How to Make Fruit Leather From Scratch

This on-the-go snack is easier to make than you think—so here’s how

Some things are just better when they’re made from scratch—and making something with your own two hands provides such satisfaction. When you cook from scratch, you know exactly what ingredients go into your meals, and it offers you the flexibility to adjust your recipe for dietary or taste preferences.

Making your own fruit leather rolls is way easier than you might think, and the oven or the dehydrator does most of the work for you. Basically, you can make them out of any kind of mixture of fruit you want, and right now is a great time, as there are tons of fruits coming into season. Plus, you can make them with frozen fruit, so—even after the season is over—pull the fruit out of the freezer!

Try out these fruit leathers for your next hike, camping trip or day at the beach…

Strawberry-rhubarb

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 cup rhubarb chopped
• 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil some water and blanche the rhubarb for one minute and then drain.

2. Blend the rhubarb, strawberries and honey in a high-speed blender, and then strain into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve, if you want to remove the seeds.

3. If you are going to use a food dehydrator, follow the instructions for your own machine.

4. For the oven, pre-heat it to the lowest possible setting.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a silicone mat) and then pour mixture onto the baking sheet and spread evenly into a rectangle.

6. Place in oven and bake for five to six hours, until no longer wet (just tacky to the touch).

7. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut leather—and parchment—into desired sizes and/or shapes and roll, tying with string.

8. Store in an air-tight container, so it doesn’t dry out for up to two weeks (but consuming fresher is always better.)

Mango-blueberry

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup mango
• 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil some water and blanche the rhubarb for one minute and then drain.

2. Blend the blueberries, mango and honey in a high-speed blender, and then strain into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve, if you want to remove the seeds.

3. If you are going to use a food dehydrator, follow the instructions for your own machine.

4. For the oven, pre-heat it to the lowest possible setting.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a silicone mat) and then pour mixture onto the baking sheet and spread evenly into a rectangle.

6. Place in oven and bake for five to six hours, until no longer wet (just tacky to the touch).

7. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut leather—and parchment—into desired sizes and/or shapes and roll, tying with string.

8. Store in an air-tight container, so it doesn’t dry out for up to two weeks (but consuming fresher is always better.)

Makes six to eight rolls per batch (depending on how long you make them).