Well, I guess it's officially about to be back to business around here. School starts for my kids in a little over a week and I am already being bombarded by lunchbox requests. I really don't mind at all considering most of my daughter's friends wouldn't be caught dead carrying a lunch from home. Eliza is a bird of a different feather though, always has been, and enjoys healthy lunches packed by moi. Eliza is obsessed with homemade fruit roll-ups (AKA: fruit leather) so this year I am sending her back to school with homemade strawberry vanilla bean roll-ups because when you're almost 13 you need more sophisticated roll-up flavors.
I make fruit roll-ups in my dehydrator because it allows me to keep my oven free for dinner, and I can leave the house without worrying about the oven being on. Don't worry if you don't have a dehydrator though because I am including instructions in the recipe for making these roll-ups in the oven too .
So...let's make fruit roll-ups!!
Step 1: Place 4 cups of hulled, chopped strawberries, seeds from ½ of a vanilla bean, 1-2 tablespoons of agave, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a blender.
Step 2: Blend until smooth
Step 3: Prep the dehydrator and add purée.
If you have a dehydrator like mine you can simply wipe the fruit roll-up insert trays with a little coconut oil and pour the purée on top. Spread the purée evenly across the tray. I find that 2 cups of purée per tray is the perfect amount. If you don't have inserts you can line the trays with plastic wrap and coat them lightly with coconut oil. Just make sure you cut a hole in the center of the plastic wrap where the column is so that the air can circulate through.
Set the temperature between 135°F and 140°F and dehydrate for 4-6 hours. {WARNING: Your kitchen will smell like pure decadence}
Step 4: When the purée is no longer tacky to the touch and easily lifts around the edges it is done. Allow the fruit roll ups to cool completely.
Step 5: Cut the roll-ups into desired shapes and store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
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PrintStrawberry Vanilla Bean Fruit Roll-Ups
- Yield: approx. 8-10 fruit roll ups
Ingredients
- 4 cups of hulled, chopped strawberries
- seeds from ½ of a vanilla bean
- 1-2 tablespoons of agave
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
For the dehydrator
- Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Wipe the fruit roll-up insert trays with a little coconut oil and pour the purée on top. Spread into a nice even layer. I find that 2 cups of purée per tray is the perfect amount. If you don't have inserts you can line the trays with plastic wrap and coat them lightly with coconut oil. Just make sure you cut a hole in the center of the plastic wrap where the column is so that the air can circulate through.
- Set the temperature between 135°F and 140°F and dehydrate for 4-6 hours until the purée is no longer sticky to the touch it should be completely dry.
- Allow the fruit roll ups to cool before cutting them into desired shapes.
For the oven
- Preheat oven to 150 degrees F or the lowest temperature your oven will go. Line a 11 x 17 baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the puree on to the sheet pan and spread it out into an even layer.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 4-6 hours, until the fruit leather is set and the center is no longer tacky.(Every oven is different, so the cooking time may vary) Remove the pan from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Gently peel the fruit roll-up from the Silpat. Cut into squares or strips using a pizza cutter, knife, or scissors. If you want to make fruit roll-ups, roll the strips in parchment paper.
- If using parchment paper to line your baking sheet simply cut the sheets of parchment into strips for roll ups. Store in an air-tight container up to 1 month.
Now check out this roll-up roundup from some seriously talented bloggers.
Homemade Peach Leather from Two Peas and Their Pod {pictured}
Banana Fruit Leather from Oh My Veggies
Strawberr-Wee Fruit Leather from Weelicious
Cinnamon Apple Fruit Leather from Savory Simple {pictured}
Tart Cherry Fruit Leather from Running to the Kitchen
Mango Fruit Leather from Oh My Veggies
Nutella Banana Fruit Leather from Cupcake Project {pictured}
DIY Fruit Roll-Ups from One Creative Mommy
Plum Fruit Leather from Jen's Favorite Cookies
Mango; Raspberry Banana; and Apple Leather from Bakepedia {pictured}
Strawberry banana Fruit Leather from Oh My Veggies
Persimmon Fruit Leather from Weelicious
Sam ~ it doesn't taste like chicken says
Um, why am I not eating this right at this very second? We have matching dehydrators you will be happy to know. Strawberries are almost out of season where I am, have you ever tried using frozen fruit?
Meg says
Dehydrator twinsies!!! You can absolutely used frozen fruit just thaw it completely before making the puree.
Gaby says
Love this little treat!!! Yum!!
Meg says
Thanks Gaby!
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
Totally love the looks of this! definitely need to go get a dehydrator asap!
Meg says
Thanks! I love my dehydrator,but you can totally make these in an oven too with a sheet pan and a silpat mat. 🙂
Matt Robinson says
So glad I saw this. My 7 year old loves fruit roll ups and I know they're not good for him, so I've got to make these. Thanks!
Meg says
Matt, I am with you 100%!!! My daughter was obsessed with fruit by the foot until I started making these. My only problem now is supply and demand, my kids eat these faster than I can make them!