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Apple Cinnamon Pear Fruit Roll-Ups

Apple Cinnamon Pear Fruit Roll-Ups

I think that fruit roll-ups are one of those snacks that every single child loves to have.  They’re just so fun.  Rolled up fruit that’s sweet and sticky and a real treat to have in your lunch kit.  We all had them growing up, and you were always pretty happy to see that fruit roll-up package in your lunch.  Or at least I know I was, but I’m pretty sure I’m not alone on this one!

Now I’m sending my own kids to school, and I do send the fruit leathers that are all fruit in their lunch kits, but a straight piece of fruit leather, while still tasty, just doesn’t have the fun factor of a fruit roll-up.  You know?  But I can’t bring myself to buy and send the real fruit roll-ups, filled with sugar and who knows how many chemicals.  It would still be a treat, definitely, but certainly wouldn’t give them anything in the way of nutrition.  Not that I don’t send them treats now and then, but I really prefer fruit in their lunches to actually BE fruit.  Just makes me happier.Apple Cinnamon Pear Fruit Roll-Ups

If you feel the same way, you need to try these homemade apple cinnamon pear fruit roll-ups.  They’re not as sweet and sticky as the real thing, but you could definitely add some sugar if you’d like them sweeter.  And I think that if you don’t spread the puree too thin they would be on the stickier side too.  We liked them like this.  In fact, I barely managed to get a picture in before the kids gobbled them all up.  This has been the number one request for their snack in their lunch since I made them.  It’s a win-win, they get a fun fruit roll-up, and I’m happy because it is a fruit roll-up!
Apple Cinnamon Pear Fruit Roll-Ups

Yield: 12-16 fruit roll-ups

Apple Cinnamon Pear Fruit Roll-Ups

Apple Cinnamon Pear Fruit Roll-Ups

Ingredients

  • 2 pears, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 3 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, toss together the pears, apples and cinnamon, and heat, stirring often, over medium heat until the fruit starts to release its juice, about 5 minutes. Bring the liquid to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover, allowing the fruit to simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until it is very soft. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the fruit to cool.
  2. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree the fruit and it’s juice until smooth. Line two cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper and spread the fruit puree out on the lined sheets to as even a thickness as possible. I made mine as thin as I could without leaving holes just so it would dry a bit quicker.
  3. Place the cookie sheets in the oven at 170 degrees F and let the fruit dry for 5-7 hours, rotating the sheets occasionally so that it dries evenly. It is finished when it is a bit tacky to the touch, but not sticky or wet at all. Place a layer of plastic wrap over top of the fruit leather on the silicone mat and flip it over, then peel off the silicone mat. You can then cut the fruit and plastic wrap together into strips and roll them up. This makes about 12-16 roll-ups, depending on how big you cut the strips. These keep very well in a sealed container at room temperature.

Mia

Friday 19th of June 2015

Could you steam the fruit until it's soft or do you have to use the boil and simmer process?

stacey

Friday 19th of June 2015

I think steaming it would work just fine, although I haven't tried it. But as long as you cook the fruit until it's soft enough to puree it would accomplish the same thing. Let me know if you try it out Mia!

Lets roll: 10 homemade fruit roll-ups

Monday 15th of June 2015

[…] a lot can beat the classic flavour combination of apples and pears with cinnamon. So rather then trying to take it up a notch, take it a step to the left and make these awesome […]

Mimi

Thursday 2nd of October 2014

Hi, Do you mean 170 fahrenheit or 170 degrees celsius? thank you

Marie Muma

Tuesday 26th of October 2021

@stacey, For any of you that make fruit rollups, we have all had the experience of “over drying” the to the point where they are more like fruit chips. I just came upon somebody who suggested that you put a damp paper towel onto one of the trays in the dehydrator before you take your overdried trays out. You don’t have to turn on the dehydrator. Just leave it overnight and check in the morning. That moist paper towel will add just enough moisture so your rollups can roll up without that awful cracking that we all dislike so much when trying to roll them!!!

stacey

Thursday 2nd of October 2014

Hi Mimi, it's 170 Fahrenheit, or as low as your oven goes if it doesn't go that low. Basically you're drying the fruit out at a low heat for a long time.

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