Freeze drying fruit is one of the best ways to preserve it long-term, but how exactly does it work? Learn how to freeze dry fruit the right way to preserve your harvest for the future.
I’ve had a freeze drying machine since 2021 and have been testing it out on a variety of different fruits, vegetables and other items since then! My favorite might be freeze-dried pineapple, which tastes just like candy, but we also like to freeze-dry strawberries, cherries, apricots, and so much more.
I was really unsure about home freeze dryers at the beginning, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how easy they are to use, and the quality of the freeze-dried foods is so much better than I expected. This is a great way to store your fresh produce (and other things) for a really long time!
How long does freeze-dried fruit last?
When properly freeze-dried, your fruit can last up to 25 years! That is significantly longer than other food preservation methods. Dehydrated food typically lasts up to 4 years, which is just a fraction of the time.
We love to freeze-dry fruit so much that we don’t necessarily intend for it to last that long. If you grow a lot of fruit or want to build up your long-term storage, a freeze dryer is a must.
Equipment
- First on the list is a freeze-drying machine. To my knowledge Harvest Right Freeze Dryer is the only available machine for freeze drying at home. My freeze dryer is an older model and it works great. However Harvest right has put out some newer models with new settings that make freeze drying even easier. They all pretty much work the same way but check your manual for specifics.
- Next I recommend good quality sharp knives, or better yet a good mandoline or food processor to cut and slice your fruit into evenly sized pieces. The more even the pieces of food are, the more evenly they freeze dry.
- Trays like cookie sheets or other flat pans for pre-freezing if you choose to do that. (I recommend it)
How to Freeze Dry Fruit at Home
Wash, clean, and dry the fresh fruit. Remember freeze drying does not fix bad food. You want ripe fruit suitable for eating.
How small should the pieces be?
The size of you cut fruit is actually pretty flexible. You’ll find though that smaller is better. The images you see on this page are apricots. I did freeze dried apricots in halves, and quarters. The quarters were more useable. Next time I cut them even smaller.
A lot depends on how you intend to use it. We mostly snack on our freeze dried fruit. Bite size pieces is our preference. Your best bet is to cut it into evenly sized pieces. The size will depend on the fruit and your desired outcome.
- Oranges or other Citrus- could be sliced into thin discs.
- Apples– can be peeled and chunked. Or the peels left on and sliced.
- Pineapple- should be peeled but then can be chunked into bite size pieces or sliced in to rings.
- Apricots or Peaches- can be halved or quartered. But I found that smaller chunks are easier to use and snack on. The halves I did were just a bit big.
- Bananas– should be peeled, and I can’t think of a better way than just slices. YOu could then cut the slices in half for even smaller snack size pieces.
- Berries- are small and can be freeze dried whole. Somethings like blueberries benefit from having the skin punctured to allow moisture to escape quicker. Raspberries can just be given a good rinse.
- Cherries- should be pitted and like berries can be freeze dried whole or in halves.
- Grapes- Should be at a minimum punctured with something to break the skin, but do freeze dry better if cut in half.
Pre-freezing, optional
- Arrange the fruit in a single layer on trays or cookie sheets for the freezer.
- Freeze until ready to go in the freeze dryer.
Pre-freezing any food before putting it into a freeze dryer is a good idea because it can shorten the overall time your machine runs. The first step the machine takes is to freeze the food to a very cold temperature. (-30 to -50 degrees F.) If the food is already frozen that step takes a little less time.
Two things to keep in mind.
- If you pre-freeze your food you’ll want to start the freeze dryer early, so it is already cold when the food goes in. If you start from room temperature you risk your pre frozen food thawing before the freeze dryer gets cold. And that kind of defeats the whole purpose.
- Newer model freeze dryers have settings such as choosing if your food is frozen or not. If you’ve got that then restarting the dryer is not needed. But in my case I have to start early. (Harvest Right has made some great improvements on those newer machines!)
Using a Freeze Dry Machine
- Optional, turn on freeze dryer and run for 30 minutes to pre-freeze before adding fruit.
This is where you need to look at the manual that comes with your freeze dryer. Some machines have settings for pre-frozen foods. Follow the prompts and the machine pretty much tells you what to do.
- Transfer frozen fruit to freeze dryer trays.
- Place the trays in the freeze dryer and turn it on.
- Allow the freeze dryer to run for approximately 1-2 days or until the fruit is dry and crumbly. Follow the prompts and instructions with your freeze dry machine.
You don’t want to overload your trays, but the food can be somewhat overlapping. Unlike dehydrating where you really need the food to be in a single layer. Use the edges of your tray as a guideline of how much to put in the tray. Do not overload above that edge.
The freeze dryer will tell you if there are any issues like the door maybe doesn’t seal properly. It will also let you know what stage of drying your food is in. It is a countdown clock so you can see approximately how long you have left.
How Long to Freeze Dry Fruits
Since the sugar content in fruit is so high, it can take quite a long time to finish drying. It also depends on the size of the fruit. I recommend cutting everything into small pieces or thin slices to speed the process along. Whole fruit or large pieces will take much closer to 2 days (or more).
Here are some estimated times, but remember your dryer will let you know when the fruit is done.
- Freeze-dried apricots – 24-48 hours
- Freeze-dried apples (slices) – 10-12 hours
- Freeze-dried banana – 24 hours
- Freeze-dried cherries – 24 to 36 hours
- Freeze-dried peaches – 24 to 36 hours
- Freeze-dried strawberries – 24 hours
- Freeze-dried pineapple – 24 hours
How Do You Know When Freeze-Dried Fruit is Done?
- Check for dryness. Fruit should be crispy. If needed add more dry time.
- When dry, Remove the trays from the dryer following your manufacturer’s instructions. Store fruit either in an airtight container or vacuum-sealed mylar bags.
When the freeze drying process is done, your fruits should be dry and brittle. When squeezed or crushed, they should shatter or break into a fine powder. If you feel any softness or moisture, they aren’t done and need to be processed longer.
It is a different texture than dehydrating. The fruit will maintain its shape and color more. Sometimes dehydrated fruit is leathery, not so with freeze dried. Crisp and easily broken is the goal.
?The freezing process takes a long time, so it’s hard to be patient. If you rush through, you’ll compromise the quality of freeze-dried products, and they won’t have a long shelf life. Try to be patient!
Tips for Freeze-Drying Fruit
- Keep it fresh. Choose fresh, firm fruits without signs of rotting or spoiling.
- Cut the fruit into consistent pieces. The smaller the piece, the faster they’ll finish freeze-drying.
- Use frozen fruit. Freeze-drying fresh food can take a while as the freeze-dryer must get cold enough. You can speed up the process by using frozen fruits. Be sure to start the freeze dryer before you add the trays, or the fruit will thaw before freezing.
- Read the manufacturer’s instructions. Each device is a little different, so take the time to get familiar with how to load and open your freeze dryer properly.
- Focus on the fruit, not the time. Just like dehydrating, time is relative. Every batch of fruit is a little different, and some may need more time than others. The fruit should be brittle when done. Test several pieces on the tray, and if it is not done, keep going.
How to Use Freeze-Dried Fruit
Once you have a stash of freeze-dried fruit, you get to see what’s so great about this process! Freeze drying makes fresh fruit taste like candy. Each piece has intensely concentrated fresh fruit flavor and will shatter and crunch as you eat it.
- Eat as a healthy snack
- Stir into yogurt
- Sprinkle over ice cream
- Bake into cookies and cakes
- Add to trail mix or granola bars
- Blend into smoothies
- Turn into a powder to flavor batters
- Naturally color and sweeten frosting
Storage
Although freeze-dried fruit can last up to 25 years, that depends on how you’re storing it. If you plan on using it soon, you just need a good glass jar.
- Short-term storage: Glass mason jars & a vacuum sealer
- Long-term food storage: Mylar bags, oxygen absorber, and vacuum sealer
Freeze-drying removes all the moisture from the fruit. If it is not stored properly in an airtight container, the fruit will absorb moisture and become soft and chewy. And may spoil. It’s worth it to go through the extra step of using a vacuum pump to make sure your hard work lasts.
Store your fruit in a cool, dark, dry place. Your pantry is a great spot. A root cellar works great. Anywhere that will not get hot and will protect your foods from sunlight.
Questions
Super healthy! Freeze drying keeps the most nutrients of all food preservation methods. So it is almost (not quite) like eating fresh fruit.
How do I cook with freeze-dried fruit?
Honestly you can simply rehydrate the fruit and use it like you would other fruit. However, I recommend you just use it as is. Add it to deserts. Add it to muffins still in the freeze dried state. It will absorb moisture and rehydrate as it cooks.
Generally a 1 to 1 ratio is approximate. You are best off starting with a small amount of water, then adding more if you need. Freeze dried food (when homemade or commercial) rehydrates very quickly. A few minutes is all that is needed.
