How to Dry Fruit for Decor and Potpourri

How to Dry Fruit for Decor and Potpourri

Dried fruits, such as the ones you see in these sachets, are super simple to make for holiday decor and embellishments for gifts.  They just require a few hours in the oven at a low temp to become festive and ornate decor.  

One of my favorite fruits to use in this process is a blood orange, as i love the deep and rustic colors that are perfect for fall.  Along with using them as fillers for these sachets, they also make nice additions to festive wreaths and centerpieces!

You will need:

Fruits of your choice, such as apples, oranges and pears

Oven

Baking sheet with rack, or baking sheet lined with parchment paper

To make:

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees

Cut fruits into thin, decorative slices being mindful of how you’d like them to look once they’re dried.  (For instance, I always slice apples from top to bottom so that the stem and seeds show.)  

Place slices onto baking sheet with a rack or piece of parchment paper. ***Note - you do not have to have a wire rack for this! I have had success making these on a sheet of parchment paper, too.

Place the pan in your preheated oven and watch them dry over the next few hours! I keep an eye on mine and get them out when I like the way that they look. This usually takes about 3-5 hours. You might be trying to achieve a different look, so my advice is to keep an eye on them! Another factor to consider is they type of fruit and how much liquid they contain.

Once they’ve dried, take them out of the oven to cool. When not in use, I store mine in an airtight container - I have some pieces that have lasted a few years!

You can see this recipe and my Harvest Sachet recipe in the Fall 2019 issue of Willow and Sage Magazine!