honey

09.20.19

Paleo and Vegan Caramel

Posted on by Lexi's Clean Kitchen , Views: 8781

This Vegan and Paleo Caramel is not only super delicious, but it’s also easy to make! We’ve tested three different versions using unrefined sweeteners for all of your caramel needs!

Three different colored paleo caramel jarsVegan Caramel

This Paleo and Vegan caramel is UNREAL. It is made with a handful of wholesome ingredients and is super simple to make requiring no special equipment in just under 20 minutes. This paleo caramel is perfect for topping ice cream, cocktails, using with cake or drizzling on top of fresh fruit. We tested this dairy-free caramel with three different types of unrefined sweeteners: maple syrup, honey and coconut sugar. They truly all have their own flavor, so you can make whichever might go best with what you plan to use the caramel for.

Paleo Caramel Ingredients

  • Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk
  • Sweetener (choose between maple syrup, coconut sugar or honey)
  • Coconut oil (or ghee, or grass-fed butter)
  • Sea Salt
  • Vanilla Extract

vegan caramel drizzling off a spoonUnrefined Sugar and Oil Options

The best part of this recipe is that there are a few different options for sugars and fat to make the Paleo Caramel. You can choose which option works for you in terms of what you have in your pantry and what your dietary needs are! You could also use a mix of two of the sugars. We love the mix of half coconut sugar and half maple syrup. It gives it a delicious flavor with the characteristic caramel color.

Maple Syrup: Caramel made with maple syrup has the most mild flavor. It’s also great because most people already have maple syrup in your pantry. Just make sure to use the real stuff! This makes a light colored caramel.

Honey: Caramel made with honey has a distinctly honey flavor, so make sure to use a honey that you actually like the flavor of. The milder, the better. If you are vegan, skip this sweetener option. This makes a light colored caramel.

Coconut Sugar: Caramel made with coconut sugar has the most caramelized flavor and is very dark in color. It’s a good option for both paleo and vegan diets.

Grass-fed Butter: Good quality grass-fed butter like Vital Farms or Kerrygold adds an amazing flavor to the caramel. Obviously it’s not a good choice for fully dairy-free or vegan options.

Ghee: Another option for added fat is ghee, which is the non-dairy part of butter. This too adds a great flavor, and if you tolerate ghee would be a good choice for the butter flavor.

Coconut oil: For fully dairy-free and vegan caramel, coconut oil is the best choice. You won’t taste any coconut oil flavor in this, but it helps make there caramel silky!

paleo caramel bubbling in a potHow to Make Dairy Free Caramel

Here is how simple it is: You put all of the ingredients in a medium-large pot and cook it over medium-high heat, undisturbed for about 15 minutes until it’s slightly thickened and darkened in color. Seriously, how easy is that?

But there are a few important things to note:

  1. The size of the pan matters! Use a pot that holds about 2 quarts of liquid. The caramel will bubble close to the edge as it boils down, so you want to make sure you pan is big enough.
  2. Do not disturb the caramel! As much as it may be tempting to whisk it or stir it while it’s cooking–don’t. When you whisk it it makes it bubble up even more, and potentially out of the pan.
  3. If you notice sugar on the edge of the pan burning you may have to play with how high your heat is. If you need to turn the heat down, you can cook it for a bit longer.
  4. Cook it about 15 minutes until it has reduced by about half, slightly thickened and darkened in color. You don’t want to cook it too long however because there is a potential that the mixture will separate. The caramel will continue to thicken as it cools.

paleo caramel drizzled over cake

How to Store Vegan Caramel

Store this caramel in the refrigerator. You can let it sit out briefly to warm up before using it, or you can gently reheat it before use.

How to Use this Caramel

The options are endless as to how to use this! This caramel is perfect:

vegan caramel in jars

If you like this dairy-free recipe, check out these others:

Watch the video:

Paleo and Vegan Caramel

Print shopping list
Prep Time 00:02 Cook Time 00:15 Total Time 00:17 Yields about 1-1/4 cups

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium pot and whisk together.
  2. Turn the heat to medium and whisk until the coconut milk is fully combined with sugar and oil. Continue to cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes, or until it's reduced by about half, thickened slightly and darkened in color. While cooking, if it comes close to bubbling over you can turn down the heat slightly.
  3. Shut off heat, whisk together one more and let cool down.
  4. Store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Use on ice cream, here or here.

Recipe Notes

  1. For fully vegan, use maple syrup or coconut sugar for the sweetener and coconut oil.
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There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!
09.11.19

PB and J Oatmeal Energy Balls

Posted on by Lexi's Clean Kitchen , Views: 5399

These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls taste just like the classic PB and J on oatmeal bread, but heartier and nutrient-dense! Packed with oats, dried fruit, chia seed and peanut butter to hold it all together, they are the perfect make ahead snack to fuel your day!

oats and peanut butter ballsPeanut Butter Oatmeal Balls

These no bake energy bites are the perfect snack to have on hand in the fridge. These PB and J Oatmeal Balls are loved by both kids and adults! Grab one or two and have a filling bite-size snack, pack in the lunch box with your kids or serve for a healthy after dinner treat. They’re nutrient-dense, filling and packed with that classic PB and J taste!

What we love most about these peanut butter oatmeal balls is that no extra equipment is required. A lot of energy balls use dates as a binder and sweetener, and that requires a food processor. But this one uses peanut butter as the binder, so all you need is a bowl and heavy spoon!

ingredients for peanut butter oatmeal balls in a bowlIngredients for PB and J Oatmeal Balls

  • Natural Peanut Butter
  • Honey
  • Old Fashioned Oats (make sure to get certified gluten-free if you need it!)
  • Chia Seeds
  • Dried Fruit (dried cherries or strawberries are our favorite!)
  • Collagen peptides or protein powder (optional)

no bake peanut butter oatmeal balls being rolled up

Substitutions for Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls

These are a great snack to send to school with your kids, but a lot of schools do not allow nuts. You can swap in sunflower butter in place of the peanut butter. And you can also swap in any other nut butter that you might like, such as almond butter.

Most any dried fruit will work here. We are partial to dried cherries or strawberries, but anything such as cranberries or blueberries, or even raisins will work!

We think honey works well in this mixture, but you can also use maple syrup if you prefer!

What if the mixture is too dry?

We tried this with a few different types of natural peanut butter, and the oil content can vary from differing brands. If your oatmeal bite mixture is too dry, as in it won’t stick together when you squeeze it, you can add in a tablespoon more of peanut butter at a time. Alternatively if it is too sticky, add in 1/4 cup of oats at a time until it is workable enough.

Peanut butter oatmeal energy bites in a glass containerIf you like this healthy energy bite recipe, check out these others:

Peanut Butter and Jelly Energy Balls

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Prep Time 00:10 Total Time 00:10 Yields 12-14 balls

Ingredients

  • ½ cup natural peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1-½ cups old fashioned oats 
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • ⅓ cup dried cherries
  • 1 scoop collagen peptides, or protein powder (optional)

Directions

  1. To a large bowl add peanut butter, honey, oats, chia seeds, and collagen powder. Mix together with a spoon.
  2. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the oat mixture and roll into a ball. 
  3. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

  1. If your oatmeal bite mixture is too dry, as in it won't stick together when you squeeze it together, you can add in a tablespoon more of peanut butter at a time. Alternatively if it is too sticky, add in 1/4 cup of oats at a time until it is workable enough.
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There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!
08.24.19

Peach Fruit Leather

Posted on by Lexi's Clean Kitchen , Views: 5042

This homemade Peach Fruit Leather recipe is a a healthy fruit snack reminiscent of the store-bought version, but so much more delicious and good-for-you. It’s made with only 2 ingredients and is a lot easier-t0-make than you think. It’s made without any refined sugars and will be loved by both adults and kids! This post is made in partnership with my friends at Ello.

Peach fruit leatherPeach Fruit Leather Recipe

This homemade peach fruit leather is a copy cat version of a fruit rollup, but SO MUCH BETTER. And, despite how complicated you think it is to make fruit leather at home, it’s actually so simple! It only takes 2 ingredients to make: fresh peach and a touch of honey. And actually, if your peaches are really sweet you can skip out on the honey if you want. To dehydrate the fruit leather you use the oven. Which means no fancy equipment is needed!

So how do you make it? Basically you just puree peaches and dry them out in the oven. It’s almost all hands-off cooking. The hardest part about making this fruit leather is that you’ll have to plan a time to be home for about 6 and 8 hours to let it dry out. You’ll also need to make sure your oven temperature can go as low as 170ºF. 

How to take the skin off peachesHow to Peel Peaches Easily

To make the peach leather you will first prepare the peaches. Make sure the peaches have no signs of mold and actually taste good. You’ll want to use ripe but firm peaches. If they are not ripe the skin will not peel off easily. Next you’ll need to take off the skin. To do this:

  1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Score the bottom skin of the peaches with an “X”.
  2. Place peaces in boiling water for 30 seconds. You should start to see the skin curl back.
  3. Remove peaches and immediately place in an ice bath. 
  4. At this point the skin should easily rub off of the peach. Use a towel to help you hold on to the peach because it can be slippery.

How Long Does it Take to Dehydrate the Leather?

The fruit leather will take about 6-8 hours to dry at an oven temperature of 170º. If it goes even lower you can dry it out over a longer period of time. You’ll know it’s dry because the fruit leather changes colors and becomes darker when all of the moisture has evaporated. If you still aren’t sure whether it is done, you can lightly touch the peach mixture to see if it’s dry. If it’s still a bit wet let it go for an hour more at a time. It should take no longer than 8 hours.

Once it’s done cooking, let it sit at room temperate to cool completely and soften up. We like to let it sit for about 3-6 hours.

Peach puree on a baking sheetHow to Store it

Next you’ll place the whole mixture on a piece of parchment paper, roll it up and cut it into serving sizes. Store in an airtight container for a few days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

I love to store everything, including this Peach Fruit Leather in my Ello DuraGlass Food Storage Containers. These containers are perfect for both on the go and at home use. I use glass containers for many reasons, including the obvious: plastics are bad for the environment and can contain harmful chemicals when coming in to contact with food.

These glass containers are awesome because they are free of harmful chemicals, they can be heated in the oven, are dishwasher safe and they don’t stain or have a funny smell. But what makes Ello Food Storage Containers different is the protective silicone sleeve. It prevents the glass from breaking or chipping, as can happen often if you are using glass containers regularly. Plus, you don’t have to take the silicone sleeve off to wash it.

Colored glass jars for storage

And my favorite part about these containers? I love the silicone covers because they grip well (perfect for stacking) and they are colored so I don’t loose my lids!

  • Mighty tough: Silicone sleeve protects glass from chips + scratches.
  • Everything tastes better in glass: Won’t stain or smell.
  • Nobody likes a lunch bag leak:  The clear air tight lids won’t leak.
  • Easy-to-pair color match lids: Because life’s already hard enough.
  • Wash away: All parts top rack dishwasher safe, sleeve and all. No need to remove sleeve for oven + cleaning!
  • Comes in all different sizes: For sides, mains, leftovers, and more!
  • Safe for cooking: Freezer safe, microwave safe without lid, and oven safe up to 450F without lid.
  • Free of: BPA, phthalates, PVC, lead and cadmium free.
  • Where I get mine: Available at Target and Amazon!

fruit leather on baking sheetTips for Successfully Making this Peach Fruit Leather

  1. Use the correct size sheet pan. When we say sheet pan we are referring to the rimmed half sheet pan which is 18″ by 13″. The size of the sheet pan matters because you want to make sure this is spread to the correct consistency.
  2. Take care to spread the mixture evenly. If it is too thick in the middle and thin on the edges, the edges will burn before the middle has cooked through.
  3. The fruit leather will change color when it’s dehydrated enough. Instead of sticking your finger in the mixture prematurely and causing a hole in it (we may have done this a few times) look to check on the color of the fruit leather first. If it has darkened in color throughout, it is likely done and then you can double check by touching it to see if it’s dry. If the middle is a slightly lighter peach color than you can assume it’s still uncooked in the middle and you should place it back in the oven to continue to dry.

How to cut peach fruit leather

If you like this snack recipe, check out these others:

Peach Fruit Leather

Print shopping list
Prep Time 00:10 Cook Time 06:00 Total Time 06:10 Yields 12 pieces

Ingredients

  • 6 peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
  • ¼ cup honey (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 170º degrees F, and position a baking rack to the center of the oven. Line a rimmed 18” x 13” sheet pan with a silicone baking mat, or silpat.
  2. Place peeled and pitted peaches in a blender and puree until smooth.
  3. Pour peach puree into a large pot on the stove and add honey (if using) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Pour puree into the center of the prepared sheet pan and using a spatula spread the puree evenly almost to the edges of the baking mat.
  5. Bake in the oven for 6-8 hours, or until the fruit puree is completely dry to the touch. Let cool completely.
  6. Lay a sheet of parchment on top of the fruit leather. Invert the leather and gently peel off the mat. Roll up the entire sheet of fruit leather starting from the short side and then cut the leather with kitchen shears into 1” strips, or as desired. Store in an airtight container for a few days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Recipe Notes

  1. Check out the post for instructions on how to easily peel a peach.
  2. Use the correct size sheet pan. When we say sheet pan we are referring to the rimmed half sheet pan which is 18″ by 13″. The size of the sheet pan matters because you want to make sure this is spread to the correct consistency.
  3. Take care to spread the mixture evenly. If it is too thick in the middle and thin on the edges, the edges will burn before the middle has cooked through.
  4. The peach fruit leather will change color when it’s dehydrated enough. Instead of sticking your finger in the mixture prematurely and causing a hole in it (we may have done this a few times) look to check on the color of the fruit leather first. If it has darkened in color throughout, it is likely done and then you can double check by touching it to see if it’s dry. If the middle is a slightly brighter orange color than you can assume it’s still uncooked in the middle and you should place it back in the oven to continue to dry.
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There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!

This post is sponsored by Ello Products. All thoughts and opinions are always 100% my own! I love the integrity of their products and think you’ll love them too. Thank you for continuing to support LCK and the brands I work with!

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08.20.19

Mint Simple Syrup

Posted on by Lexi's Clean Kitchen , Views: 4364

This mint simple syrup is made with honey and is perfect for cocktails, mocktails, in tea, coffee or for baking projects! It’s simple to make it will last for a week or two in the refrigerator.

Fresh mint simple syrup in a jarPaleo Mint Simple Syrup Recipe

This 3-ingredient flavored simple syrup uses no refined sugars or artificial ingredients. It has an amazing and earthy mint flavor. Simple syrup is basically just water and sugar cooked together to create a liquid sweetener that easily dissolves in other liquid. It’s perfect for making drinks and for baking projects and is so easy to make. We’re skipping out on the white sugar and instead using honey to sweeten this Mint Simple Syrup.

Mint Simple Syrup Ingredients:

  • Fresh Mint
  • Water
  • Honey

Types of Mint

There are so many different types of mint out there! They all have their own taste and aroma. More than likely if you’ve just got your standard run-of-the-mill mint either growing in your backyard or from the grocery store, it is probably peppermint or spearmint. Both of those will work well for this recipe and give it a typical mint taste. Another varietal that will work well for this simple syrup is Chocolate Mint. This isn’t easy to find in stores, but if you are lucky enough to be growing it in your garden definitely use it here!

Mint simple syrup recipe being made

Uses for Fresh Mint Simple Syrup

You’ll get the most use out of a mint simple syrup in beverages! You can use it in cocktails, such as a Mojito, or in mocktail recipes (cocktails without alcohol). It would be great with agua frescas (fruit blended with water) such as watermelon, or used in a lemonade recipe! It would be perfect in any tea, but especially a Fresh Mint tea and it could be a fun addition to coffee! If you are an avid baking you could use simple syrup to infuse flavors in cake layers or to use in a brownie recipe to make it minty!

Why do you ” bruise” the mint?

In this recipe we call for you to rough up the mint, or bruise it. The reason we instruct you to do this is because bruising the mint helps the oils come out of the herb and gives the simple syrup more flavor.

Pouring simple syrup made with honey over fresh mint leaves

How to Make Fresh Mint Simple Syrup

  1. First you make the simple syrup! Again, we’re using honey instead of white sugar to avoid using refined sugar. Simple syrup is 1 part water to 1 part sweetener. 
  2. Clean the mint leaves!
  3. Next you bruise or rough up the mint to help release the oil. Then place the cleaned mint leaves in a heat proof bowl. Carefully pour the simple syrup over the mint. Let it infuse for 10 minutes.
  4. Carefully strain the mint leaves, pressing down gently to get all of the oils out of the leaves.
  5. Place your simple syrup in a heat proof jar with a tight fitting lid and let cool completely. Cover and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
  6. Use as desired!

Fresh mint leaves strained to make mint simple syrupWashing Your Mint Leaves

Mint can often be very gritty and dirty. Washing the mint leaves really well is important because if left with grit on them, the mint will turn the simple syrup muddy. To properly wash mint you should:

  1. Pick all the mint leaves off the stem
  2. Fill a big bowl with cool water
  3. Submerge the mint leaves and swoosh them around.
  4. Let them sit for a minute so that the dirt drops to the bottom.
  5. Pick up the mint leaves as gently as possible, so as to not disturb the dirt, and place in a colander.
  6. Empty out the water, rinse the bowl and repeat the process until no dirt is left behind in the bowl.
  7. If desired you can run the mint leaves in a salad spinner to dry them off.

paleo mint simple syrup in a jar with fresh mint leaves surrounding it

If you like this mint recipe, check out these others:

Fresh Mint Simple Syrup

Print shopping list
Prep Time 00:05 Cook Time 00:05 Inactive Time 00:10 Total Time 00:20 Yields 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 small bunch (about 1 ounce) mint leaves, cleaned well

Directions

  1. Make the simple syrup: To a small pot add honey and water. Turn on the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn off heat.
  2. Place the cleaned mint leaves in a heat proof bowl and tear them into smaller pieces with your hands, bruising them as you go to get the oils out of the leaves. Carefully pour the simple syrup over the mint. Let sit to infuse for 10 minutes.
  3. Carefully strain the mint leaves, pressing down gently to get all of the oils out of the leaves.
  4. Place your simple syrup in a heat proof jar with a tight fitting lid and let cool completely. Cover and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
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There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!
08.19.19

How to Make Fresh Mint Tea

Posted on by Lexi , Views: 3498

Did you know you can make tea out of fresh mint leaves? It’s so simple and can be made to drink hot or cold! Scroll on down because we’re walking you through the steps on How to Make Fresh Mint Tea!

Easy Fresh Mint Tea Recipe

Sipping tea can be so soothing! Mint tea in particular has the ability to immediately calm the mind. Fresh mint tea made with real mint leaves only makes it more amazing! It’s earthy, bright and truly minty. And the best part is making it is SO EASY requiring only two ingredients: mint and water! You can use any type of mint that you’d like, and it tastes even better when you make your own blend! We found it easiest to make the tea inside of a French press, but you can just as easily make it in a bowl and then strain out the tea in a strainer once it’s steeped.

Types of Mint For Fresh Mint Tea

There are so many different types of mint out there! They all have their own taste and aroma. More than likely if you’ve just got your standard run-of-the-mill mint either growing in your backyard or from the grocery store, it is probably peppermint or spearmint. Both of those will work well for this recipe and give it a typical mint taste. If you are lucky enough to have a garden with some of these varietals, definitely use them in this mint tea recipe! Some of our favorites for mint tea is made from these varietals:

  • Chocolate Mint
  • Pineapple Mint
  • Apple Mint (or Whooly Mint)
  • Orange Mint

You can use just one type of mint or mix them up!

Washing Your Mint Leaves

Mint can often be very gritty and dirty. Washing the mint leaves really well is important because if left with grit on them, the mint will turn the tea muddy. To properly wash mint you should:

  1. Pick all the mint leaves off the stem
  2. Fill a big bowl with cool water
  3. Submerge the mint leaves and swoosh them around.
  4. Let them sit for a minute so that the dirt drops to the bottom.
  5. Pick up the mint leaves as gently as possible, so as to not disturb the dirt, and place in a colander.
  6. Empty out the water, rinse the bowl and repeat the process until no dirt is left behind in the bowl.
  7. If desired you can run the mint leaves in a salad spinner to dry them off.

How to Make Fresh Mint Tea

  1. Wash your mint leaves well! Gritty mint leaves will make for muddy tea!
  2. Tear and bruise the mint leaves with your hands. Roughing up the mint leaves will help bring out the oil and make for a stronger mint flavor.
  3. Pour the boiling water over the mint leaves and let infuse for 5-8 minutes. The longer you infuse the stronger the mint essence. However, it reaches a point when the mint tea can start to taste a little grassy, so depending on your varietal of mint start tasting it around 5 minutes.
  4. Strain the tea and pour into tea cups. Add honey, if using.
  5. Serve immediately or cool down and serve cold.

Ways to Enjoy Tea Made with Fresh Mint Leaves

You can spice up your mint tea by adding in some other flavors! You can add in some lemon juice, some honey or maple syrup or even other culinary herbs such as thyme! If you wanted to really amp up the flavor, you could skip the honey and instead make a mint simple syrup to add to the tea to sweeten it (recipe coming in two days!)

If you like this mint recipe, check out these others:

Fresh Mint Tea Recipe

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Prep Time 00:10 Total Time 00:10 Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch (about 2 ounces) fresh mint leaves, cleaned well
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Directions

  1. Tear and bruise the mint leaves with your hands and place in either a fresh press or a bowl.
  2. Pour the boiling water over the mint leaves and let infuse for 5-8 minutes.
  3. Strain the tea and pour into tea cups. Add honey, if using.
  4. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

  1. You can also serve this cold. While still warm add honey if using, and stir. Store in the refrigerator until cold, at least 6 hours. Will keep up to 2 days.
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There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!

P.S. take me back to Morocco for all the mint tea!

Pouring Moroccan Mint Tea at Riad Fes in Fes, Morocco

07.15.19

2-Ingredient Strawberry Fruit Leather

Posted on by Lexi's Clean Kitchen , Views: 6130

This homemade Strawberry Fruit Leather recipe is a little bit like magic. You place place pureed strawberries with a touch of honey into the oven, close the door and then a few hours later you have a healthy and fruity snack reminiscent of the store-bought version, but so much more delicious and good-for-you.

Strawberry fruit leather rolled up like a fruit rollupStrawberry Fruit Leather Recipe

If you think this fresh Strawberry Fruit Leather recipe looks beautiful, just wait until you taste it! This homemade strawberry fruit rollup copy cat is packed with strawberry flavor and actually super simple to make. It will be loved by both kids and adults alike. It requires only 2 ingredients: fresh strawberries and a touch of honey. You can even skip out on the honey if your strawberries are very ripe and sweet. This is made in the oven, instead of a dehydrator so no special equipment is needed.

So how do you make it? Basically you are just drying out the strawberries in the oven! It’s almost all hands-off cooking. The hardest part about making this fruit leather is that you’ll have to plan a time to be home to have it go in the oven! This recipe requires a baking time of between 6 and 8 hours depending on the temperature of your oven. You’ll also need to make sure your oven temperature can go as low as 175ºF. 

Making strawberry fruit leather recipeHow to Make Strawberry Fruit Leather

To make the fruit leather you’re first going to prepare the strawberries. Make sure the berries have no signs of mold and actually taste good! Next you’ll puree them, add in a touch of honey and then boil them on the stove to kill off any potential harmful bacteria.

After that you’ll spread the mixture on a baking sheet that is lined with ideally, a silicone baking mat. In a pinch parchment paper will work, as well. Make sure to spread the mixture evenly on the baking sheet. If you spread the middle too thick in the middle it won’t cook fast enough and the edges might overcook and become brittle.

Homemade fruit leather with strawberries

The fruit leather will take about 6-7 hours to dry at an oven temperature of 170º. You’ll know it’s dry because the fruit leather changes colors and becomes darker when all of the moisture has evaporated. If you still aren’t sure whether it is done, you can lightly touch the strawberry mixture to see if it’s dry. If it’s still a bit wet let it go for an hour more at a time. It should take no longer than 8 hours.

Once it’s done cooking, let it sit at room temperate to cool completely and soften up. We like to let it sit for about 3-6 hours.

How to cut it up and store it.

Next you’ll place the whole mixture on a piece of parchment paper, roll it up and cut it into serving sizes. It will keep at room temperature for a few days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Cutting strawberry leather into strips with scissors

Tips for Successfully Making it

  1. Use the correct size sheet pan. When we say sheet pan we are referring to the rimmed half sheet pan which is 18″ by 13″. The size of the sheet pan matters because you want to make sure this is spread to the correct consistency.
  2. Take care to spread the mixture evenly. If it is too thick in the middle and thin on the edges, the edges will burn before the middle has cooked through.
  3. The fruit leather will change color when it’s dehydrated enough. Instead of sticking your finger in the mixture prematurely and causing a hole in it (we may have done this a few times) look to check on the color of the fruit leather first. If it has darkened in color throughout, it is likely done and then you can double check by touching it to see if it’s dry. If the middle is a slightly brighter red color than you can assume it’s still uncooked in the middle and you should place it back in the oven to continue to dry.

How to Cut it up

Lay a sheet of parchment on top of the fruit leather. Invert the leather and gently peel off the mat. Roll up the entire sheet of fruit leather starting from the short side and then cut the leather with kitchen shears into 1” strips, or as desired. Store in an airtight container for a few days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Strawberry fruit leather recipe on sheet pan

If you like this home fruit snack recipe, check out these others:

Strawberry Fruit Leather

Print shopping list
Prep Time 00:10 Cook Time 08:00 Total Time 08:10 Serves 12

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts strawberries, washed and hulled and halved
  • ¼ cup honey (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 170º degrees F, and position a baking rack to the center of the oven. Line a rimmed 18” x 13” sheet pan with a silicone baking mat, or silpat.
  2. Place strawberries in a blender and puree until smooth.
  3. Pour strawberry puree into a large pot on the stove and add honey (if using) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Pour puree into the center of the prepared sheet pan and using a spatula spread the puree evenly almost to the edges of the baking mat.
  5. Bake in the oven for 6 hours, or until the fruit puree is completely dry to the touch. Let cool completely.
  6. Lay a sheet of parchment on top of the fruit leather. Invert the leather and gently peel off the mat. Roll up the entire sheet of fruit leather starting from the short side and then cut the leather with kitchen shears into 1” strips, or as desired.
  7. Store in an airtight container for a few days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Recipe Notes

  1. Use the correct size sheet pan. When we say sheet pan we are referring to the rimmed half sheet pan which is 18″ by 13″. The size of the sheet pan matters because you want to make sure this is spread to the correct consistency.
  2. Take care to spread the mixture evenly. If it is too thick in the middle and thin on the edges, the edges will burn before the middle has cooked through.
  3. The fruit leather will change color when it’s dehydrated enough. Instead of sticking your finger in the mixture prematurely and causing a hole in it (we may have done this a few times) look to check on the color of the fruit leather first. If it has darkened in color throughout, it is likely done and then you can double check by touching it to see if it’s dry. If the middle is a slightly brighter red color than you can assume it’s still uncooked in the middle and you should place it back in the oven to continue to dry.
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