Blueberry-Banana Fruit Leather

  • By Heather E. Wolfe, MPH, RDN, LD, NBC-HWC
Blueberry-banana fruit leather

Fruit leathers are homemade fruit rolls. Making your own saves money, uses less sugar and allows you to create your own flavor combinations. I made this recipe both with and without the added honey and tasters liked the unsweetened version just as well.

Makes: 4 servings
Serving size: ¼ cup purée

Ingredients

  • 1 cup blueberries (can substitute frozen, thawed berries)
  • 1 ripe banana (approximately 1 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Note: You can use 2 cups of any fruit combination you like. Experiment with different flavors and toppings.

Instructions

  1. Wash berries.
  2. Purée ingredients together until smooth.
  3. Choose a drying method:
    • Using a Dehydrator
      • Line drying trays with specially designed plastic sheets made for dehydrators, or you can use parchment paper or plastic wrap.
      • Spread purée evenly, about 1/8-inch thick, onto drying tray. Avoid pouring purée too close to the edge of the cookie sheet.
      • Dry at 135° F. Depending on the thickness of the leather, it will take between 4 and 8 hours to dry.
    • Using an Oven
      • Preheat oven to 140° F – if your oven doesn’t go this low, use its lowest temperature setting, but no higher than 200° F.
      • Line a 13” x 15” cookie sheet (or several smaller trays) with plastic wrap, smoothing out the wrinkles.
      • Spread purée evenly, about 1/8-inch thick, onto tray. Avoid pouring purée too close to the edge of the cookie sheet.
      • Place in oven, leaving door propped open and a fan near the door if possible to circulate air (fan not required if you have a convection oven).
      • Depending on the thickness of the fruit leather and your oven, drying times are between 6 and 11 hours. Test for dryness by touching center of leather. It should be tacky but not sticky.
  4. While warm, peel from plastic, roll and let cool. Place on a cooling rack or dry on a mesh dehydrator tray. Cut into shapes, or roll up and cut off slices.
  5. Once cool, wrap in plastic or place in an air tight container.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 46, Total fat 0g, Saturated fat, 0g Carbohydrates 12g, Protein 0.5g, Fiber 2g, Sodium 0.5mg

Download a PDF of this recipe.

Find more recipes and healthy eating tips in the Cooking Up Health section of the Health and Wellness newsletter.

Heather Wolfe, MPH, RDN, LD, CHC, is one of the Live Well/Work Well Health and Wellness (Dartmouth-Hitchcock's employee wellness program) coaches specializing in nutrition.