Fruit Roll Ups (Homemade strawberry & pineapple fruit leather)

If you’re looking for a fun and healthy snack that you can make at home, then you might want to try making your own fruit roll ups!

I was today years old, until I found out that the first two ingredients in store-bought fruit roll ups are corn syrup and sugar. While you think you’re having a healthy fruity snack, you are actually consuming tons of sugar.

Homemade fruit roll ups can take you hours to make, but they are less sweet, more fruity, and much healthier than store-bought “fruit” snacks.

So, let’s get started and make some healthy, chewy, and flavorful roll ups using some real fruits! 🍓🍍

Fruit Roll Ups Ice Cream Hack

The combination of fruit roll ups and ice cream has been popular on TikTok for several months.

Initially, I was hesitant to try store-bought candy snacks because they are usually too sweet or or contain artificial flavors that don’t appeal to me. However, after trying the fruit roll-ups ice cream combination for the first time, I became hooked on the perfect blend of tangy and sweet flavors.

To create this delicious treat, simply unroll a fruit roll-up and wrap a scoop of ice cream inside. Wait a few seconds until the fruit roll-up becomes slightly firm, and then bite into it to experience the unexpected crunch of the fruit roll-up.

Because the fruit roll-up is so thin, it quickly becomes crunchy when it touches the ice cream, and then turns chewy again as you chew on it. The smooth and creamy ice cream provides another contrasting texture experience, and the tart fruity flavor of the fruit roll-ups complements the sweet milky ice cream flavor perfectly. It’s no surprise that this hack has gone viral all over the internet!

Can we do this hack with homemade fruit roll ups?

Some of you left comments under my fruit roll-ups ice cream video saying that you can’t find them in your country. So I tried this ice cream hack with my homemade fruit roll ups.

When I wrapped the ice cream in my homemade fruit leather, it didn’t immediately become hard and crunchy like the store-bought versions. Therefore, I put it in the freezer for approximately 20 minutes. Following this, my homemade fruit roll ups became crunchy, just like the store-bought ones.

The reason why homemade fruit roll ups require an additional freezing step is due to their thickness. If they are made as thin as possible (around 1/16 inch), they can be frozen with the ice cream filling right away. Additionally, store-bought fruit roll ups typically contain more sugar and corn syrup, which causes them to become hard and crunchy when chilled.

Tips for making homemade fruit roll ups

1. Choice of fruits

You can use a variety of fruits to make fruit roll-ups, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, apples, mangoes, pineapples, and more. Essentially, any fruit that can be pureed and dried can be used to make fruit roll-ups. You can also mix different fruits together to create unique flavor combinations.

Whether fresh or frozen, both types of fruits can be used to make fruit roll ups. As a general guideline, I tend to use whichever type of fruit is more affordable at the time. For instance, I opted for frozen strawberries since fresh ones were so expensive this season. On the other hand, I used a fresh pineapple that was on sale for $1.90 for 2, which was a much cheaper alternative than using frozen pineapple chunks.

2. Sugar and lemon juice

Although sugar is important in the jam-making process to preserve the fruit and achieve the desired texture, you can choose to skip adding sugar when making fruit roll ups. This is because the dehydration process itself helps to preserve the fruit.

However, if you find the resulting fruit roll ups to be too tart, you can adjust the sweetness by adding natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup to the puree. Additionally, reducing the sweetness can help balance the flavors when enjoying fruit roll ups with ice cream, as mentioned earlier.

Lemon juice is also often added to fruit puree because it helps to prevent the fruit from oxidizing and turning brown during the drying process. Additionally, lemon juice can add a slight tartness to the fruit puree, which can enhance its flavor profile.

3. Thicken the puree in a frying pan

Thickening the puree in a frying pan over medium-high heat helps to evaporate any excess moisture and shorten the baking time. Although this step is optional, it is highly recommended to include.

By thickening the puree in a frying pan for around 20 minutes, the baking time can be reduced by up to 4 hours, saving both energy and being more environmentally friendly.

Additionally, thickening the puree before spreading it on the baking sheet can make it easier to create an even layer and reduce the likelihood of the fruit roll-ups cracking or sticking to the parchment paper during baking.

When you thicken the puree in a frying pan, it is important to stir the puree constantly with a silicone spatula to prevent burning or splattering.

4. Directly bake the puree

It’s totally fine if you want to skip the frying pan thickening step.

Just blend 1 lb strawberries, 1 tbsp of lemon juice, and 3 tbsps of sugar in a blender until smooth, then pour it onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (9 inches x 12 inches) and bake it at 170°F for 8 hours to achieve similar results.

By directly baking the blended fruit puree on a baking sheet, you will get fruit roll ups with a smoother surface. However, keep in mind that this method will require a longer time and will consume more electricity.

5. How to store fruit roll ups

If you are making fruit roll ups in large batches and planning on storing them in the fridge for a longer time, you can cut the fruit leather into strips while keeping the parchment paper in place. Rolling each fruit leather strip up with the parchment can help prevent them from sticking together, making it easier to separate them when you want to enjoy them.

By rolling homemade fruit roll ups individually with the parchment paper remaining in place, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 6 months. If you choose to freeze them, you can thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before consuming them.

INGREDIENTS List: 

Strawberry roll ups:

• 1 lb strawberries (I used frozen strawberries. You can also use fresh ones.)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
• 3 tbsp sugar (Taste the puree and adjust amount of sugar according to your preference.)

Pineapple roll ups:

• 2 lb pineapple chunks (I peeled and cored a medium-size pineapple, and got about 2lb of pineapple chunks. You can also use 5 cups of frozen/fresh pineapple chunks.)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
• 3 tbsp sugar (Taste the puree and adjust amount of sugar according to your preference.)

EQUIPMENT you will need:

• Blender
• Nonstick pan
• Spatula
• Baking sheet
• Silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
• Oven

Step-by-step INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Thaw the frozen fruits (strawberries, pineapples, mangoes, raspberries …) in the refrigerator overnight or until they’re completely soft. Skip this thawing step if you are going to use fresh fruits.

2. Puree the fruits in a blender until smooth. Optionally, add 1 tbsp of lemon juice for every pound of fruits.

3. Transfer the puree to a nonstick frying pan, add sugar, and set it over medium-high heat. Stir continuously with a spatula for approximately 20 minutes or until the puree thickens and reaches a texture similar to applesauce.

4. Remove the frying pan from the heat. Let cool for 10 to 20 minutes (it will be easier to spread onto the baking sheet if we let it cool for a bit.) Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 170°F (75°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

5. Transfer the thickened fruit puree onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, spreading it out evenly to create a thin layer (about ⅛ inch thick).

6. Bake at 170°F for 4 hours, or until the puree has dried and is no longer sticky to the touch. You can bake multiple sheets at the same time.

7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the fruit leather to cool to room temperature. Peel the fruit leather off from the parchment paper/silicone mat, optionally cut it into strips, and roll the fruit strips up.

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