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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: Chewy, sweet, and rich Blueberry Fruit Leather. My delicious vegan-friendly Blueberry Fruit Leather recipe will make you want to ditch store-bought versions and swap them for homemade ones. Whip some up in no time without the hassle of a dehydrator!
It may be tempting to reach for a sugary snack like candy or gum when you need something sweet to chew on. Instead of going for something high in processed sugars, go for my Homemade Blueberry Fruit Leather, made with real fruit!
It has all those lovely flavorings from the blueberries, with a touch of acidity from the lemon juice to balance things out. What’s even better than the tanginess and chewiness of this snack is its simplicity.
You don’t need a dehydrator for this recipe — an oven will do the job. With just 3 ingredients and 6 tools, you’re on your way to enjoying some yummy fruit leather for days.
What Is Fruit Leather?
Fruit leather is essentially dried-up fruit puree. It’s commonly dried in a dehydrator or the oven, and in this recipe, it’s the latter. No need for a fancy dehydrator machine!
Can I Use Frozen Fruits To Make Fruit Leather?
Feel free to use fresh blueberries to make your fruit leather. Depending on your accessibility to fresh blueberries, you may have to tweak the recipe a bit by adding more sugar if they aren’t as sweet as you’d like them to be.
That said, you can also puree frozen blueberries for this recipe! Frozen berries are usually frozen during peak season and preserve that sweetness throughout the year. If you opt to puree frozen blueberries, make sure to defrost them for a bit before adding them to the blender or food processor. If they are too frozen, you may end up with a smoothie texture instead of a puree texture.
How To Know If My Fruit Leather Is Dry Enough
Your fruit leather may be a bit tacky to the touch, but it should not be wet after baking. After trying the touch test, you can try peeling the edge of the fruit leather back. It should peel off easily if it’s been dried all the way through without leaving any residue on your silicone baking mat.
However, if the middle portion of the leather is not coming up easily, this is a sign your fruit leather hasn’t dried enough or the puree was not spread evenly. Bake it in the oven for an additional 30 minutes to an hour until it is completely dry.
Tools You Need To Make Blueberry Fruit Leather:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet
- Silicone baking mat
- Blender or food processor
- Silicone spatula
- Scissors
How To Store Blueberry Fruit Leather
Roll and store your Blueberry Fruit Leather in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. The best part about dried goods is that they stay fresh for a long time. Make sure to keep it away from any moisture, and you’re good to go!
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making The Best Blueberry Fruit Leather:
- You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe. If using frozen, defrost first.
- Before baking, taste and add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter fruit leather.
- If you don’t have a silicone baking mat, you can use parchment paper. However, it can wrinkle under the leather, making it difficult to peel.
- The trick to getting the best texture – and not burning your homemade fruit leather – is going low and slow in your oven. I let the oven preheat to 170°F (76°C) or its lowest setting, and let the fruit mixture bake for 3 to 5 hours.
- Be sure to use a ruler to get the measurement correct – if it’s too thick, it will take too long to dry. If it’s too thin, the edges might get crunchy before the center is dried.
- Be sure to go low and slow when making this leather, so the liquid evaporates, but the berries don’t burn.
Try More Healthy Snack Recipes:
- 3 Ingredient Raspberry Fruit Leather
- Top 10 Back-to-School Lunch Box Snacks
- Frozen Yogurt Snacks
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Try These Recipes!
Blueberry Fruit Leather
Ingredients
- 2 cups (10 oz/284 g) blueberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°F (76°C) or its very lowest setting and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
- In a blender or food processor, puree the berries with the sugar and lemon juice.
- Pour the mixture onto the baking mat and spread into a 9x11-inch (22x28-cm) rectangle.
- Bake for 3 to 5 hours until the leather no longer feels tacky but is still flexible.
- Starting at a short end, cut into nine 1-inch (2½-cm) wide strips.
- Roll and store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.
Can you use parchment paper or must it be a silicone baking mat?
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Can you add honey, maple syrup or agave nectar?
Can I use frozen ones
What can I use if I do not have a silicone mat?and also, can I substitute sugar with honey?
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Gemma could I use any fruit for this, like mango, cherries etc? Seen as the oven will be on alot of hours i might as well make a few flavours .
Hi Gemma, could you do this without sugar?
Have you tried making fruit leather without the added sugar?
Could I make this in a microwave. With the high cost of electricity and gas here in the UK we are all looking for ways to save fuel when cooking.