How to Dehydrate Plums for Prunes and Snacks

✅ Quick Answer: How do you dehydrate plums?
Wash firm, ripe plums, remove the pits, and cut the fruit into halves or slices. Arrange in a single layer and dry at 135°F until pliable and leathery, with no visible moisture inside. Slices generally take 6–10 hours, while halves may take 24–36 hours. Cool completely, condition for four to seven days, and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place.

How to Dehydrate Plums Step by Step

1. Choose sound, ripe plums that are still firm enough to slice. Wash them thoroughly under cool running water, remove the stems, and cut away any bruised or damaged areas.
2. Cut the plums in half and remove the pits. Use your thumb to push the skin side inward slightly—sometimes called “popping the back”—to expose more flesh to the moving air. For faster drying or crisp plum chips, cut the plums into even 1/4-inch slices instead.
3. Optional: To help preserve the color, soak the cut plums for 10 minutes in an ascorbic-acid fruit pretreatment prepared according to the product directions. Drain well and gently blot away excess moisture.
4. Arrange the plums in a single layer on the dehydrator trays without overlapping. Place halves cut-side up.
5. Dry at 135°F. Rotate the trays during drying if your dehydrator’s manufacturer recommends it or you notice that some trays are drying faster than others.

💡 Outside the United States? Use my quick Fahrenheit-to-Celsius converter to find the equivalent Celsius temperature.

Optional Syrup Blanching for Sweeter Dried Plums

1. Combine 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of light corn syrup, and 2 cups of water in a saucepan.
2. Heat the mixture, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the syrup reaches a boil.
3. Add 1 pound of prepared plums and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the plums stand in the syrup for 30 minutes.
5. Drain the plums thoroughly and gently blot away the excess syrup before arranging them on the dehydrator trays.

Skip this treatment if you prefer dried plums with no added sugar.

How Long Do Plums Take to Dehydrate?

At 135°F, 1/4-inch plum slices generally take 6–10 hours to dry, while plum halves may take 24–36 hours. These are estimates rather than deadlines: small plums and thin pieces may finish sooner, while large, juicy plums can take longer. Humidity, ripeness, slice thickness, and dehydrator performance also affect the drying time.

Allow several pieces to cool to room temperature before testing them. Properly dried plums should be pliable and leathery, with no visible moisture when you cut through the thickest part. The pieces should spring apart when squeezed rather than stick together. For plum chips, continue drying the thin slices until they feel crisp after cooling.

Always judge doneness by the cooled fruit—not by the clock alone.

Reader Tip: Small Plums May Dry Faster

Beverly in Washington State shared this helpful experience:

“At 72% humidity and 135°F, my small plums were almost brittle after 16 hours. Next time, I’ll begin checking them after 12 hours.”

Beverly’s experience is a good reminder that small plums can finish considerably sooner than large plum halves. Begin checking early and rely on the cooled fruit’s texture rather than the estimated drying time alone.

Reader Tip: Try Crispy Plum Chips

Margaret shared this great idea on the Easy Food Dehydrating Facebook page:

“I sliced my plums into thin rings and dehydrated them until crisp. They made a great snack to eat on the go!”

Plum varieties differ in moisture and natural sugar, so some slices may remain slightly chewy rather than becoming completely crisp. Let the chips cool before testing them, and return any soft pieces to the dehydrator if necessary.