Dried Mango-Strawberry Fruit Rolls

When it comes to sweet snacks, I’m a Gushers™ girl.

That’s right. Even at the ripe age of almost-thirty-six, I have no shame in admitting that I would still unapologetically crush a package of juice-filled “fruit-flavored” gummies.

It could just be the nostalgia factor, because all I want right now if I’m being completely honest are some Dunkaroos, Doritos 3D, and a stack of silly VHS tapes to last me through Sunday.

But as amusing as it is to relive the enjoyment of the many store bought afternoon treats of my youth, I think it’s more fun to take this venture into my own hands, or more specifically, into my oven, by making homemade fruit leather roll-ups with all natural ingredients.

I don’t know a single person who would disagree with the statement that there’s nothing like a mouthful of memories, and these dried fruit rolls fit the bill like no other. You can search my kitchen up and down for a food dehydrator, but I guarantee you won’t find one. That’s the beauty of this recipe.

If you do have one of these available, you could certainly adapt the recipe. But even though I know the value of having a lineup of essential appliances for a raw food kitchen, one of my favorite things about it is that there’s no fancy equipment needed, just your imagination. Well, that and a roll of parchment paper.

The truth is, you don’t even necessarily need to use fresh fruit. Since the ingredients are pureed and dried to form sticky, leathery strips, starting with frozen is fine. Just defrost and drain any excess liquid before you get started.

Using bright, contrasting colors like yellow and red results in a tie-dye-ish vibe, which makes these rolls a rad choice for kids who turn their noses up at bland, boring food. Just a touch of sugar is used to bring out the fruit’s natural flavor, but honey or maple syrup are also popular choices for sweetening things up.

You could also use two tablespoons of my homemade strawberry syrup recipe as the sweetener, if you can’t get enough fruity flavor!

Keep in mind that granulated sugar is, well, granular and it may give the rolls a bit of a gritty consistency, whereas a liquid sweetener will result in a smoother look and feel, without any other adjustments to the recipe required.

I personally prefer a more rustic, imperfect texture, but to each his own.

And since there’s nothing that’s unsafe to sample raw in the pre-baked puree, feel free to sweeten the mixture to taste before popping your pan in the oven.

Speaking of things that go pop, the seeds in the strawberries give each bite an added bit of crunch that will remind you these munchies were made from scratch.

Chia seeds can also add unexpected texture, not to mention fiber and antioxidants. If you’d rather keep things silky smooth, on the other hand, straining before swirling will do the trick.

I snuck in some vanilla extract to perfume the fruit with its distinctive woody, musky flavor, but the contents of a real vanilla bean would be an even swankier addition that I could totally get behind.

Come on. What’s better than taking an edible childhood memory and putting an epicurean spin on it at home? Just spend five minutes talking to any chef you know to prove my point.

A medley of mixed berries and stone fruits will create a great base if you want to try something a little different in terms of the fruit combo, but avoid super soft ingredients that brown easily, like bananas.

As far as cooking times go, I’m here to give you the honest answer that every oven varies. Five hours seemed to be the sweet spot for me, but cooking times can fluctuate as every oven is a little different, and the amount of moisture in the fruit also has to be factored into the process.

To me, using the touch test is the only way to go.

If the fruit leather isn’t done, it will still feel wet and somewhat liquified, whereas a finished roll-up will be shiny and dry. Straight out of the oven, allow it a brief siesta to cool to room temperature, and then you’ll be ready to rock and roll.

Well, slice and roll.

These are ideal for lunchboxes and snack packs, and certainly a favorite among little ones, but no one said this recipe has to be eaten only by kids. If I’m not working from home where I have the advantage of chomping into a freshly sliced mango that I chilled in the fridge, these make a killer snack backup.

Or snack-up, if you will. And believe me, you will.

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Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep and Puree the Fruit

Preheat the oven as low as it will go, between 150 and 170°F. Line a rimmed half sheet pan with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Slice one end off of the mango so it sits flat and then peel the skin. Roughly chop the mango into pieces and then add them to your food processor. Pulse until smooth, and then transfer to a bowl.

If you are having some difficulty cutting a mango, become a prep master by reading our helpful tutorial!

Pinch the green leafy tops off of the strawberries. Using a paring knife and slicing in a circular motion, cut out the hulls, including the pale flesh underneath the stems. Add the hulled strawberries, vanilla, and sugar to the food processor and blend until liquefied.

There’s no need to transfer this mixture to a separate bowl, as you can remove the blade of the food processor and spoon the strawberry puree straight onto the baking sheet.

If you’re using vanilla beans instead of vanilla extract, use half of one whole vanilla bean. Just scrape the pulp inside into the food processor. You can save the remaining pod for another use, like making vanilla sugar.

Step 2 – Spoon and Spread the Fruit

Dollop spoonfuls of the mango and strawberry purees on the prepared pan, alternating flavors as you wish, with the aim of creating a tie-dye effect in mind.

With a small offset spatula, spread and swirl them to form one thin, even layer that’s about 1/8 inch thick, with no holes or gaps.

If the roll is uneven, the thicker parts will take longer to cook. But the outer edges will tend to dry faster than the middle, so it’s okay if the outer border is a little thicker than the center.

Step 3 – Bake/Dry the Fruit Roll

Bake the fruit roll until the consistency of the mixture is still slightly tacky, but not sticky or wet. This will take about 5 to 6 hours, and it will look shiny and glossy when it’s done.

Check the roll by gently touching it every 2 hours or so, or more frequently just to be safe, throughout the first 4 hours of cooking.

If the fruit sticks to or rubs off on your finger, it’s not done yet. To avoid overcooking, do the touch test every 15 to 20 minutes in the last hour of dehydrating.

Some ovens will dry the fruit more quickly than others, so testing the roll frequently is the best way to determine when it’s done.

Step 4 – Cool and Cut

Cool to room temperature on the baking sheet. This will take about 30 minutes or so.

Lay a piece of wax paper on top of the fruit roll, then carefully flip it over so the roll is now stuck to the wax paper. Peel off the parchment paper.

Using scissors, cut the fruit and paper (together) into whatever size strips you desire, and roll them up paper-side out.

You don’t have to leave the wax paper on the fruit rolls, but it helps to keep them from sticking together when they’re rolled.

Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.