Easy homemade fruit leather made with just 3 ingredients! These naturally sweet fruit leather snacks are an easy homemade version of classic fruit strips.

*I’ve teamed up with Super Starr Papaya to share today’s recipe. Their papaya has a super sweet flavor, available all year round*, *which means you can make homemade Papaya Fruit Leather all year!*

I love a good snack-y hour, and lately I’ve been buying fruit leathers (sometimes called fruit strips or fruit jerky) from the store. The ones with minimal ingredients have gotten insanely expensive, though, which kind of bums me out. So I decided to start making homemade fruit leather instead – and honestly, now that I know how easy it is to make my own fruit roll recipe, there’s no going back.

I like to prep a batch for the week and serve it with hard-boiled eggs, hummus and crackers, plus some extra fruit or sliced veggies for an easy 3 p.m. snack.

ingredients for Papaya fruit leather

I’m currently very into tropical papaya, so this version is made with fresh Super Starr Papaya and just a few simple ingredients, with an optional sprinkle of Tajín for a sweet, tangy finish. It’s an easy homemade version of classic fruit strips without a long list of ingredients.

1 Super Starr Papaya, cubed: You’ll want a ripe papaya for the best natural sweetness and flavor. Remove the skin and seeds before cubing.
¼ cup honey: Optional, but I find a little honey helps balance the tangy, spicy Tajín. If your papaya is especially sweet, you can reduce or skip it.
Juice from ½ lime: Brightens the papaya and complements the chili-lime flavor.
2 teaspoons Tajín: Also optional, but highly recommended for this version! Tajín adds a salty, tangy kick that balances the sweetness of the fruit and honey. You can also use another chili-lime seasoning blend.

how to make homemade fruit leather

And while papaya is having its moment in my kitchen, the best part about this homemade fruit leather recipe is that you can use the same simple method with just about any fruit you have on hand. Blend, spread, bake low and slow to dry out/dehydrate, then cut into homemade fruit rolls for an easy snack.

At its simplest, homemade fruit leather is really just fruit with a little lime juice. The honey and Tajín are both optional, but I like adding honey to this papaya version because it balances the tangy, spicy Tajín. Depending on the fruit you use and how naturally sweet it is, you can easily adjust or skip the added sweetener.

add cubed papaya, lime juice, honey and Tajín to a blender.

Pour onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 3–4 hours, until the surface looks matte and feels dry

Tips for Making Homemade Fruit Leather

Keep the layer as even as possible: If the edges are much thinner than the center, they’ll dry out before the middle is ready. I find an offset spatula makes spreading the purée evenly much easier.
No need to strain the fruit purée: You may notice some pulp after blending, but that’s just part of the fruit and its natural fiber. It will dry right along with the rest of the fruit leather.
Don’t worry if the parchment paper crinkles: Your fruit purée may dry with the shape of the parchment underneath, but once you peel the paper away, you’ll have smooth strips of homemade fruit leather.

How to Store Homemade Fruit Leather

Let the fruit leather cool completely before storing. I like to cut it into strips with kitchen scissors, roll each one in its parchment paper, and store the rolls together in an airtight container.

Room temperature: Store homemade fruit leather in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, keep the fruit strips in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Freezer: You can also freeze fruit leather in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let the strips come to room temperature before eating.