Homemade Fruit Roll Ups with Nectarines (Пастила)
Do you love snacking on fruit roll ups as much as we do? These homemade fruit roll ups with nectarines are the perfect healthy treat for kids and adults alike. Made with just one ingredient (the fruit itself) and dehydrated in a dehydrator, homemade fruit roll ups are incredibly easy to make.
They have a sweet and tangy flavor with a subtle tartness from the nectarines and are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without any added sugars or preservatives.
As a child growing up in Kazakhstan, I remember my mom making fruit leather, or fruit roll ups. We didn’t have candy like that growing up, but we sure did have the good homemade stuff. I don’t remember what fruit mom used back then, but I remember the thin sheets of the fruit leather and how much we enjoyed them.
Here is my version for making fruit leather. I used a dehydrator, though my mom didn’t have one back in the day. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can always try making this in the oven.
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Ingredients for Homemade Fruit Roll Ups
Nectarines – make sure the fruit is ripe so you get the best tasting fruit roll ups. I haven’t made fruit roll ups with unripe fruit, but I have dehydrated other fruit that wasn’t quite ripe and the fruit ended up being a bit bland and tasteless. So you want to make sure that your fruit is ripe.
Alternatives: You can use any kind of fruit to make fruit roll ups, or fruit leather. Some good ones I can think of (and will try in the future) are: peaches, plums, mangoes, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, and apples.
How to Prepare Fruit Roll Ups
Wash the nectarines and cut them into smaller pieces removing the pits.
Using a blender or a food process, puree the nectarines until you get a smooth consistency. I only have a small smoothie blender (got tired of washing the huge blender I had before), so that’s what I used and that worked perfectly
Prepare your wax paper or parchment paper for the dehydrator trays. Since my dehydrator is round, I had to cut out the waxed paper. I used a pencil to draw on the wax paper to get the right size and then, I also had to cut a hole in the middle for where the air goes through in the dehydrator.
So just do what you need to do get the waxed paper prepared for your dehydrator.
Spread the puree onto a wax paper-lined dehydrator tray, making sure to spread it evenly across the tray. Remember, the thicker you spread the puree, the longer it will need to dry.
I have a very budget friendly dehydrator that I had for a few years and it has been serving me very well. Here is a dehydrator similar to what I have. This one is the best seller on Amazon and has good reviews.
I didn’t do a perfect job of spreading the puree so some trays were done faster than the other ones.
Dehydrate the puree at 160°F (70°C) for six to eight hours, or until the fruit leather is no longer sticky to the touch.
Once the fruit leather is done, remove it from the dehydrator and let it cool to room temperature.
Cut the fruit leather into strips and roll them up and your delicious homemade fruit roll ups are done! You can also do fun shapes using scissors and wax paper or just roll them up without the waxed paper.
Doesn’t that just look gorgeous?
How to Store Homemade Fruit Roll Ups
Store your homemade fruit roll ups covered in a jar. Most sources say to store for a few weeks and then refrigerate or freeze for longer storage. However, this Reddit Thread talks about the fruit roll-ups (fruit leather) staying fresh for up to 6 months if it’s stored in a well-covered jar and is dry to the touch when finished.
Since I just made these this week, I will test and see how long these last around here. Will write an update here later.
Anyway, I find that these fruit roll ups are perfect for snacking on the go, as lunchbox treats, or as a healthy dessert. They are also great for anyone who wants to avoid processed foods or for those with dietary restrictions.
Seriously, give these a try. At least two sheets of these were gone around here the first day. And if I didn’t stop her, my toddler would finish them all!
Lastly, if you make these Homemade Fruit Roll Ups, make sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating here! I’d love to hear back from you and will do my best to answer and respond to every comment. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you make this recipe. I’d love to see the photos of the recipes you have made!
Homemade Fruit Roll Ups with Nectarines
Equipment
- Dehydrator
Ingredients
- 2 lb Nectarines (or other fruit)
Instructions
- Wash the nectarines and cut into smaller pieces.
- Using a blender or food processor, blend the fruit until a smooth puree is formed.
- Evenly spread the fruit puree on food dehydrator trays lined with waxed paper (baking paper).
- Dehydrate the fruit puree at 160°F (70°C) for six to eight hours, or until the fruit leather is no longer sticky to the touch.
- Remove the trays from the dehydrator. Let cool and cut into strips, then roll into roll ups.
- Store in a tightly covered container.
Notes
– The fruit roll ups can be done with almost any fruit. Some ideas are: apples, pears, mangoes, plums, apricots, peaches, strawberries, raspberries.