How to Dehydrate Fruit Rolls for Tasty Homemade Fruit Leathers

Looking for a healthy, fun snack that travels well and actually gets eaten? Here's how to dehydrate fruit rolls (also known as fruit leathers or roll-ups) using fresh, canned, or even frozen fruit.

These chewy, flavorful strips are kid-approved, budget-friendly, and free from mystery ingredients. Let’s roll!

Fruit Roll-Ups on a plate

Fruit rolls are easy to make and cost less than any fruit leathers bought in a store! Plus you know what's in 'em - as we don't add preservatives that you can't pronounce!

Check out this brief history of fruit rolls courtesy of Wikipedia, then come on back here.

Sweeten It Up Naturally: Fruit Leather Flavor Boosters

honey for sweetness

Make fruit rolls from fresh fruits or any leftover fruits. Sweeten them if desired by adding cinnamon to an apple and pear mix. Yummy! See more ideas in the FAQ section at the top of the page.

For added sweetness for fruit rolls when using tart fruits: for each quart of purée, add one or two tablespoons of honey or corn syrup—whichever is on hand in your pantry—and taste-test 'til your taste buds are happy!

Note: adding regular sugar to fruit rolls can make them become brittle when in storage. Select a fruit combination for a fruit leather that will appeal to you and your kids!

For example, bananas and pineapples make a tasty combination. How about strawberries with rhubarb, or pineapple and cranberry?

Why Fresh Seasonal Fruit Makes the Best Fruit Rolls

fresh fruit

It's always best to use fresh fruit for your fruit rolls while it's in season and plentiful—i.e. cheaper.

Don't forget you can also use overripe fruits or those misshapen, bruised fruits, too.

This is a perfect USE for those 'imperfect' fruits! (I'll never tell!)

Frozen or Canned Fruit? Yes, You Can Still Make Fruit Rolls

You can use canned fruits too while dehydrating fruit rolls. Simply drain off the excess liquid first (in a sieve, in the sink) then put the fruit in the blender and away you go.

You can even use frozen fruits, but be aware that these may be a little thinner in consistency after puréeing.

To combat a too-runny consistency, let the frozen fruit come to room temperature first, allowing excess water/juice to drain off naturally (in the sink, in a sieve).

If it's still too runny, add an apple to the mix!

Apple and Pear Fruit Roll Mix in a blender

Step-by-Step: How to Make Perfect Fruit Rolls at Home

  1. Wash your favorite combination of fresh fruit and trim away any bruised and/or spoiled areas. You can leave the skin on—chop the fruits into 1" chunks to make it easier on your blender and discard the core and seeds. Add a tablespoon or two of water to get the blender moving. (There may be no need to add water if you're using (thawed) frozen fruit or canned fruit).
  2. Place the fruit in your blender. Now is the time to add the sweetener of your choice, if you find it necessary.
  3. After puréeing the fruit, you can lightly wipe the fruit roll sheet with vegetable oil to help prevent sticking. Next: Simply pour the purée onto the food dehydrator's special fruit roll sheets—around 1.5 cups per tray
  4. Turn on your dehydrator and set the temperature between 135°F to 140°F.
    Note the higher temperature for fruit rolls!
  5. When the fruit roll has dried, peel it from the tray and roll it into a tight cylindrical/conical shape. Use a piece of plastic wrap to wrap it up and store it in airtight containers. At room temperature, they'll last a month. In my photo below, you'll see that I vacuum-packed some so they will last even longer!

💡 Tip: Outside the U.S.? Most dehydrating temps here are listed in Fahrenheit — use our quick converter to see the Celsius equivalent for your machine.

  • Drying time: between 4 – 8 hours or until the fruit roll/leather is pliable (or per your food dehydrator's instructions). It should be non-sticky to the touch and a little shiny in appearance—and they do dry much browner, but that is absolutely nothing to worry about!
  • Remember to rotate your food dehydrator trays while dehydrating fruit rolls, for even drying.

Blend Like a Pro: Get the Silkiest Fruit Purée

To make the fruit rolls, purée the fruit in your blender and by spreading it thinly onto your food dehydrator's special sheets created just for this purpose.

Top Blenders for Smooth Fruit Leather Purée

Hamilton Beach Power Elite 58148 Blender
Hamilton Beach Power Elite 58148 Blender

Hamilton Beach® Power Elite 58148 Table Top Blender

  • Powerful ice crushing with patented Ice Sabre blades
  • 700 Watts peak power
  • Mix, purée, dice, crush ice
  • 4 buttons with 12 blending functions
Ninja BL660 Professional Compact Smoothie & Food Processing Blender
Ninja BL660 Professional Compact Smoothie & Food Processing Blender

Ninja® Professional Blender (BL660)

  • Frozen drinks, smoothies, sauces and more
  • 100 Watts motor
  • Chops food as a processor: mince, chop, grind, and blend
  • 72 oz pitcher
KitchenAid KSB1570SL 5-Speed Blender, 56 oz. Pitcher, Silver
KitchenAid KSB1570SL 5-Speed Blender, 56 oz. Pitcher, Silver

KitchenAid® 5-speed with PBA-Free Pitcher

  • Intelli-Speed Motor Control with 'soft start' feature to pull food into the blade then increases to the selected speed setting
  • Pulse and Crush Ice features
  • Stir, chop, mix, purée, or liquefy.
  • 56 oz PBA-free pitcher - silver-colored base
Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher, Shakes and Smoothies, 40 oz. Glass Jar, Stainless Steel
Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher, Shakes and Smoothies, 40 oz. Glass Jar, Stainless Steel

Hamilton Beach® Wave Crusher Blender

  • Patented Wave-Action system for smooth results without stirring with Ice Sabre blades
  • 14 Blending functions, 700 Watts peak power
  • Mix, purée, dice, crush ice, and more.
  • 40 oz Glass Jar with clean easy-pour lid

As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases. The price you pay does not increase.  Read disclosure here.

DIY vs. Store-Bought Sheets: What Works Best for Dehydrating

If you're not using (or don't have) the Nesco fruit roll sheets, simply lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the trays to make your own drip-proof sheets!

NOTE: Make SURE to cut out the center hole in the plastic wrap so that the air can circulate if you're using a Nesco dehydrator or similar style dehydrator. (I do highly recommend using the sheets though).

Smart Spreading Tip: Thicker Edges, Even Drying

fruit roll mixture spread out on solid dehydrator sheets

When spreading out the puréed fruit, make sure the center portion of the tray's contents is a little thinner than the outer edges.

The outer edges tend to dry out faster.

NOTE: When using two Nesco dehydrator fruit roll trays, I used two large apples and 4 pears. This is to give you a rough idea of how much fruit to use for two sheets.

I also added extra dehydrator trays in between the two fruit roll trays as Nesco recommends using NO LESS than four trays at a time for proper air circulation.

Read more about NESCO dehydrators here.

The Satisfying Peel: Removing Your Finished Fruit Leather

Peeling off the fruit leather from the solid sheet

Carefully lift the leather off the solid sheet. You WILL get better with practice! If you're getting big holes in your fruit leathers while drying, see how to fix it, here.

Store Smart: Keep Fruit Rolls Fresh with Vacuum Sealing

Fruit Roll-ups Vacuum-Packed

I hope you enjoyed learning how to dehydrate fruit rolls. Please feel free to send photos of your creations by contacting us here. Thanks!

Fruit Leather FAQ: Get Answers Before You Dehydrate

Can I mix fruits together when making fruit leather?

Absolutely! Mixing fruits is a great way to balance tart and sweet flavors. Try strawberry + banana, apple + blueberry, or peach + mango. Just be sure to purée until smooth, taste-test, and adjust with a touch of honey or cinnamon as needed.

Fruit leather with no added sugar?

Here are some tips for making tasty fruit leather with no added sugar:

  • Choose Naturally Sweet Fruit: Go for fruits like mango, pineapple, banana, figs, applesauce, etc, which have enough natural sugars to set up the leather. Berries and tart fruits may need a touch of sweetness, though.
  • Boost Flavor with Spices: Cinnamon, vanilla, almond extract, lemon or orange zest add flavor without sugar. Or try ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg combos.
  • Use Vegetable or Fruit Juice for Liquid: Thin out thicker purées with 100% juices like apple, white grape, pear, or carrot instead of water. Adds sweetness back in.
  • Include Dried Fruits: Chop or purée nutrient-dense dried fruits like raisins, dates, cherries, or apricots into the mix. Work especially well in leathers with some tartness.
  • Sweeten with Alternatives: For a light touch of sweetness, minimal amounts of maple syrup, honey, molasses, or stevia can be used instead of plain sugar.
  • Keep it Thin: Spread fruit purées thinner over dehydrator sheets - less than 1/4 inch. Thinner leathers dry faster. See my TIP about how to spread your fruit mix properly for best drying HERE.

With the right fruit combos and a flavor boost from added spices and herbs, it's easy to achieve enough sweetness in a reduced-sugar fruit leather! Play with proportions as desired by taste-testing before smoothing out your purée on the sheets.

Once you’ve mastered your first batch of homemade fruit rolls, you’ll never go back to store-bought! Whether you’re making them for lunchboxes, hiking snacks, or a sweet treat after dinner, they’re a perfect way to preserve fruit and enjoy it year-round. Go ahead — mix, match, and get creative!

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