Fruit leather has long been a childhood delight, and adults love it too. It’s a healthy and easy snack to grab on the go. However, the commercial versions are chock full of unhealthy ingredients. So, why put so many additives into your body when it’s simple to create your own fruit leather at home? Here’s how.
Ingredients for Your Homemade Fruit Leather
Here’s what you need to assemble before you begin:
- Your favorite fruit
- A quarter cup of local, organic honey
- Two tablespoons of lemon juice
Interesting Fruit Leather Combinations
Choose any fruit you like for homemade fruit leather. If you grow fruit in your yard or garden, consider using that to make it organic. Also, try some interesting combinations, such as:
- Strawberry Banana: One and a half cups of strawberries and one large banana
- Mango: Three cups mango
- Apple Spice: Four large apples, one teaspoon cinnamon, a half teaspoon nutmeg and a half teaspoon ginger
- Berry Delight: one cup blueberries, one cup strawberries and 1 cup blackberries
- Pumpkin Spice: Two cups pumpkin, two teaspoons cinnamon, one teaspoon nutmeg, one teaspoon ginger and one teaspoon cloves
- Fruit Punch: One cup strawberries, a half cup raspberries, one large apple and one large banana
- Tropical Punch: One cup mango, one large banana and one cup pineapple
How to Make Homemade Fruit Leather
To make your fruit leather, just follow these steps:
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a baking sheet with your favorite cooking oil and set aside.
- Prepare the fruit by removing the stems, seeds and peels and dice as necessary.
- Place the fruit in a pot and add just enough water to cover it. Boil until the fruit is soft.
- Strain the liquid, saving a half cup.
- Add the half cup liquid, the fruit, honey and lemon into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Slowly pour the fruit mixture onto a baking pan and smooth so it is even.
- Cook in the oven for about four hours or until it looks like fruit leather. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Cut into slices and gently roll before placing into a plastic storage bag or container. Store in the fridge.
Also, if you have one, you can use a dehydrator to make fruit leather. For couples or families, it’s suggested you increase the recipe to make two or three different fruit leathers, so you have plenty to share. Homemade fruit leather also makes a nice gift.
