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Replace store-bought fruit roll-ups permanently with this simple recipe. Made without any special equipment and just 3 wholesome ingredients, Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups are a kid-friendly, parent-approved treat that are incredibly easy to make!
Better-For-You Fruit Roll-Ups
Did anyone else grow up enjoying Fruit-by-the-Foot? Or am I dating myself? 😂 It was a brand of a store-bought fruit roll-up that was very sugary and made with very little fruit.
This recipe for fruit roll-ups replaces that brand (and all other store-bought fruit roll-ups and fruit leathers) with a wholesome kid-approved snack that is made with real fruit and a lot of it!
And while homemade fruit roll-ups satisfy any child's sweet tooth, there are so many reasons that parents agree, this recipe is the best!
- 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 homemade fruit roll-ups.
- No Dehydrator Needed. Instead of using a dehydrator, this recipe uses the oven to dry out the fruit to make the fruit leather.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Recipe Highlights
What You Need to Make Fruit Roll-Ups
- 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 agave syrup. Do not use granulated sugar, as it will not dissolve properly in the fruit and can leave the fruit roll-ups grainy. You can also opt to omit the sweetener altogether if the fruit really ripe or if you prefer not to add sweeteners.
- Lemon Juice: The lemon juice will help to preserve the fruit and brighten the flavors.
- Equipment: An oven, rimmed baking pan, and parchment paper.
Frozen Fruit?
To use frozen fruit to make homemade fruit roll-ups, 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.
How to Make Fruit Roll-Ups
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare the Fruit. Place the fruit of choice in a food processor or blender, along with the sweetener of your choice and a bit of lemon juice.
Kristen's Tip
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.
- Spread Out Pureed Fruit. Pour the pureed fruit mixture out a sheet pan lined with oven-safe parchment paper. Using a spatula, spread out the mixture into a very thin, evenly layer. Be sure to leave a ½-inch border along the sides of the pan, to prevent the fruit roll-ups from sticking to the pan.
- Bake Fruit Roll-Ups. Using the lowest setting on your oven, bake the fruit leather until the mixture is 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, keeping in mind it can take up to 8 hours for the fruit to be dried out.
- Cool & Slice. After the fruit is fully dried-out, remove it from the oven and let it cool to room temperature Once cooled, cut the fruit leather into 1-inch strips using kitchen scissors or a pizza cutter. Using the parchment paper roll-up into fruit rolls.
Make It Cute
While you can opt to roll your fruit leather up into roll-ups using simply just parchment paper, you can make it cute by cutting craft paper into strips slightly smaller than the size of the fruit leather.
- Peel the fruit leather away from the parchment paper 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 (or you) to unwrap the magic and enjoy their special 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.
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Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups
Video
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℉. 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 it to cool fully at room temperature.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in 2017.
Why do you recommend avoiding things like bananas or apples? I'm especially curious about why you would avoid bananas.
Thanks in advance...
Hi Sam! The bananas turn really brown and the color is really offputting. Apples turn to mush and become brown.
I made this recipe and my roll-ups stuck to the high quality parchment paper. No way to get them off because each time I do, the paper rips right with each roll. Thinking maybe I spread them a mm too thin. Kinda bummed.
Oh no Val--I am bummed for you! What size pan did you use? It sounds like they may have been too thinly spread. You want the entire mixture about 1/4 inch thick.
I used banana and apple sauce. I added more lemon juice to keep banana from turning brown. Worked great, made it a bit tangy but tasted good to us! Thanks for the Fun idea!
Can I freeze this once made? I have a lot of raspberries to process.
Hi Jenn! I have never tried freezing these, however, I have had a reader share they have frozen with success.
My daughter wants to make fruit roll ups using gummy bears and gummy worms. Any ideas how to do this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hmm, I am really not sure how you would do that. I am sorry.
How about making your own gummies ?? 🙂
Daughter may enjoy this ...
Noted!
Hi I want to make this for my kids but my oven only goes as low as 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Is this too high ? Would they burn? Or can I still make them?
Hi John. 200 degrees, will be too warm. I would try turning the light on in your oven and keeping the door closed. Test the temperature after 30 minutes, it may get close to 140 degrees. Otherwise, this will not work. So sorry!
My oven only goes down to 170. Will they burn it’s a brand new oven not sure if that matters
Hi Stephanie, I think 170 degrees would not burn these roll-ups, but I have not tried that exact temp. I would try it and check after 3 hours to keep a close eye on it though.
Hi, I really want to make these, but I was wondering if I could use frozen fruit?
Yes absolutely, just defrost the fruit first..I recommended defrosting in a strainer over a bowl in the refrigerator to remove excess water. If not, drain well and pat dry before making.
Great, thank you so much!
My granddaughter is not allowed to have sticky candy or anything else because of fillings in her baby teeth so my question is are these sticky when eating them or no. I would think it wouldn't be as sticky but need to know for sure..thanks so much.
Donna Volk
Hi Donna! These are still sticky, but not as sticky for sure as regular fruit roll ups. I would probably advise to avoid to be safe though.