ClosePhoto: Charlotte & Johnny AutryFruit leather is a healthy, colorful snack that’s perfect just about anytime. While store-bought fruit leather is convenient, making your own allows you to control the amount of added sugar (read: none) while also using up any ripe or overripe fruit you have on hand. After turning more than 32 pounds of fruit (that’s not a typo!) into fruit leather in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, we’ve perfected a formula you can use to make no-added-sugar fruit snacks at home. Learn how to make fruit leather and turn any fruit, like apples, mangoes, berries and/or kiwis, into chewy, sweet and tangy fruit roll-ups that are lunchbox ready.Pick & Prep Your FruitWe found that starting with 3 1/2 cups of pureed fruit was just the right amount to fill 3 doughnut-shaped dehydrator trays or 1 large rimmed baking sheet (more on that below). You’ll want to toss in an apple if you are using berries, kiwi or any other fruit that is low in pectin —this naturally occurring starch helps create the signature chewy texture of fruit leather. (When we tested 100% berry leather, the results were crispy.) Pectin-rich fruits like apple and mango don’t need anything else added.The riper the fruit, the sweeter your fruit leather will be. In fact, you can make fruit leather even with fruit that’s on the edge of going bad, as long as it isn’t moldy.Here’s how much fruit to start with:Apple3 pounds (about 7 medium), cored and choppedMango4 pounds (about 4 medium), peeled, pitted and choppedBerries2 pounds (about 3 pints), stems and leaves removed  + 1 small red apple (about 5 ounces), cored and choppedKiwi1 1/2 pounds (about 12 medium), peeled and chopped + 1 small green apple (about 5 ounces), cored and choppedBlend & ThickenCombine the prepped fruit, 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a blender and puree until smooth. You should have about 3 1/2 cups of fruit puree. Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, partially cover (to contain splatter) and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3 cups, 10 to 15 minutes.Dry ItWe tried every method of drying out fruit leather you can imagine. Air fryer? Skip it. Conventional oven? Mixed results. Convection oven? Yes! Dehydrator? Definitely!In the DehydratorObviously, using a dehydrator gives you flawless results. It maintains an extremely low temperature that’s ideal for removing moisture without worry of overcooking or the leather getting crispy. Here’s how to do it:Coat your dehydrator’s fruit-leather trays with cooking spray. Add enough puree so that you can spread it evenly about 1/8-inch thick (about 1 cup, depending on the size of your tray). Dehydrate at 140°F until dry to the touch, about 4 hours.The Best Food Dehydrators, According to Our Test KitchenIn the OvenIt took us more than a dozen tests to get the oven method just right, and we had mixed results along the way. The best results were in a convection oven or using convection mode. (Our tests in conventional ovens were all over the place; sometimes they were acceptable but other batches had wet middles and crispy edges on the same pan.) Here’s how to do it:Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the puree onto the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake on the center rack at your oven’s lowest convection bake temperature (170°F to 200°F), rotating the pan from front to back once halfway through, until dry to the touch, 3 to 4 hours.Roll It UpLet your fruit leather cool until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. If you used a dehydrator, transfer each piece of fruit leather to a sheet of parchment paper. With the long side facing you, roll the fruit leather on the parchment into a long cylinder. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut into eight 1 1/2-inch-wide strips. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmitSmoothies Are the New Salad—These Recipes Help You Get Your Veggies InUse Natural Food Coloring from Plants to Make Beautiful Cakes, Cookies and More5 Mistakes That Ruin Brussels Sprouts (and How to Fix Them)How to Substitute (Almost) Any Ingredient and Get Dinner on the TableHow to Freeze Fresh Fruits and VegetablesSurprise Pie with Pears & GingerHow to Cut a Peach7 Unexpected Uses for Your MicrowaveHow to Cut a KiwiHow to Make Dried MushroomsCoquitoHow to Pickle Anything (No Canning Necessary)Do You Need to Wash Fruits and Vegetables Before Eating Them?5 Simple Tips to Lighten Up Your Favorite CocktailsHow to Cut ZucchiniHow to Turn Any Vegetable Into Creamy SoupBy clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies

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Photo: Charlotte & Johnny Autry

Homemade Fruit Leather strips on a brown surface

Fruit leather is a healthy, colorful snack that’s perfect just about anytime. While store-bought fruit leather is convenient, making your own allows you to control the amount of added sugar (read: none) while also using up any ripe or overripe fruit you have on hand. After turning more than 32 pounds of fruit (that’s not a typo!) into fruit leather in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, we’ve perfected a formula you can use to make no-added-sugar fruit snacks at home. Learn how to make fruit leather and turn any fruit, like apples, mangoes, berries and/or kiwis, into chewy, sweet and tangy fruit roll-ups that are lunchbox ready.Pick & Prep Your FruitWe found that starting with 3 1/2 cups of pureed fruit was just the right amount to fill 3 doughnut-shaped dehydrator trays or 1 large rimmed baking sheet (more on that below). You’ll want to toss in an apple if you are using berries, kiwi or any other fruit that is low in pectin —this naturally occurring starch helps create the signature chewy texture of fruit leather. (When we tested 100% berry leather, the results were crispy.) Pectin-rich fruits like apple and mango don’t need anything else added.The riper the fruit, the sweeter your fruit leather will be. In fact, you can make fruit leather even with fruit that’s on the edge of going bad, as long as it isn’t moldy.Here’s how much fruit to start with:Apple3 pounds (about 7 medium), cored and choppedMango4 pounds (about 4 medium), peeled, pitted and choppedBerries2 pounds (about 3 pints), stems and leaves removed  + 1 small red apple (about 5 ounces), cored and choppedKiwi1 1/2 pounds (about 12 medium), peeled and chopped + 1 small green apple (about 5 ounces), cored and choppedBlend & ThickenCombine the prepped fruit, 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a blender and puree until smooth. You should have about 3 1/2 cups of fruit puree. Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, partially cover (to contain splatter) and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3 cups, 10 to 15 minutes.Dry ItWe tried every method of drying out fruit leather you can imagine. Air fryer? Skip it. Conventional oven? Mixed results. Convection oven? Yes! Dehydrator? Definitely!In the DehydratorObviously, using a dehydrator gives you flawless results. It maintains an extremely low temperature that’s ideal for removing moisture without worry of overcooking or the leather getting crispy. Here’s how to do it:Coat your dehydrator’s fruit-leather trays with cooking spray. Add enough puree so that you can spread it evenly about 1/8-inch thick (about 1 cup, depending on the size of your tray). Dehydrate at 140°F until dry to the touch, about 4 hours.The Best Food Dehydrators, According to Our Test KitchenIn the OvenIt took us more than a dozen tests to get the oven method just right, and we had mixed results along the way. The best results were in a convection oven or using convection mode. (Our tests in conventional ovens were all over the place; sometimes they were acceptable but other batches had wet middles and crispy edges on the same pan.) Here’s how to do it:Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the puree onto the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake on the center rack at your oven’s lowest convection bake temperature (170°F to 200°F), rotating the pan from front to back once halfway through, until dry to the touch, 3 to 4 hours.Roll It UpLet your fruit leather cool until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. If you used a dehydrator, transfer each piece of fruit leather to a sheet of parchment paper. With the long side facing you, roll the fruit leather on the parchment into a long cylinder. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut into eight 1 1/2-inch-wide strips. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit

Fruit leather is a healthy, colorful snack that’s perfect just about anytime. While store-bought fruit leather is convenient, making your own allows you to control the amount of added sugar (read: none) while also using up any ripe or overripe fruit you have on hand. After turning more than 32 pounds of fruit (that’s not a typo!) into fruit leather in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, we’ve perfected a formula you can use to make no-added-sugar fruit snacks at home. Learn how to make fruit leather and turn any fruit, like apples, mangoes, berries and/or kiwis, into chewy, sweet and tangy fruit roll-ups that are lunchbox ready.

Pick & Prep Your Fruit

We found that starting with 3 1/2 cups of pureed fruit was just the right amount to fill 3 doughnut-shaped dehydrator trays or 1 large rimmed baking sheet (more on that below). You’ll want to toss in an apple if you are using berries, kiwi or any other fruit that is low in pectin —this naturally occurring starch helps create the signature chewy texture of fruit leather. (When we tested 100% berry leather, the results were crispy.) Pectin-rich fruits like apple and mango don’t need anything else added.

The riper the fruit, the sweeter your fruit leather will be. In fact, you can make fruit leather even with fruit that’s on the edge of going bad, as long as it isn’t moldy.

Here’s how much fruit to start with:

Apple3 pounds (about 7 medium), cored and choppedMango4 pounds (about 4 medium), peeled, pitted and choppedBerries2 pounds (about 3 pints), stems and leaves removed  + 1 small red apple (about 5 ounces), cored and choppedKiwi1 1/2 pounds (about 12 medium), peeled and chopped + 1 small green apple (about 5 ounces), cored and choppedBlend & ThickenCombine the prepped fruit, 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a blender and puree until smooth. You should have about 3 1/2 cups of fruit puree. Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, partially cover (to contain splatter) and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3 cups, 10 to 15 minutes.Dry ItWe tried every method of drying out fruit leather you can imagine. Air fryer? Skip it. Conventional oven? Mixed results. Convection oven? Yes! Dehydrator? Definitely!In the DehydratorObviously, using a dehydrator gives you flawless results. It maintains an extremely low temperature that’s ideal for removing moisture without worry of overcooking or the leather getting crispy. Here’s how to do it:Coat your dehydrator’s fruit-leather trays with cooking spray. Add enough puree so that you can spread it evenly about 1/8-inch thick (about 1 cup, depending on the size of your tray). Dehydrate at 140°F until dry to the touch, about 4 hours.The Best Food Dehydrators, According to Our Test KitchenIn the OvenIt took us more than a dozen tests to get the oven method just right, and we had mixed results along the way. The best results were in a convection oven or using convection mode. (Our tests in conventional ovens were all over the place; sometimes they were acceptable but other batches had wet middles and crispy edges on the same pan.) Here’s how to do it:Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the puree onto the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake on the center rack at your oven’s lowest convection bake temperature (170°F to 200°F), rotating the pan from front to back once halfway through, until dry to the touch, 3 to 4 hours.Roll It UpLet your fruit leather cool until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. If you used a dehydrator, transfer each piece of fruit leather to a sheet of parchment paper. With the long side facing you, roll the fruit leather on the parchment into a long cylinder. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut into eight 1 1/2-inch-wide strips. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit

Apple3 pounds (about 7 medium), cored and choppedMango4 pounds (about 4 medium), peeled, pitted and choppedBerries2 pounds (about 3 pints), stems and leaves removed  + 1 small red apple (about 5 ounces), cored and choppedKiwi1 1/2 pounds (about 12 medium), peeled and chopped + 1 small green apple (about 5 ounces), cored and choppedBlend & ThickenCombine the prepped fruit, 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a blender and puree until smooth. You should have about 3 1/2 cups of fruit puree. Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, partially cover (to contain splatter) and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3 cups, 10 to 15 minutes.Dry ItWe tried every method of drying out fruit leather you can imagine. Air fryer? Skip it. Conventional oven? Mixed results. Convection oven? Yes! Dehydrator? Definitely!In the DehydratorObviously, using a dehydrator gives you flawless results. It maintains an extremely low temperature that’s ideal for removing moisture without worry of overcooking or the leather getting crispy. Here’s how to do it:Coat your dehydrator’s fruit-leather trays with cooking spray. Add enough puree so that you can spread it evenly about 1/8-inch thick (about 1 cup, depending on the size of your tray). Dehydrate at 140°F until dry to the touch, about 4 hours.The Best Food Dehydrators, According to Our Test KitchenIn the OvenIt took us more than a dozen tests to get the oven method just right, and we had mixed results along the way. The best results were in a convection oven or using convection mode. (Our tests in conventional ovens were all over the place; sometimes they were acceptable but other batches had wet middles and crispy edges on the same pan.) Here’s how to do it:Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the puree onto the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake on the center rack at your oven’s lowest convection bake temperature (170°F to 200°F), rotating the pan from front to back once halfway through, until dry to the touch, 3 to 4 hours.Roll It UpLet your fruit leather cool until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. If you used a dehydrator, transfer each piece of fruit leather to a sheet of parchment paper. With the long side facing you, roll the fruit leather on the parchment into a long cylinder. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut into eight 1 1/2-inch-wide strips. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Blend & Thicken

Combine the prepped fruit, 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a blender and puree until smooth. You should have about 3 1/2 cups of fruit puree. Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, partially cover (to contain splatter) and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3 cups, 10 to 15 minutes.

Dry It

We tried every method of drying out fruit leather you can imagine. Air fryer? Skip it. Conventional oven? Mixed results. Convection oven? Yes! Dehydrator? Definitely!

In the Dehydrator

Obviously, using a dehydrator gives you flawless results. It maintains an extremely low temperature that’s ideal for removing moisture without worry of overcooking or the leather getting crispy. Here’s how to do it:

Coat your dehydrator’s fruit-leather trays with cooking spray. Add enough puree so that you can spread it evenly about 1/8-inch thick (about 1 cup, depending on the size of your tray). Dehydrate at 140°F until dry to the touch, about 4 hours.

The Best Food Dehydrators, According to Our Test Kitchen

In the Oven

It took us more than a dozen tests to get the oven method just right, and we had mixed results along the way. The best results were in a convection oven or using convection mode. (Our tests in conventional ovens were all over the place; sometimes they were acceptable but other batches had wet middles and crispy edges on the same pan.) Here’s how to do it:

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the puree onto the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake on the center rack at your oven’s lowest convection bake temperature (170°F to 200°F), rotating the pan from front to back once halfway through, until dry to the touch, 3 to 4 hours.

Roll It Up

Let your fruit leather cool until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. If you used a dehydrator, transfer each piece of fruit leather to a sheet of parchment paper. With the long side facing you, roll the fruit leather on the parchment into a long cylinder. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut into eight 1 1/2-inch-wide strips. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!OtherSubmit

Tell us why!

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