Just about all the kids I know (and most adults!) love fruit leather. It is sweet and chewy and fun to eat in those little paper rolls. But here’s thing – the store bought kind has tons of added sugar, preservatives, and unnecessary ingredients. Fortunately, making fruit leather yourself is easier than you think. This recipe for homemade strawberry fruit leather is made with just three whole food ingredients, plus I’ll share step-by-step instructions for how to make fruit leather super easily!
It just takes a quick spin in a blender and then you can ignore it for a few hours, as it bakes in the oven and makes your whole house smell amazing as it bakes.
What Is Fruit Leather?
Homemade fruit leather, also known as fruit rolls or fruit roll ups, are dried fruit snacks made from a homemade fruit pulp mixed with sweetener. They are then dehydrated or baked slowly, so that they dry out and make a chewy, tasty snack that can be healthy.
How To Make Fruit Leather Without A Dehydrator
Yes, you can totally make homemade fruit leather without a dehydrator!
You can prepare baked DIY fruit leather instead, using your regular oven and a little patience. There really is no need to invest in an expensive dehydrator if you don’t have one already.
How To Make Fruit Leather In The Oven
How is fruit leather made? You will be so amazed at how easy this homemade strawberry fruit leather recipe is.
- Preheat your oven to the lowest temperature it will go.
- Blend the ingredients. In a blender, puree the strawberries, honey and lemon juice until you get a nice smooth and thick puree.
- Pour it into a pan. Place a silicone mat on a baking pan and pour the puree over the mat. Tap it or use a spatula to spread it out evenly across the mat.
TIP: If you don’t have a silicone mat, parchment paper also works. Do not use foil or just a regular unlined pan, because it will stick.
- Bake in the oven for 4-5 hours, until the center of the puree is no longer tacky.
- Roll it up. Peel away the leather from the silicone mat and cut it into long narrow strips (a pizza cutter is great for this!). Use thin strips of parchment paper to roll the strawberry fruit leather into tight rolls.
Yay, now you know how to make fruit leather in the oven – without all the weird stuff the commercial varieties have.
What Fruits Can Be Used For Making Fruit Leather?
This recipe is for homemade strawberry fruit leather, but you could use any fruit you like. Choose the options below or even swirl a few types together:
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Mango
- Peach
- Banana
Each type of fruit will be a little different in terms of how much sugar you add to the puree. Just add a bit at a time to the puree and taste as you go.
TIP: You can make whole30 fruit leather by using a sweeter fruit, such as mango.
You can also add in lime, lemon, or orange zest and even vanilla bean to your homemade fruit leather. Really, the sky’s the limit!
Is Fruit Leather Healthy?
This recipe certainly is. This strawberry fruit leather recipe only uses natural fruits and unrefined sugars.
Store bought alternatives are often packed full of refined sugars, preservatives, artificial sweeteners – all the things are trying to avoid and certainly would prefer not to feed to your kids!
How Long Does Homemade Fruit Leather Last?
I rarely find that these baked fruit leathers last long enough to require storage! However, you’ll be happy to hear that these healthy fruit snacks will last for up to one month in an airtight container.
Can You Freeze Fruit Leather?
Yes, you can! I like to make a big batch of this strawberry fruit leather recipe and bake a number of trays at the same time.
To freeze DIY fruit leather, just roll it up into really tight rolls and place them inside a freezer-safe container, or in sealed freezer bags.
Other Healthy Snacks
If you need healthy snack inspiration beyond homemade fruit leather, try these:
Find more paleo snack recipes here!
RECIPE CARD
Easy Strawberry Homemade Fruit Leather Recipe
Learn how to make fruit leather in the oven with just 3 ingredients! This EASY homemade fruit leather recipe has options for strawberry fruit leather or other fruits of your choice.
Recipe Video
Click or tap on the image below to play the video and learn how to make this recipe!
Ingredients
Please ensure Safari reader mode is OFF to view ingredients.
- 1 pound Strawberries (see post above for other fruit options!)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Honey (optional, to taste)
Instructions
More TIPS about this paleo recipe in the post above!
- Preheat oven to the lowest possible setting.
Using a food blender, blend the fruit, citrus, and sweetener together until smooth.
Place a silicone mat on a baking sheet and pour the mixture evenly across the entire mat. Give it a little tap to distribute it. Bake for 4 -5 hours, or until the center is no longer tacky.
- Remove from oven and peel it away from the silicone mat. Slice into long strips and roll up with parchment strips.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 strip (1/8 of the recipe)
Troubleshooting:
- If the leather won’t peel away from the mat, let it cool for an hour and try again.
- If the edges are crispy, simply cut them off before rolling.
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols (though the latter are rarely seen on this site), because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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15 Comments
Ashley
Can you use frozen fruit?
Gloria
Loving the sound of this fruit leather. I will have to experiment and make some for the grandkids. They will love it for sure. Love the fact it is healthy.
Rosa
Wow I never imagined I could make something like this from home. Looks like a yummy treat for the kiddos!
kim
I absolutely love this idea! My kids really enjoyed these and they were way easier than I thought they would be!
Liz
LOVED that this recipe was so much healthier than what I’d been buying. Your fruit leather was delicious, too!!!
Suzy
This is perfect! Will make it for my girls!
Danielle Wolter
I have got to try this. I love the idea of fruit leather for an easy healthy snack. This is such a great idea!
Chris Collins
Omg I used to love these as a kid! Can’t wait to recreate them now. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Alexandra
I remember eating something similar as a child – but I have never made it myself! How lovely 🙂 I will look forward to trying soon!
Kate
Would this be any faster or slower with a dehydrator? I have one, but I heard a rumor the oven is way better for fruit roll-ups and the dehydrator is way better for jerky.
And just FYI I featured this recipe in section #2 of my guide to quit sugar. Cooking fruit leather at home like this is the healthiest way to eat dried fruit.
Lauren
Thanks so much for featuring this! In my experience it’s much slower with a dehydrator.
Patricia
I’ve made fruit leather before but it’s been far too long. Thanks for the inspiration to do it again! I love your idea to add vanilla bean to the mix – yum!
Michelle
I have wanted to try making my own fruit leather. So glad I made this!
Florian
Hello spring! This was amazing!
Heather
Fruit leather is one of our favorite ways to use up our farmers market fruit. Strawberry and raspberry are our favorites.