Artificial Food Coloring Free Cherry Fruit Leather
Store-bought fruit leather is one of those snacks that sounds wholesome until you flip the package over and find a lineup of synthetic dyes giving it that unnaturally vivid color. This homemade version skips all of that — the gorgeous deep red hue comes entirely from real cherries, nothing else. Fresh or frozen sweet or tart cherries get blended with honey, lemon juice, and an optional whisper of Ceylon cinnamon before being strained into a silky purée and slowly dried in a low oven until perfectly pliable. The result is chewy, tangy-sweet, and intensely fruity in a way that packaged versions simply can't match. It's a genuinely satisfying snack for kids and adults alike, and you control every single ingredient that goes into it. Rolling the finished sheet into strips makes it easy to grab and go, and the whole process is far more approachable than it sounds.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 lb fresh or frozen pitted sweet or tart cherries, thawed if frozen
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 170°F (77°C), or as low as your oven will go (up to 200°F / 93°C). Line an 18×13-inch rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- 2
Combine the cherries, honey, lemon juice, and Ceylon cinnamon (if using) in a blender or food processor. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
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