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Pumpkin Fruit Leather

In the spirit of all things trick or treat this Halloween, this Pumpkin Fruit Leather is the perfect balance between the two for your family. The trick is that pumpkin fruit leather is a healthier option than many of the sugar-laden snacks that we see this time of year. The treat is that this gluten free, homemade snack is tasty and your kids will love it!

Pumpkin fruit leather roll on parchment with an orange napkin and pumpkin shape in background

Have you made fruit leather before at home? They are similar to the fruit roll-ups we used to eat as kids. A simple and short ingredient list along with basic preparation steps create this kid-friendly snack.

A key ingredient not listed on the recipe? Patience. The baking time– really just the time that the pumpkin fruit leather dries out in the oven at a low temp– is four to six hours. Yup, a long time. So plan ahead and the rest is easy.

Quality ingredients

Making homemade fruit leather at home gives you an advantage over the store-bought boxes of fruit leather that we grew up eating. Can you picture those rolls in your lunch box? Well here is an improvement for sure.

For starters, you can name all of the ingredients in this pumpkin treat. No dyes, no mystery flavors.

Organic pumpkin puree and organic apple sauce are the main ingredients. Pumpkin pie spice amplifies the flavor and the optional addition of honey really helps to create that familiar texture.

I made these both with and without honey and did prefer the honey version. The pumpkin fruit leather was easier to roll and simply had a better feel in your mouth. Try it and see what you think.

Let’s dive into these ingredients a bit deeper. The pumpkin puree, the apple sauce, the pumpkin pie spice and the honey should be top quality without added fillers.

Check out the list of ingredients for the pumpkin puree and for the unsweetened applesauce: Pumpkin and Apples. Nothing more and nothing less. Knowing that I am buying high quality products is important for my family.

Nutrition label for organic pumpkin puree from Sprouts Market
Nutrition label for Sprouts apple sauce

How to make Pumpkin Fruit Leather

The process of making pumpkin fruit leather is so straightforward it hardly needs a recipe but let’s go over the steps together. Basically you combine the ingredients in a bowl or a food processor, spread them on a pan, then very slowly dry them out in the oven. No need to use a dehydrator tray.

Ingredients for pumpkin fruit leather of pumpkn puree, apple sauce, and pumpkin pie spice and honey

After you mix the short list of ingredients, spread the puree onto a parchment lined pan or a silicon mat lined baking sheet. Keep the thickness between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.

You don’t want to see any gaps in the mixture. You also don’t want lumps.

Pumpkin Fruit leather mixture spread out on a pan before baking

What’s the magic ingredient in making pumpkin fruit leather?

Patience is the magic ingredient!

Waiting for the fruit leather to slowly bake is the key to success. Don’t crank up the oven temp. Just be patient.

Expert Tips for Rolling Up the Pumpkin Fruit Leather

  • Flip the baked fruit leather onto a fresh sheet of parchment paper.
  • For seasonal Halloween fun, use cookie cutters to make shapes in the pumpkin fruit leather. Pumpkins, cats, bats, and witches would all be cute ideas!
  • Use a pizza cutter to slice the pumpkin fruit leather into 3 inch strips.
  • Roll tightly. You could tie the rolls with baking twine or just leave them as is. The rolls tend to hold their shape.
  • Store in an airtight container.
Pumpkin fruit leather with pumpkin jack o laterns cut out with cookie cutters
Yield: 8

Pumpkin Fruit Leather

Rolled up pumpkin fruit leather on parchment paper and orange napkin

Pumpkin fruit leather is a healthy snack that you can feel good about sharing with your family. Using quality ingredients from Sprouts gives you the confidence that you are feeding your kids all natural, wholesome food even for snacks and dessert!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Active Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 can Sprouts Organic Pumpkin (15 ounces or 425 g)
  • 1 cup Sprouts Original Apple Sauce
  • 1 tsp. Sprouts Organic Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • Optional: 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Organic Honey

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees F
  2. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking mat
  3. Whisk together all the ingredients: pumpkin, apple sauce, pumpkin pie spice, and honey (if using)
  4. Use an offset spatula to spread the mixture on the baking sheet to a thickness between 1/8 -1/4 inch. You do not want to be able to see through the mixture, but you also don’t want to have it too thick.
  5. Bake for 4 to 4 ½ hours until the mixture is set (not giggling) in the middle of the pan. Let cool to room temperature.
  6. Take a large piece of parchment and turn your fruit leather over onto the parchment. Peel the fruit leather off the silicone baking mat so that it is now laying on the parchment. Cut into strips using a knife or a pizza cutter. Roll tightly.

Notes

For a fun, seasonal twist, use a cookie cutter to imprint shapes like pumpkins or bats onto the fruit leather before rolling it up.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 roll

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 45Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g

This data is provided by Nutritionix and is an estimate only.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Still hungry for more pumpkin treats?

Try these pumpkin recipes!

Want to get in touch with me? Click through to my Contact Page for more information. Thanks!

This post was updated in September 2021.

P

Tuesday 19th of May 2020

I would like to try the recipe, but, what size is the "Can" pumpkin you used?

Holly Baker

Wednesday 20th of May 2020

Thanks for your comment.The can of pumpkin I used is 15 oz or 425 g. I will add this info to the recipe for others, thanks!

mimi rippee

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

What a great idea! I've made fruit leathers with various fruits, but never pumpkin. It's brilliant!

Holly Baker

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

This was my first go with making fruit leather at home. I think I'll try strawberry next. Glad to hear you've had success with other fruits!

Mary Jo Webb

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

I’m enjoying your blog so much, Holly. Going to make this yummy fruit leather soon! Hi to the “big boy”!

Holly Baker

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

Oh, thanks so much, Mary Jo! That means a lot to me. When is the occasion this fall for your family-- a wedding or shower or other celebration? I remember you mentioning that cookies might help the festive time. I am happy to bake for you!

Shashi at SavorySpin

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

I haven't ever made any kind of fruit leather - this sounds wonderful - and Sprouts is the best, isn't it!?

Holly Baker

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

I love shopping at Sprouts, too. Glad that you have one nearby.

Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

What a delicious way to use pumpkin! I just know my kids would love this so might have to make it with them!

Holly Baker

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

I hope your kids enjoy this recipe. I had never made fruit leather at home and now see how easy it is to do.

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