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How to make fruit leather

So canning the peaches last week didn't use up our entire 25 lb box (surprise surprise when you only have twelve lids on hand!), and all of our fruit was getting pretty overripe. So I did some Googling and came across an idea that I'd already wanted to try out: making the fruit into fruit leather! (You know, like a homemade Fruit Roll Up.)

 
I used a fruit leather recipe from Simply Recipes (pinned here) and went to work:

Sad, dried out, overripe peach, sans pit

Cooking the chopped fruit (with 1/2 c water per 4 c fruit)

Into the blender

It will blend. Now it's a puree!

All the purees, poured out on plastic-wrap covered cookie sheets in the convection oven. From top to bottom: 100% peach, peach apple banana, peach grape, peach apple banana.

The manual for my (fairly old) convection oven said to put a wooden spoon in the door like this to crack it open while using the dehydrating setting (140 degrees F with the fan on).

The recipe recommends using microwave-safe plastic wrap, but in the comments she admits she just used the regular kind. I did, too, and for the leather that didn't fill up the pan, I got kind of a shrink wrap effect on the corners.
But it all seems good.

And ten to fourteen hours later, yum:

My favorite was the peach grape, even though the grape skins didn't puree as well. (Plus the blender spit hot peach grape puree on my hand, so I stopped messing with it sooner.) I really want to make pear fruit leather next—and I do have three pears in the fridge now...

What kind of fruit leather would you make?

30 comments:

  1. o i love fruit leather!!! thanks :) have a good day!
    xoxo
    ash
    http://jaysonandashley.blogspot.com/

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  2. Mmmm..is it okay to salivate? Now I want some peaches (in fruit leather or otherwise)

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  3. Oh yum! That looks so tasty - and so much better than the store bought ones!!


    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a great week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  4. That looks really yum, sure does take a long time though, not sure I would be patient enough haha. Pear sounds like it would be good.

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  5. Yum! My mom made homemade fruit leather all the time growing up. It was always a coveted treat in our lunches and our friends liked it when we would share. I even had a random boy follow me home from school once because he wanted some. :) I just found your website today and I'm excited to follow your posts. :) http://www.sugarandspiceandallthingsiced.com/

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  6. Yum! I've never had fruit leather before but it looks good!

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  7. I think I will be making this. My little girl loves fruit leather!

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  8. I'm sure this is way better than store bought!Thanks so much for linking up to the Tuesday To Do Party!
    Smiles!
    Jami

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  9. My mom used to make this when I was younger but couldn't remember exactly how she did it when I asked. So glad you shared this!
    Emily
    domesticdeadline.blogspot.com

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  10. These look amazing! A great alternative to store bought. I would love it if you came by and shared some of your recipes with us at Cast Party Wednesday tomorrow.
    Thanks,
    I hope to see you there!

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  11. these sound amazing peach looks great

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  12. Oh man, all of them sound deeelicious!!!! Makin' my mouth water. :o)

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  13. What a great idea!! Thanks for linking it!

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  14. Thanks for linking up! This looks awesome :)


    Ashton
    www.somethingswanky.com
    {Sweet Treats Thursday}

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  15. Yum! I've never made fruit leather, but I've wanted to. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being the easiest, how would you rate its difficulty?

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  16. Wow and impressively yummy looking.

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  17. I love Fruit Leather and it is expensive for small packages at Target. Thanks so much for sharing. I can't wait to get some fruit and give this a try.

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  18. @Sarah—it's basically just cut, cook, blend and bake. Maybe 2-3?

    I was surprised by how easy it was, but it was time consuming waiting for them to dry all the way. Other recommended drying methods included leaving the trays in a hot car all day!

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  19. Hmm.. So delicious!! Yum!
    Thank you for linking this up to {nifty thrifty sunday} last week as well!
    xoxo,
    Vanessa

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  20. I do the same thing in my dehydrator! I love fruit leathers!

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  21. Thanks for linking up. :)
    Tracy

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  22. Another one my kids would flip for. Thanks for sharing at Bacon Time.

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  23. we make fruit leather all the time. I do have a dehydrator so it makes things a bit easier though :) My favorite is pear for sure. I am going to feature this on this weeks check me out saturday favs post http://iamonly1woman.blogspot.com

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  24. I had no idea what this was. I know what a fruit roll up is- I just didn't know they also call it a friut leather- I learned something knew today! I wouldn't buy a fruit roll-up but I would definitely try and make one! Come and share this with WorkShop Wednesday. It would make a great addition to the party!

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  25. Oh my gosh- this looks delicious!! I have to try this! Thank you so much for linking up to Strut Your Stuff Saturday! We are so grateful for your support and we hope that you will be back tomorrow to share more great ideas! We just love all you Wayward Girls!! :)
    Camille @
    SixSistersStuff.blogspot.com

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  26. Mmmm I bet your house was smelling divine by the time these were done! Another one I must try!

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