Dehydrating Fruit In Your Oven- SO EASY!

Do you love dried fruit, but you just can’t bring yourself to pay the unbelievable prices?

Do you want a dried fruit option that doesn’t contain preservatives and maintains it’s health benefits?

Dehydrate your own fruit!

This is SO easy.

1) Wash your chosen fruit and slice it fairly thin. I used apples, bananas, and kiwi.

2) Drop the slices in a bowl of pineapple juice (one small can works) or sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning.

3) Lay the fruit slices on a piece of parchment paper. I laid the paper in the oven before putting the fruit on it.

4) Heat your oven to the lowest setting. Mine is 170°, but I’ve heard that for some it is 200°.

5) I left my thinly-sliced fruit in for 5-1/2 hours. I didn’t flip the fruit, because they were so thin. If you have thicker-sliced fruit, you will want to flip them mid-way through the dehydrating process. The apples and bananas still seemed a tad bit bendable when I pulled them out, but they became more like chips after cooling. If you have slightly thicker slices, keep your fruit in the oven from 6-8 hours. If you slice it fairly thick, you might need to increase your cook time to 10-20 hours. Note that many sources recommend propping the oven door open with a wooden spoon. I didn’t do this, and it worked fine for me. This is mostly meant for ovens that do not have an adequate fan. If you have an older oven, you might decide to prop it open and possibly even point a fan near the open oven door.

My apples came out just like the apple chips you would buy. My bananas were MUCH better than the ones you buy. The thinner slices made them easier to chew and they had a sweeter taste than the store-bought ones. I could do without the kiwi chips. I used a harder-than-ideal kiwi, so the sourness transferred to the dried form. Also, the seeds are a bit too much for my teeth. However, it’s all preference! Try them if you love kiwi.

Next time, I’ll try sprinkling a little cinnamon on the apples and bananas. Mmm!

Storage and Longevity: According to Colorado State University Extension, you can keep your fruit for up to 1 year with proper storage. Proper storage includes tightly sealed containers (as to not allow any moisture in), stored in a cool, dry, dark place (refrigerator or freezer are good options). This link also has some extensive advice on drying fruit, if you are interested.

Still deciding on whether or not to dry your own fruit? Here are some pros and cons:

Resources:

“Yes, You Can Dry Fruit in the Oven!” by the Kitchn 

“Is Dried Fruit Really A Healthy Snack?” by lifescript