even more snack ideas:

• Peanut Butter Energy Bites
• Mini Applesauce Muffins
• Veggie Tortilla Roll Ups
• No Bake Energy Bites
• Cinnamon Graham Crackers

Thank you Alicia from The Baker Upstairs