Easy Strawberry Homemade Fruit Leather Recipe | Wicked Spatula (2024)

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.

by Maya Last Updated on May 29, 2020 15 Comments

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:

• Whole30 Homemade Larabars
• Homemade Trail Mix
• Paleo Vegan Queso

Find more paleo snack recipes here!