Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups are one of the easiest snacks to make at home! Made with just 3 wholesome ingredients and with no need for a dehydrator, you can replace store-bought fruit roll-ups permanently with this simple recipe for Fruit Roll-Ups.
As a child, I loved opening up my lunchbox I grew up looking forward to the days I had a packaged fruit roll-up in my lunchbox.
But when I became a parent and the world got a whole lot more educated on nutrition, I ditched the store-bought fruit roll-ups and instead treat my kids to Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups.
Why You Will Love Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups
- Super easy to prepare. This recipe for fruit roll-ups only takes a few minutes of hands-on prep time and a bit of patience while the fruit roll-ups set up in the oven.
- Free from Top 8 Allergens. Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups are gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, corn-free, egg-free, and can easily be made vegan-friendly.
- Nothing artificial. You won't find food coloring, artificial flavors, preservatives, or high fructose corn syrup in these fruit roll-ups.
- Made with real fruit. And not just a tiny amount of fruit. These fruit roll-ups feature a huge dose of fruit--counting towards a serving for your kiddos (or you.)
What You Need to Make Fruit Roll-Ups
Ingredients
- Fruit: Any combination of berries, mango, kiwi, or peaches will work to make fruit roll-ups. I would avoid things like bananas or apples that brown easily and would make the color unappealing. However, feel free to add up to 1 cup of applesauce to the mix of fruit.
- Sweetener: Use either honey, maple syrup, or agaves syrup. Do not use granulated sugar, as it will not dissolve properly in the fruit and can leave the fruit roll-ups grainy.
- Lemon Juice: The lemon juice will help to preserve the fruit and brighten the flavors.
Equipment
- Rimmed Baking Sheet: Be sure your baking sheet has a rimmed edge to keep the fruit mixture contained.
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat: You need something to prevent the fruit mixture from sticking to your baking sheet. Use either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Do NOT use plastic wrap or wax paper! Even at a low temperature, they are not safe to use for this recipe.
- Oven: Instead of using a dehydrator, this recipe uses the oven to dry out the fruit to make the fruit leather.
How to Make Fruit Roll-Ups
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Turn the oven on to the LOWEST temperature it will allow you to set it to. Ideally, you want the temperature between 150-180 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the fruit of your choice, sweetener of your choice, and lemon juice into a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Alternatively, place the mixture into a blender if you don't have a food processor.
- Puree the mixture until it is nice and combined and the fruit is fully broken down.
- Pour the pureed fruit mixture onto the prepared sheet pan. Use a spatula to spread out the pureed fruit mixture to about ⅛-inch thickness without leaving any holes. You don't need to get out a ruler, just spread out your mixture as thin as you can while being sure the mixture is even. Also ensure that you leave a ½-inch border around the side of the pan so that the fruit roll-ups don't dry onto the edge of the pan, which would make it hard to remove the fruit leather from the pan.
- Bake for 4-8 hours, or until the fruit roll-ups are no longer sticky to the touch. The timing varies based on the oven and moisture in the fruit, so it is best to begin checking on the fruit roll-ups every 30 minutes after they have baked for 4 hours.
- Once the fruit is fully dried out, remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Once cooled, cut the fruit leather into 1-inch strips using kitchen scissors or a pizza cutter.
- Cut wax paper, parchment paper, or craft paper into strips slightly smaller than the size of the fruit leather.
- Peel the fruit leather away from the parchment paper or baking pat and place it onto the cut strip of paper. Roll the fruit leather up into the classic roll-up shape of a fruit roll-up, securing it with a sticker or piece of tape.
- Then allow your kids to unwrap the magic and enjoy their special (yet healthy) treat!
Storage Instructions
Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups will keep in an airtight container in a dry, cool spot in your pantry for up to 2 weeks. Place a fruit roll-up in a small plastic bag or container to pack in a school lunch or for a snack on the go.
Recipe FAQs
Can you use frozen fruit to make fruit roll-ups?
Yes!! You can use frozen fruit to make homemade fruit roll-ups. Simply defrost the frozen fruit of your choice in the refrigerator. Once thawed, drain off any excess liquid and then proceed with the recipe as directed.
Is the sweetener necessary?
You can omit the sweetener altogether if your fruit is really ripe.
Do you need to strain the fruit puree?
If you have a child with a sensitive digestive system that needs to avoid seeds, use any fruit you like to puree and then run through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds, or use peaches, applesauce or mangoes to avoid any small seeds.
More Favorite Lunchbox Recipes
- Veggie Wrap
- Homemade Cheese Crackers
- No-Bake Granola Bars
- Homemade Gogurts
- DIY Butterfly Snack Bags
- Turkey Wrap
- English Muffin Pizza
If you made Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups
Make your own healthy fruit roll-ups with just 3 ingredients.
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Servings: 8
Calories: 64kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups fruit see notes
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, agave, or honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to as low as it will allow you to go. Aim for 150-180 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a food processor or blender, puree the fruit with the sweetener and lemon juice until perfectly smooth.
- Pour the pureed fruit mixture onto the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to evenly spread the fruit out so that it is about ⅛-inch thickness, without any holes. Also, be sure to leave a ½-inch border around the edges of the pan.
- Place the fruit mixture into the oven and bake for 4-8 hours, until set and no longer sticky to the touch. The cooking time will depend on the fruit's moisture content and the temperature of your oven. After 4 hours in the oven, check every 30 minutes and remove from the oven when the fruit leather is no longer sticky to the touch.
- Once set, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool fully.
- Cut the cooled fruit leather into 1-inch strips using kitchen scissors or a pizza cutter and peel away from the pan. Roll the fruit leather up with a strip of craft paper or parchment paper, and secure with tape or a sticker.
- Keep homemade fruit-roll ups in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Fruit: Use a combination of berries, mango, peaches, or kiwi to make fruit roll-ups. Do not use fruit that browns easily like apples, pears, or bananas. I don't recommend using melon either, as it has high water content. You CAN use up to 1 cup of applesauce, mixed with other varieties of fruit if desired. I used 2 cups of strawberries and 1 cup of blackberries for the pictured fruit roll-ups.
Frozen Fruit: You can use frozen fruit. Defrost the fruit in the refrigerator and then strain well to remove excess moisture. Pat dry and then proceed with the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 64kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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This post was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2022 with new photos and a few new tips.
Margaret
I used frozen fruit and forgot to thaw and drain the excess liquid. Will it still cook right?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Margaret. I honestly don't know. My guess is that it will take much longer to dehydrate and may not be as flavorful due to excess moisture.
Sam
Why do you recommend avoiding things like bananas or apples? I'm especially curious about why you would avoid bananas.
Thanks in advance...
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sam! The bananas turn really brown and the color is really offputting. Apples turn to mush and become brown.