Homemade strawberry fruit roll up is so easy to make and only requires two ingredients. They’re a delicious healthy snack that’s great for back-to-school & naturally made with fresh fruit. And, they’re perfect to take hiking or camping, and the kiddos will love them!
This old school fruit leather is a fun, natural way to enjoy a better-for-you version of the childhood snack, it doesn’t require any fancy equipment or ingredients, and it’s vegan and gluten-free.
I first published this recipe in 2011 when some friends of mine shared a big ol’ flat of strawberries with me and I needed to use it up. I have updated the photos, information, and recipe to improve the experience.
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Tasty summer time fruit
I love strawberry recipes for the summer time. Some of my favorites are Strawberry shortcake (and my mom’s recipe is simply my favorite!), Strawberry Crème Crumble Bars, Peach & Strawberry Fruit Salad, and Oven roasted strawberries.
Homemade strawberry roll ups are great to make when you have a whole bunch of strawberries. Maybe you went to the U-pick farm and got a bunch, or maybe some friends shared a flat of berries with you. Or, maybe you grow them yourself. Whatever the reason, you’ll love making your own fruit roll ups.
What’s it called?
What do you call these? Are they Fruit rollups. Fruit rollers. Strawberry roll up. Fruit smash. Fruit leather. Fruit by the foot. DIY fruit roll ups.
Regardless of what you call it, you probably enjoyed them as a kid. The sweet treat that your parents liked that you ate.
Pureed and dried strawberries. Old school style, but with less sugar, no preservatives, and a fresher taste.
Your kids will love it. But, so will you!
Come to think of it, this fruit snack fits perfectly into my childhood favorites recipes, where I remade many of my favorites from when I was a kid so that they were fresher, healthier, or just tastier. Check them all out Ice Cream Drumsticks, Rice-a-Roni, Italian Apricot Chicken, and Homemade Spaghettios.
Can I use other fruits?
Yes, absolutely you can experiment with different fruits. This recipe is so simple and basic, it’ll be great with so many different flavors.
Some good options: raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, pineapple, mangoes, apples, pears, and grapes to give you a few starter ideas.
The sweeter the fruit, the less sugar you’ll want. So be sure to taste the fruit and the puree to see if the sugar level is good for you. Keep in mind that flavors and sweetness intensify after drying, so less is more.
Can I use frozen fruit for fruit roll-ups?
You can definitely use your favorite frozen fruit. Allow the fruit to defrost in the fridge or on your countertop and proceed with the recipe.
You can even make these with canned fruit, whether you canned and preserved the fruit yourself, or you bought it at the store.
Can I leave the sugar out?
The addition of a little sugar to the fruit enhances the texture of the fruit leather, and makes the roll up a little chewier than if you leave it out. So, I recommend adding sugar, but you can leave it out if you want.
You could also use maple syrup or honey instead of the granulated sugar.
How to make fruit leather
Basically, homemade strawberry fruit roll ups are just pureed and dehydrated strawberries.
You just need the 2 ingredients: fruit and a little sweetener.
Blend it all up. I like to strain out the seeds, so it’s nice and smooth. You could skip this step if you really want, but I think it makes the roll ups so much better when they’re seedless.
Place the strawberry puree in a saucepan, and cook until thickened and darker in color.
Spread the puree as thinly and evenly as possible on a lined baking sheet, and bake at a very low temperature for a few hours, until dried.
The color of the puree will get significantly darker than before it went in the oven. Allow it to cool.
Place a piece of parchment paper over the full sheet of fruit leather, and flip it over. Then remove the silicone baking mat.
I love to use a pizza wheel to cut the fruit leather. Cut it into strips so you can easily pack it into lunches.
It tears pretty easily. It would be great for a hiking or camping trip. Also perfect for school or work lunches. Fresh, tasty, and travels well.
To keep the rolls, well rolled up, you may want to attach a little piece of tape to the outside, tie them up with string, or use a twist tie to keep them all bundled up.
Pro tips for great a homemade strawberry fruit roll up
Select fruit that’s ripe or slightly overripe.
Wash fresh fruit in cool clear water. Remove any peel, stems, bruised, or spoiled spots.
1 & ½ pounds of strawberries is about 4 ½ cups worth. This amount makes a nice amount for spreading on the baking sheet after it’s pureed.
Cut fruit in half or into chucks before pureeing.
Spread the pureed fruit as evenly as possible on the baking sheet so it bakes evenly.
You’ll know the roll-up is done when it doesn’t stick to your fingers; it’ll still be just a bit tacky. Don’t bake for too long or the roll-up will turn into a crispy chip!
If you own a dehydrator, you can make these in the dehydrator. I don’t own one of these fancy appliances, so I like the ease of using the oven.
A pizza wheel cutter makes short work or cutting the fruit leather. I highly recommend this tool for this snack. You can also just tear the sheet into smaller pieces or use a pair of clean kitchen shears.
If the fruit sheet comes out a bit too dry and you worry that rolling will cause it to crack, simply cover the surface with a few damp paper towels for a few minutes and try cutting it again. The moisture will rehydrate your fruit sheet just enough to be a flexible consistency.
How do I store the fruit roll ups?
Place wrapped pieces in airtight, moisture proof containers such as zip top bags, glass jars, or glass storage containers with snap on lids. I like to place a paper towel into the container, as it will help absorb moisture.
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Strawberry Fruit Roll Up Recipe
Strawberry Fruit Roll Up
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb strawberries, halved (1 & 1/2 pounds is about 4 ½ cups)
- 2/3 cup sugar
Instructions
- Purée strawberries and sugar in a blender until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heavy saucepan.
- Place the saucepan with the puree inside over medium-high heat, and bring the purée to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally (more frequently toward end), until thick enough to mound slightly. The puree will have reduced to about 1 to 1 ¼ cups in about 45 minutes to 1 hour. It will also be darker in color.
- Preheat oven to 200° F with rack in middle. Line a large baking sheet with nonstick liner like a silpat.
- Pour hot purée onto liner and spread thinly, and as evenly as possible with an offset spatula into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle. Dry the cooked purée in oven until it feels drier (it shouldn’t stick to your fingers) but is still slightly tacky, about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
- Cool on liner on a rack until completely dry, at least 3 hours and up to 24.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper over leather, then peel fruit off liner and roll up in parchment. You can use a pizza wheel to easliy cut the roll up into 15 1-inch strips.
- The fruit smash will keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for 1 month, if you don’t eat it all before then.
These were easy to make and delicious – thanks for letting me know about your fruit rollups.
I have made a few versions that have not been so successful. I tried yours and it was really easy and so yummy! Great recipe!
Thank you for the great recipe.It is nice to have a healthier alternative that is still delicious for my little one.
Mmm, we love making homemade fruit rolls—and yours is the perfect recipe. I like how flexible and not stuffy it is. The roll ups are so tasty!
What a great idea. I made this even though I don’t have kids and my husband and I love them.
If I was a kid I’d love to see this in my lunchbox. Do kids even have lunchbox’s anymore? Geez, I’m old! đŸ˜‰ But seriously, these were great to take hiking. So sweet and healthy.
I have never made fruit roll ups before, my kids would love this!
What a healthy and delicious summer snack! I love strawberries, but have never made roll ups before! So glad I tried this one.
This looks perfect! I would add a small spoon of ice cream in there to make it even more decadent!
I used to make my own fruit leather way back. Lately I’ve been toying with the idea for quick snacks. Your way of doing it just is so yummy and simple. I’m so glad I tried it again. This recipe is great!
This is amazing ! We have never tasted fruit roll ups and I just printed this one to make ! Absolutely love this !
I love the simplicity and purity of these fruit roll ups, made them yesterday, school just started! The kids loved them!