Homemade Fruit Leather

Simple Green Smoothies

This fruit leather recipe blends fresh peaches and blueberries with elderberry syrup and an optional spoonful of chia, then bakes low and slow into chewy, peelable strips. Just 4 ingredients, and my kids love helping spread the puree on the tray.

rolls of fruit leather on a marble serving tray surrounded by fresh blueberries and peaches.

Recipe by: Jen Hansard

5 (8)

Serves:8 strips

Total Time:3 15

Ingredients

▢ 2 peach fresh
▢ 1 ½ cup blueberries fresh
▢ ⅔ cup elderberry syrup Sambucol
▢ ¼ cup chia seeds optional

Instructions

Heat the oven to its lowest setting, 150 to 175 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, letting it come up the sides a little.
Blend the peaches, blueberries and elderberry syrup on high until smooth. Pour the puree evenly over the lined baking sheet and sprinkle the chia seeds over the top, if using.
Bake until the center is no longer sticky to the touch, about 3 hours (it can take up to 4 1/2 hours in some ovens). Check it often; if it bakes too long, it will turn dry and brittle.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Transfer the fruit leather, still on the parchment, to a cutting board and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Roll up each strip in its parchment and store in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

Frozen Fruit: Fresh fruit works best. If you use frozen, use 3 cups total, thaw it first and drain off some of the liquid before blending.
Sweetener Swaps: Use honey, maple syrup or another of these natural sweeteners in place of the elderberry syrup, adding it to taste. Taste the puree before baking, since tart fruit may need a little more.
Oven Tip: A convection oven speeds up the drying, so start checking sooner. A silicone baking mat can replace the parchment for baking.
Storing: Roll the strips in parchment and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the fridge for up to 1 month.

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