Homemade Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups

I’ve got to say, I got a few surprised glances when I mentioned I was making homemade fruit roll-ups, but really, why not?  The kids definitely like fruit roll-ups and fruit snacks, but most of the ones that you can buy seem so full of stuff they just don’t need in their little bodies, so again, why not?

A lot of the recipes I’ve seen for fruit roll-ups before have been a little complicated, lengthy or just more involved than I want to get, but once I found an uber-easy recipe that required only four ingredients?  No contest.   This recipe was no more complicated than a little bit of stirring and a lot of baking.  And with the strawberries looking so gorgeous lately, it was the perfect time to make them.  I seriously cannot wait until farmer’s market season.  It’s all about the little things.

And the taste?  It’s all about the fruit.  You don’t get that slick, manufactured, slightly plastic-y taste with these.  The fruit is the shining star, as it should be.  Definitely a make again recipe.  Again.  And again.  And again.

Project 365
April 22, 2010, Photo #82

Under that little pink and brown blanket is a tiny puppy.  He was cold.  The orange cup is because he was thirsty.  And believe me, she wouldn’t accept an empty cup.  It has water in it.  Madeline is rocking the stroller back and forth because the puppy was upset and couldn’t sleep.  She’s going to be such a good Mommy.

Homemade Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups
Recipe courtesy of Fly Through Our Window

4 lbs of strawberries, cleaned, stemmed and chopped
2 cups of unsweetened applesauce
Juice of ½ lemon
½ to ¾ cup of sugar {optional but recommended}

Blend fruit ingredients in blender until smooth. Add to heavy saucepan and add sugar if needed, bring to boil while stirring. Reduce heat and skim foam from the top with a spoon. Simmer over low/medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes (this part took me more like 1.5 hours), stirring frequently, until mixture has properly reduced. Pour mixture onto a parchment or plastic wrapped cookie sheet and bake at 145 {with convection if you have it} for 8 to 10 hours. Cut into strips and roll up with parchment.

Print it!