This sweet fruit leather is as simple as can be and is also packed with so much strawberry flavor. What’s even better is that it tastes way better than store-bought version.
Homemade Fruit Leather
Hello again! It’s Alicia from The Baker Upstairs, and I have such a fun recipe to share with you today! Have you ever made your own fruit leather? It’s surprisingly easy to make, and totally delicious too! This sweet strawberry fruit leather is as simple as can be, but it’s packed with strawberry flavor and tastes way better than store-bought.
One of my favorite things about living in the Pacific Northwest is that we have so many fresh berries available all summer long. Last year we visited a local farm every few weeks during the summer, and picked over 50 pounds of berries total! We canned jam, made berry syrup, froze berries for smoothies, and baked all sorts of cobblers and crisps. One of my kids’ favorite things that we made with our berry abundance, though, was this sweet and delicious fruit leather. It’s a great way to make those fresh berries last a little longer, and 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, it’s totally hands off and very easy. You just blend your berries with a little lemon juice and sugar, spread the mixture in a baking sheet, and bake at a low temperature until it’s dried out.
You can tell that the fruit leather is done when it feels dry to the touch, instead of wet or sticky. Let the fruit leather cool completely, then roll it up in parchment to prevent it from sticking. I used pre-cut parchment sheets and cut them into strips. I cut each pan of fruit leather into 8 strips, and they were the perfect serving size for my kids.
This strawberry fruit leather will keep in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks, so 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.
What’s great is you could definitely make this fruit leather with other berries, or even with other fruit like peaches or apricots. Whichever type of fruit you use, you’ll want about 4 cups of fruit to start with. Making homemade fruit leather is so easy and fun, and I can’t wait to try it with all of our summer bounty!
For even more snack ideas, check out:
Fruit Leather recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries hulled
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170. (If your oven will not go as low as 170, preheat it to its lowest heat setting.) Line two baking sheets with silicone liners and set aside.
- 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 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, the baking time will be reduced.)
- Allow to cool completely, then cut each pan of fruit leather into 8 strips, and wrap in parchment. Store in an airtight container.
Is it possible to use artificial sweeteners in place of sugar, ie Splenda, etc. For strawberry leather snacks?
I am sure it is, though I personally haven’t tried. I’m sure it would still be good 🙂
Wow! It’s easier than I thought to make these fruit leather. Thank you for sharing!
Isn’t it?! I am glad you tried it out! Thank you so much!
What can I use instead of silicone liners? I don’t have any :(.
You don’t have to use it. I use it for easy clean up. You could try parchment paper & spray a little.