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How to Make Apricot Fruit Leather

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

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The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather. I used to buy fruit roll ups and fruit leather all the time but you won’t even believe how much better this tastes than store-bought!

There are only TWO INGREDIENTS, way less sugar, zero preservatives and 100% real fruit which has great natural fiber. If you have a large crop of stone fruit like apricots, peaches or plums, by golly you had better make this! I don’t usually say by golly but it is fun to say, “by golly!” 😉  The adults love fruit leather as well. It’s a wonderful snack and a great way to preserve a bumper crop of fruit.

Great news!…You can either dry your fruit leather out in the oven or in the sunshine. The sunshine method is my favorite because you can make a whole bunch at once without heating your oven in summer.

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

Ingredients for Apricot Fruit Leather:

5 lbs ripe sweet apricots
1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste

Apricot Fruit Leather

How To Make Apricot Fruit Leather:

1. Rinse apricots, cut in half and discard pits. Place on a large baking sheet cut-side-up and bake at 400˚F for 15 minutes (it’s ok to crowd the fruit snuggly in a smaller pan, just keep them in a single layer). Remove from oven and let cool until just warm enough to handle.

Apricot Fruit Leather-2

2. Transfer to a blender or food processor and process until a smooth puree (process in 2 or 3 batches if needed).

Apricot Fruit Leather-18

3. Pour puree into a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste and stir until sugar is incorporated.

Apricot Fruit Leather-19

There are 2 ways to dry these out:

1. How to Make Fruit Leather with Sunshine (my favorite way):

Spread puree between 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick on a large parchment sheet or plastic wrap covered baking sheet, extending the paper slightly past the rim. This recipe fills 3 large baking sheets. Set in the sunshine until no longer sticky when you poke the centers. If it sticks to the paper, let it dry longer. It can fully dry out in 1 day if it’s hot out or 2 days if warm and sunny (store indoors uncovered overnight).

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

Note: if you want to make big batches, you can lay out large strips of parchment paper on a portable surface and just put the puree directly on the paper without needing baking sheets. We literally used 40 lbs of apricots for fruit leather this year.

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

2. How to Make Fruit Leather in the Oven:

Spread puree on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place baking sheets in a preheated oven at 200˚F for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, depending on how thick you spread it. It’s done when it no longer sticks to your fingers when you poke the center. Note: do not place in the oven while it’s preheating or it can burn.

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

We slice fruit leather into strips with the backing attached and make fruit roll ups. Store at room temperature in a large ziploc or foodsaver bags.

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

How to Make Apricot Fruit Leather

4.88 from 31 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather. This needs only 2 ingredients and tastes way better than store-bought!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients 

Servings: 3 large baking sheets of fruit leather
  • 5 lbs ripe sweet apricots
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste

Instructions

How To Make Apricot Fruit Leather:

  • Rinse apricots, cut in half and discard pits. Place on a large baking sheet cut-side-up and bake at 400˚F for 15 min (it's ok to crowd the fruit in a smaller pan). Remove from oven and let cool until just warm enough to handle.
  • Transfer to blender or food processor in batches and process until a smooth puree.
  • Pour puree into a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste and stir until sugar is incorporated.

How to Dry Fruit Leather with Sunshine (my favorite way):

  • Spread puree between 1/8" to 1/4" thick on a large parchment paper or plastic wrap covered baking sheet, extending the paper slightly past the rim. This recipe fills 3 large baking sheets. Set in the sunshine until no longer sticky when you poke the centers. It can fully dry out in 1 day if it's hot out or 2 days if warm and sunny (store indoors uncovered overnight).

How to Make Fruit Leather in the Oven:

  • Spread puree on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place baking sheets in a preheated oven at 200˚F for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, depending on how thick you spread it. It's done when it no longer sticks to your fingers when you poke the center. Once at room temp, roll and store at room temperature in large ziploc or foodsaver bags.
Course: Dessert, snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Apricot Fruit Leather
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: Varies

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

It’s so sweet how much my kids LOVE this apricot fruit leather! I hope you try your hand at this fruit leather. It’s so easy and you can give the kiddos in your life a sweet surprise :).

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

The kids go crazy for this apricot fruit leather! Easy, tastes way better than store-bought and only TWO INGREDIENTS! How to make fruit leather | natashaskitchen.com

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Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Read comments/reviewsAdd comment/review

  • Cindy
    July 25, 2023

    Natasha,
    I’ve never had the sticking problem as many reviews mention. Although it’s not mentioned in the instructions after drying in the 400° oven I change out the parchment paper bc it’s so wet from the 15 min drying process. And I dry off the tray from any residual moisture. Then replace with new parchment. Maybe that’s why ppl have had so many problems????

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 26, 2023

      Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Cindy!

      Reply

  • Cindy
    July 25, 2023

    I’ve made this recipe any time I can get my hands on tree ripened apricots. It’s so delicious! Plus you can control the amount of sugar you want in your leather strips. My grandson hours crazy for this stuff.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 25, 2023

      Hi Cindy! Thank you for sharing that!

      Reply

  • Crm
    July 23, 2023

    Like many other reviewers, my apricot leather absolutely fused with the parchment paper and will not come off.

    Yes I used parchment paper. No, it isn’t over cooked. Something is off with this recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 24, 2023

      Hi Crm, I haven’t been able to replicate that experience and we have made a ton of fruit leather having an apricot tree (a few actually!). Did you pre-bake your apricots in a fully preheated oven? Also, did your apricots seem unusually watery? I wonder if that could be the culprit. Another issue could be pouring it too thick which will take significantly longer to dry out properly. Lastly, make sure it’s set before peeling it off the parchment paper.

      Reply

  • Lilli
    July 8, 2023

    Hello, thanks for the recipe! I hope it turns out🤞I do have a question. How do I keep the flies away if I’m drying large batches outside? I feel like covering it with saran wrap would hinder the drying process.🤷🏻‍♀️

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 8, 2023

      Hi Lilli, We took the fruit leather inside the garage overnight and then brought it back out into the sun the next day. If you’re curious, we also kept it uncovered outside and in the garage and didn’t have any issues with bugs.

      Reply

  • Yolanda Rawlings
    August 2, 2022

    This is a great simple and tasty recipe to make good use of a bumper crop year of apricots. I placed the trays on my Car dashboard and they dried in day and a half, it keep the critters away, the occasional sprinkle and worked like a charm using zero energy. My plums are ripening, so I will look up your plum leather recipe next. Perfect in every way! Thank You

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 2, 2022

      That’s great! I’m glad it worked out for you.

      Reply

  • Kailey Larsen
    July 18, 2021

    I’m so sad because I made 6 pans and none of them turned out! They all stuck to the parchment paper. Like I can’t get it off at all.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 19, 2021

      Hi Kailey, did you possibly use wax paper instead of parchment paper? It will stick badly to wax paper. If it was parchment, another reason for sticking is overbaking where it gets too dry. You can wrap a damp towel around the rolls and let it sit for a bit which will add enough moisture for it to come off easier.

      Reply

  • Tara
    July 8, 2021

    Made these in the oven at at 200 degrees it took SIX HOURS to dry. Far more than the 3 1/2 I was expecting.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 8, 2021

      Hi Tara, most likely it was more puree or too small of a pan (which resulted in a thicker layer and needed more baking time)

      Reply

  • Elizabeth
    July 4, 2021

    I have added lemon jello instead of sugar to this. We love the flavor twist. Thanks for all the explanations for getting the result right!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 4, 2021

      You’re so welcome, Elizabeth. Glad that turned out great!

      Reply

  • katherine lajeunesse
    February 1, 2021

    what do you do with apricot leather that was purchased in a store?

    Reply

  • Helen Kresl
    April 5, 2020

    Hi Natasha, I made it using apricots from last summer (I had blanched and frozen in sweet water). This I blended and placed on drying trays in the dehydrator. Everything good: vibrant orange color & great taste BUT unless we eat it right away it goes hard. It is still tasty but i get cuts inside my mouth like when I eat very crusty french bread. Any tips on keeping fruit leather soft? Please suggest.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      April 7, 2020

      Hi Helen, it helps to keep it covered with most of the air removed. If storing for longer, we love to vacuum seal fruit leather since air tends to dry it out. At the very least, it should be stored in an airtight container.

      Reply

  • MF
    December 3, 2019

    Hiya!
    I’ve made a LOT of fruit leather over the years with many different fruit/veggie combos in both oven and dehydrator. I occasionally encounter a problem where fissures and cracks form in the puree as it’s drying. Still tastes great, of course, but isn’t nearly as attractive when I plan on gifting some of it. I’m wondering if anyone else has ever seen this, or knows what causes it? Thanks!

    Reply

    • S.V.Cottam
      July 9, 2021

      When my fruit leather has cracks, it is because the consistency/thickness of the puree is not equal on the drying rack or I’ve left it in the dehydrator too long. Still tastes good, just snaps when you try to roll it.

      Reply

    • Kristina K Norris
      July 21, 2023

      I add a banana to my strawberry fruit leather, it adds the pliancy I am looking for.

      Reply

  • Annie
    September 19, 2019

    I was wondering if you could use nectarines with this same recipe? Love your recipes so much from one Idaho girl to another

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 19, 2019

      Hi Annie, Yes you can use other fruit. I also have a plum fruit leather posted. You can use other stone fruit and even berries :). I’m curious about making it with persimmon if we have extra persimmons this year.

      Reply

  • Jessene
    August 19, 2019

    I made a ton of apricot fruit leather but I messed up and used wax paper ,is there an easy way to get the paper back off of it ? Thank you

    Reply

    • Natasha
      August 19, 2019

      Hi Jessene, it is really difficult to remove from wax paper. The best I’ve done is to wrap a lightly damp towel around a rolled up fruit leather and that seems to help some.

      Reply

      • Rich Vartanian
        September 4, 2019

        I wonder if filling a cookie sheet with a 1/4 inch of warm water and then dip the leather, paper side down for a few seconds will make removal easier, as you would with a jello mold.

        Reply

      • Jean Rhyne
        January 12, 2020

        Do you leave the skins on?

        Reply

        • Natasha
          January 12, 2020

          Hi Jean, yes. Apricot skins blend really well with the rest of the puree and it is not necessary to peel.

          Reply

      • Debra
        January 10, 2021

        Can you use apricot jam and sugar and get the same result? Not in area where fresh are available.

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          January 10, 2021

          Hello Debra, I haven’t really tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.

          Reply

  • Jenny
    August 4, 2019

    My Dad’s made this recipe and it’s delicious. Thank you!

    I have a question about altitude adjustments. We live in Utah and so we’re about 4,000 ft. above Sea Level, so what adjustments might you make?

    One thought we had was to add plastic wrap on top since we’re also dryer than other States and areas of the World. This way it holds on to the moisture without drying out too much or quickly. Would this help?

    Also, should we adjust the time and temperature to help it get done sooner? 3-4hrs. can be a long time and it’s hard to make this in the evening after a long day. Thoughts?

    Thanks again for the recipe and your help. 😊

    Reply

    • Natasha
      August 5, 2019

      Hi Jenny, I wouldn’t recommend trying to speed dry at higher temperatures as it will change the outcome in texture and they are more likely to end up dry. Remember cooking times may vary depending on how thin you spread your mixture so you might try spreading it thinner but then you will have multiple batches that need to be dried out. You might run into issues covering in plastic wrap – It would get stuck and keep it from drying out properly and evenly.

      Reply

  • Hailey
    August 1, 2019

    Hey I am making this fruit leather right now! I am wondering how long it keeps good for? Do I need to refrigerate it?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 1, 2019

      Hi Hailey, it depends on how you store it. It keeps pretty well sealed in a food saver bag for a few months, that’s what we did

      Reply

  • Melanir
    July 22, 2019

    Hi
    I didn’t see comment to my answer on how to keep bug from getting. On leather. Put it in your car. Brilliant idea. I will do this. Love your site

    Reply

  • Sarai
    July 14, 2019

    I will be making this week, can you tell me how long this will last? Do you refrigerate or freeze?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 15, 2019

      Hi Sarai, it depends how you store it. It keeps pretty well sealed in a food saver bag for few months, that’s what we did.

      Reply

    • Christie Heaton
      August 3, 2019

      Can I dehydrate more than one baking sheet at a time in the oven?

      Reply

      • Natasha
        August 4, 2019

        Hi Christie, if you have room in your oven then yes. I fill up the oven racks as much as I can at one time.

        Reply

  • Amy
    July 12, 2019

    I’d like to do the large outside batch of apricot leather like you did. How did you make a “portable surface?” What materials did you use to make it sturdy enough? thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 12, 2019

      I think my parents used old screen doors. I’m not sure why they even had them, but they did. Even a thick card stock or cardboard would work.

      Reply

  • Sharon
    July 11, 2019

    Hi Natasha. I didn’t have a lot of apricots but I am trying your receipe on the fruit leather. I just placed a spoon on top in the middle and it’s still sticky. I actually have another hour to go so hopefully by then it will be done. I love your site. So easy to read and fun

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 11, 2019

      I hope it turns out and you love it! Thank you for that awesome review!

      Reply

      • Melanir
        July 22, 2019

        Hi
        Question, when drying apricots outside do we need to protect from flies bugs. I can see them getting stuck in apricot leather. What do u do?

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          July 22, 2019

          Hi Melanir, We took the fruit leather inside the garage overnight and then brought it back out into the sun the next day. If you’re curious, we also kept it uncovered outside and in the garage and didn’t have any issues with bugs.

          Reply

        • Jenny
          August 4, 2019

          We’ll sometimes put a plastic netting on the pan while holding it with safety pins. This helps keeps the bugs away.
          Also, we’ve put it on the porch behind the yew bushes, so if you have any plants in front of your porch. Just a thought.
          Hope this helps you and anyone else who has similar issues. 😊

          Reply

  • Tiffany
    July 6, 2019

    Hi I’m just wondering what the first step of putting them in the oven for 15 minutes is for. Is that just to dry them out a bit so the whole process doesn’t take as long? I just purée mine right from the start

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 7, 2019

      Hi Tiffany, it helps to break them down a little bit but warming them also draws out flavor. You could compare it to grilled versus fresh peaches. They have deeper richer flavor once they are heated.

      Reply

  • kKlein
    May 30, 2019

    Hello, I’ve got problems:( My batch completely stuck to the parchments and you could not even get it off. The parchment paper only comes off in little pieces and is completely stuck to the fruit roll. I read through the comments to see if anyone else said the same thing, and yes there was, but not any help on what to do. Even at “cooled”, its still all stuck to the paper and will not come off in one piece. Just little torn pieces, if any will come off. The whole batch in the garbage:( I am a cook so not sure why this is happening and what to do. I am afraid to try this again with all the effort it takes. Can I use waxed paper or something else? Is there a certain brand of parchment you use? I don’t want to try this again and waste apricots in the process. Please help.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 30, 2019

      I’m sorry to that! The only time I had that experience was when I used wax paper which was too thin and softened from the moisture in the fruit leather, making it impossible to pry off. This is why I definitely do not recommend wax paper. We use the parchment paper from Costco. You could also use plastic wrap as an alternative.

      Reply

    • meg
      July 26, 2019

      You can also use saran wrap that has been lightly oiled (spray with cooking spray). Just make sure the edges are up on the sides, or a silicon mat works, you just don’t want to spread it all the way to the edge.

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        July 27, 2019

        Thank you so much for sharing that with me.

        Reply

    • Nadine
      September 1, 2019

      The exact same thing happened to me just yesterday! A whole batch ruined. I’m also afraid to try it again. I kept wondering if I dried it too much or if I was supposed to spray the parchment paper. Did you ever find a good solution?

      Reply

  • skye hamilton
    February 12, 2019

    hey natasha:)
    i am cooking my apricot leather now and has been cooking for at least 4.5 hours.. but still not done at all.. its late at night.. what do u sggest i do?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 12, 2019

      Hi Skye, I would turn off the oven and leave it in there overnight and check on it in the AM. You could prop the door open if you are concerned about it getting too dry.

      Reply

  • Megan
    October 15, 2018

    I just have to say, this post changed my life! I have four apricot trees so needless to say, I tried apricot fruit leather. But if you don’t bake it it ends up papery and the kids won’t eat it. 🙁
    I tried mixing it with applesauce or pear puree which have great texture. but the kids preferred the pear fruit leather on it’s own so it was a waste to mix it with apricot. But the baked apricot…Awesome!
    My guess is that the heat activates the pectin? That or it allows the air bubbles created by blending it to stay in. I don’t know but it is so much more enjoyable. I didn’t have to add sugar because we had ripe homegrown apricots so that was awesome!. Thank you!
    Also, I use a dehydrator because, like I said, I have a ton of fruit. Because of that I don’t put wax paper on the back. I just roll it and put it in glass jars.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 16, 2018

      I’m so happy your like and discovered this recipe, Megan!

      Reply

  • Elna Herbel
    August 12, 2018

    I forgot to bring my apricot leather in the first night until 2:30 a.m. and I set it on the table but forgot to uncover it. The next day was 100 degrees and windy so by noon it felt dry. Is it safe to eat?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      August 12, 2018

      Hi Elna, it should still be safe to eat, but it may be a little tough/chewy if it is overly dried out.

      Reply

  • Samantha
    January 30, 2018

    Have you tried replacing the sugar with coconut sugar, and if so how did it turn out?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 30, 2018

      Hi Samantha, I haven’t tried that so I can’t really speak to that substitution. I checked both of my fruit leather recipe comments and no one has reported trying it yet.

      If anyone else has tried it, please let us know and thanks in advance! 🙂

      Reply

  • Ferzanna Riley
    December 28, 2017

    I wasn’t planning to make fruit leathers (although they look absolutely delicious but I live in Norway so not a lot of natural sunshine right now) The beautiful little girl eating the fruit leather is irresistible. You should use her more often in your pictures!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 28, 2017

      Thank you Ferzanna! 🙂 Please let me know what you think of the recipe when you decide to make it!

      Reply

  • Sarah
    September 15, 2017

    Hi, I was wondering at what temp and for how long would you recommend for making Peach fruit leather?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 16, 2017

      Hi Sarah, peaches would be a similar process but may take longer to dry out since peaches tend to be juicier than apricots. If making in the oven, I would recommend the same temperature but let it bake/dry out until it no longer sticks to your finger tips when you poke in the center.

      Reply

      • Sarah
        September 16, 2017

        Ok, thank you. I had tried it at 200° but the edges seemed to dry out too fast while the center wasn’t at all. I tho’t maybe I should do it more like your plum recipe but it didn’t seem to make much difference, except take even longer. 🙂 Oh, well, there are 3 pans left to dry and what is done is being throughly enjoyed by the whole house! My daughter can’t wait to have some in her lunchbox. 😊

        P.S. Your blog is pretty much my only go to for food ideas and new recipes! 😉

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          September 17, 2017

          Hi Sarah, I’m so glad you are enjoying our recipes 🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me 🙂

          Reply

  • T.B
    July 31, 2017

    HI Natasha. Just wondering if there is any tips on fixing my mistake.. I made those too thin and it overdry!! Can I do anything to make it not as dry? Thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 1, 2017

      We have had that happen when we left the fruit leather in the sun too long. You can wrap a damp towel around a roll of fruit leather and that will help to soften it some.

      Reply

  • Tanya
    July 30, 2017

    Thanks for sharing! I just took them out from oven and it had lots and lots of juice, I drain it but it looks like there is still lots of juice( my apricotschedule wore overripe I guess), should I just keep drainin till no more liquid? Thanx

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 31, 2017

      Hi Tanya, it could be that they were overripe or that they were baked too long, or both :). I would drain off the excess juice so it dries into fruit leather quicker.

      Reply

  • Meghan
    June 20, 2017

    Hello! I’m excited to try out this recipe! However, I do have one question; when sun drying are they left uncovered? —You mention to bring them in overnight if needed and leave them uncovered but I don’t see where you do cover them. Did I misread something? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 20, 2017

      Hi Meghan, we do not cover them while they are outside in the sun – you want the moisture to evaporate. It is also not necessary to cover them once they are indoors. We keep them uncovered. If you cover them before they are dry, it will stick to the fruit leather.

      Reply

  • maurice atkinson
    June 17, 2017

    fantastic to find your site and receipe as i live in southern Italy and my apricot tree has had a bumber year and gor over 100 kilos of fruit. Just made it and it is on the roof drying in the sunshine. Fingers crossed.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 17, 2017

      I’m so glad to hear you found my site! Please let me know how the recipe turns out Maurice! 🙂

      Reply

      • Diane
        July 13, 2017

        Love these recipes, thank you. When I do make my fruit leather, here in Arizona,
        in our heat,,, we surely do not want to turn our ovens on. So I discovered my car was already an oven! I bring my cookie sheets out to my car, and put them on the dash and back seat window.
        No flies or ants! (don’t know what the neighbors are thinking), but it works.

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          July 13, 2017

          Oh WOW! Now that’s some extreme heat! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes! Thanks for sharing 🙂

          Reply

        • Shellie
          July 27, 2017

          Good idea! I was thinking I could only do the oven because I was worried about the flies. If you can’t cover it then flies would be all over it if I put out in the sun.

          Reply

        • Kelli
          September 30, 2017

          This is an excellent idea!! I live in central Florida, so laying out uncovered would be a no go with all the bugs😂 I do have a Ford Expedition which could work nicely! Thanks again 😊

          Reply

          • Jackie
            April 6, 2018

            Oh good idea. I have been trying to figure out how to keep the wasps out of it…the van will do nicely 🙂

      • maurice atkinson
        August 1, 2017

        just like yours in the picture. They were very nice and it used up loads of apricots

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          August 1, 2017

          I’m glad it turned out nicely Maurice! Thanks for sharing 🙂

          Reply

  • Brandy
    May 31, 2017

    We had a good aprium crop this year so I’m looking forward to trying this. Do you know how long they store before going bad?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 1, 2017

      Brandy, it depends how you store it. It keeps pretty well sealed in a food saver bag for few months, that’s what we did 😬

      Reply

  • Samantha
    January 16, 2017

    Could you please make a recipe for peach leather!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 16, 2017

      Possibly this coming year if my parents have a bumper crop of peaches 🙂 It would probably be very close to this one though 😉

      Reply

  • Brandy
    September 14, 2016

    Thanks so much! This tastes so great! I made it today! I would like to make some more but had a few questions. I ended up cooking it a lot longer to get the middle done but then the edges got overcooked any suggestions?? If it’s not done in 3 1/2 hours should I turn oven off to finish instead?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 14, 2016

      Hi Brandy, the edges will dry out faster than the center but it helps to spread the puree an even thickness (I found that an offset cake decorating spatula helps). Are you using a convection oven or conventional oven? Also, make sure you don’t put the fruit leather in until the oven is fully pre-heated. I’ve put it in while it was heating and it overcooked and got crispy quickly because the fan was circulating air to preheat it and it dried out way too quickly. I hope that helps for next time! 🙂

      Reply

  • nina
    September 10, 2016

    Hi natasha, should i preheat the oven to 200 and turn it off and leave the fruit leather in the warm oven, or should i bake it at 200 degrees for all 3 hours?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 11, 2016

      Hi Nina, you want to keep it at 200 the entire time so leave the oven on. If you find it’s taking too long, you can turn the oven OFF and leave it in there overnight to finish up.

      Reply

  • Anna
    September 10, 2016

    We used to call it ‘pastila’ in Ukraine, in the old days of my Soviet childhood. I never knew it was so easy to make (too bad, I am not a kids anymore, I’d be eating this non-stop). The only challenge I ran into was to spread it evenly for even drying. And I made it with peaches.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 10, 2016

      Hi Anna, I have found it’s easier to spread it with an offset spatula like this one for frosting cakes. When we were quadrupling this recipe, it was the quickest way to spread the puree.

      Reply

  • Mariah
    September 6, 2016

    I LOVED your plum recipe! Now trying with apricots. Do you know if I could sweeten with a healthier option, like honey?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 6, 2016

      Hi Mariah, I think honey would work to sweeten it but if you are incorporating more liquid (the honey), it may take slightly longer to dry out and it might be a little darker in color versus using granulated sugar. Also, keep in mind that honey is sweeter than sugar by volume so you probably won’t need as much if you’re substituting. Let me know how you like it 🙂

      Reply

  • Leena Roy
    August 16, 2016

    Do I have to bake this in 3 batches? Since it said it makes 3 trays?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 16, 2016

      I was able to fit all three pans in my oven at one time, keeping the racks towards the center of the oven. It depends on the size of your oven. I was able to fit two baking sheets on one rack, plus one below it.

      Reply

  • ebrahim
    August 10, 2016

    very very very nice tnk for you. kiss yor girl

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 10, 2016

      Thank you 😀.

      Reply

  • Tanya Khochay
    August 6, 2016

    such a doll. And even Eric loves this stuff

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 7, 2016

      Thanks Tanya :-). Good thing we made loads of it for all the kids to enjoy this winter 🙂

      Reply

  • Marcia
    August 5, 2016

    My apricot puree stuck hard to the parchment paper. Will have to try plastic and throw away a full batch. so sad.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 6, 2016

      That’s unusual that it would stick to parchment paper. Are you certain it was parchment paper and not wax paper? I’ve had issues with wax paper so I don’t recommend using it. It’s also possible to overdry it to the point where it’s breaking and flaking off. The way we saved a batch that stuck once was to place damp papertowels over it overnight and the next day it peeled off easily. Also, if it’s still too moist and not completely done, it will stick to the paper. I sure hope that helps!

      Reply

  • Alina
    July 19, 2016

    Your daughter is too gorgeous for words!!!!!!! 🌸💕😍 and thank you for such a cool recipe for the kiddos !!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 19, 2016

      You’re so sweet :). Thanks Alina!

      Reply

  • Phillip Ferrell
    July 17, 2016

    Huh. I never seen that before. Kinda reminds of me of jerky in a way. Apricot jerky 🙂 Definitely gonna copy and paste this recipe. Precious! what a beautiful little blue eyed baby girl.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 17, 2016

      Thank you so much 🙂 And yes, it is kind of like a fruit jerky! I hope you love it!

      Reply

  • Inna
    July 15, 2016

    Thanks for the recipe! I have a bunch of frozen apricots. Would I need to bake those as well after defrosting or just defrost and blend? Do you store the fruit leather in the fridge or at room temperature? Your girl is adorable!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 15, 2016

      Hi Inna, I haven’t tried with frozen apricots but I imagine the initial baking isn’t necessary after defrosting since they will be pretty squishy soft when thawed. We store the fruit leather at room temperature. Thanks Inna 🙂

      Reply

  • Natasha @ Salt and Lavender
    July 15, 2016

    Your daughter is adorable! I love apricots and when I was a kid, I LOVED fruit snacks (ok, I still sneak some on occasion). I think making them myself is a great idea.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 15, 2016

      Thank you for the sweet compliment. I agree, I can’t get enough of her cuteness 🙂

      Reply

  • lena
    July 15, 2016

    Hi, Natasha!
    Spasibo for recipe! I think the flies will like it as well as children 🙂 Do you have any protection while it’s outside drying??
    BTW,your daughter is so precious 🙂 !!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 15, 2016

      Thank you Lena 😀. Flies actually are not attracted to it at all. We don’t cover them with anything. My husband just rescued one bee 🐝.

      Reply

  • Alena
    July 14, 2016

    Hey Natasha. I want to make these and I haveI a ton of frozen strawberries and was wondering if I can use them for this recipe. If yes, once thawed, do I have to cut them in half and then bake them? If so at what temperature and for how long?
    Please reply as soon as possible. Thanks in advance😊

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 14, 2016

      Hi Alena, with strawberries you don’t have to pre-bake, just blend them with sugar and strain if you want to get rid of the seeds, or leave them in. I haven’t tried with frozen strawberries but I assume it would work the same way, just thaw before blending.

      Reply

      • Alena
        July 15, 2016

        Thank you. And do I use the same baking technique in the oven as listed above?

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          July 15, 2016

          Hi Alena, I would not pre-bake strawberries, just add them in “raw”

          Reply

          • Alena
            July 15, 2016

            No I mean once i pour out my puree… Do i use the same method for the oven as listed above to dry them out? I don’t have enough time to lay them out in the sun. Thank you.

          • Natasha
            natashaskitchen
            July 15, 2016

            Oh I see, yes do the same method to dry them out. Check for doneness at 2 hours and keep an eye on it so you don’t overdry it 🙂

  • Alina
    July 14, 2016

    Can u do this with apples?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 14, 2016

      Hi Alina, I haven’t tried with apples but I think it could work! I’d probably add a little cinnamon to taste.

      Reply

  • Nat
    July 14, 2016

    Hi Natasha –
    have a ?
    Hi Natasha –
    have a ?
    do u think I can used honey not sugar?

    I wanna try with blackberries and dry them with sunshine, do i have to put them in to the oven first and than puree?

    and when i am gonna dry them with sunshine, for first day they will not dry, do i have to leave them out side for a night or do i have to take them in side the house and than next day put them again dry with sunshine?
    thanks a lot

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 14, 2016

      Hi, yes that should work fine with honey instead of sugar. We took the fruit leather inside the garage overnight and then brought it back out into the sun the next day. If you’re curious, we also kept it uncovered outside and in the garage and didn’t have any issues with bugs.

      Reply

  • Galina
    July 14, 2016

    I was so excited to try this new recipe – wow candy without chemicals! How can i spead it more evenly though, because aftet 4 hours of drying in the oven some places were still liquidy while other areas were already dry…

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 14, 2016

      Hi Galina, try a large offset spatula (like those used for frosting cakes), or a food scraper, or tap the sheet several times on the counter to even out. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  • NT
    July 14, 2016

    Wow so much apricots!
    I’m so jealous they are one of my favorite fruit but they are expensive where I live 😔
    I’ll have to do with peaches, we got plenty of those

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 14, 2016

      I’m looking forward to making more with peaches once they ripen! Do you grow your own peaches?

      Reply

  • Olga
    July 14, 2016

    Hi Natasha, what if i’ll use melon? Do you think it might work?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 14, 2016

      Hi Olga, I haven’t trying with melon but I do think watermelon is too watery to work properly.

      Reply

      • S.V.Cottam
        July 9, 2021

        Watermelon IS too watery to yield good leather. I tried it one time. Cantaloupe yields a very strong flavor after drying and I don’t recommend it either.

        Reply

  • kelli
    July 13, 2016

    That picture! She is gorgeous! 🙂 Thanks so much for all your recipes – I don’t always comment, but appreciate your hard work and the beautiful layout of your site.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 14, 2016

      Thank you for your sweet compliment :). I’m so happy you enjoy my blog 🙂

      Reply

  • Valya @ valyastasteofhome.com
    July 13, 2016

    I’ve never done fruit leather and will give this a try. Your baby girl is so adorable!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 13, 2016

      Thank you Valya, I hope your kids love it as much as ours do 😁.

      Reply

  • Inna
    July 13, 2016

    When you put it outside to dry, how do you keep flies and wasps and such from sitting on it all the time?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 13, 2016

      I’ve been keeping an eye on it and they don’t sit on it. We haven’t had an issue with it, but if you are concerned, you can tent some cheesecloth over it, just don’t place it directly on the fruit leather or it will stick.

      Reply

  • Tzivia
    July 13, 2016

    Omg wow Natasha always wanted to make my own fruit leather rather than buying especially the ones with lots of loaded sugar food coloring and a bunch of other additives and chemicals even the all natural they still put stuff will hafta try would this recipe also work with apples for the fall btw your baby got so big long hair and into food lol thanx for posting darlin a recipe to do for me cheers enjoy the summa while it lasts

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 13, 2016

      Hi Tzivia, I haven’t tried with apples but I think it could work! If using apples, I’d probably add a little cinnamon also.

      Reply

  • Alina
    July 13, 2016

    Can I use canned peaches for this?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 13, 2016

      Hi Alina, I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure. I haven’t seen it done anywhere online either. Sorry I don’t have a concrete answer for you.

      Reply

      • Alina
        July 13, 2016

        A ok
        Thanks 🙂

        Reply

  • Kristina
    July 12, 2016

    Thats alot of apricots!! Are they from your parents garden? Must be nice have such a surplus of apricots.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 12, 2016

      Yes they had tons this year!! They have 2 trees that did really really well this year. They also dried a whole bunch of them 🙂

      Reply

  • Olga
    July 12, 2016

    Wow! This sounds easier than I thought to make. Thank you so much for posting this. I will definitely be giving this a try. I do have a question…. Can this recipe be used for peaches/nectarines and other fruits? BTW, your baby girl is SOOO adorable!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 12, 2016

      Aww thank you Olga 🙂 Yes you can use other fruit. I also have a plum fruit leather posted. You can use other stone fruit and even berries :). I’m curious about making it with persimmon if we have extra persimmons this year.

      Reply

  • Nina
    July 12, 2016

    Awwww Beautiful baby girl!!! 🙂 😉
    I will give this recipe a try for my 3 year old boy!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 12, 2016

      Thank you so much Nina :). She grabbed a fruit leather while I was taking pictures of the recipe and was so into it, it was adorable! I couldn’t help but take some pictures of her.

      Reply

  • Yana
    July 12, 2016

    My mom used to make this ALL the time, but she would use a dehydrator instead of an oven or the sunshine.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 12, 2016

      I think a dehydrator would work well for this. My parents just purchased one yesterday actually but we haven’t had a chance to break it in. Do you line the shelves of the dehydrator with parchment, wax or something else?

      Reply

  • D
    July 12, 2016

    I bet the taste is amazing! What is the shelf life?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 12, 2016

      Hi, I haven’t maxed it out since it gets eaten pretty quickly. This is the first year we’ve made a boat load of it so it would last a little longer. I’ll have to report back when we’ve eaten the last roll :). It should last as long as dried fruit – longer if it’s stored in a food saver bag or airtight container.

      Reply

      • D
        July 12, 2016

        Thank you!

        Reply

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