How To Make Dehydrated Peaches In A Dehydrator

Drying peaches is so easy! If you like dried fruits then you need to try dehydrated peaches. They are a health and nutritious snack that will last for up to 6 months! Not only are they delicious on their own, but also taste amazing in trail mix, granola bars, and when making jellies and jams!

Jump to:

• ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
• How To Select Peaches
• 🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
• Peeling Peaches
• 📋 Step-By-Step Instructions
• 💭 Expert Tips
• 🙋🏼 Frequently Asked Questions
• How To Make Dehydrated Peaches In A Dehydrator

Dried peaches are not only super easy to make but they also taste amazing! If you like dehydrated fruit, such as dehydrated apples, these dried blueberries, and dehydrated strawberries, then you need to make these dehydrated peaches. During the summer months, grocery stores and farmer markets are filled with fresh peaches. Most of the time, they are on sale due to the harvest season. When you can, buy them in bulk so you can preserve the peaches by dehydrating them and storing them for months to come!

How To Select Peaches

Summer is prime peach picking season and that generally falls between May through late September. Grocery stores and farmer's markets are typically overflowing with fresh fruit. If you've ever paid attention, there are different types of peaches with different colors, shapes, and textures. The most common are yellow peaches, white peaches, and nectarines. 

The process for dehydrating is the same regardless of the type of peach you use. But it is important to know that a softer peach will take a bit longer to dehydrate than firmer ones. When I pick out peaches for dehydrating, I enjoy the ripe and softer ones the most. They tend to be a bit more sweett and are full of flavor.

Here's the process I go through when picking a peach. First, I lightly squeeze the fruit. A ripe peach will give just a little bit without feeling mushy. I also smell them. A fresh ripe peach will provide a slightly sweet and fresh smell. Stay away from the ones that have brown spots or bug bites.

🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

All you need for this recipe is fresh peaches and a food dehydrator. And it's up to you on whether or not you want to peel the fruit before you slice them. The peach skin has a lot of vitamins and nutrients so I prefer to leave the skins on.

Peeling Peaches

Many people prefer dehydrated peaches without the skin. While you can use a knife to peel the skin, the best way to peel peaches is by blanching them. To do this, bring a large pot of water to a boil and then lower the temperature. Place each peach into the hot water and blanch for 30 seconds. From there, remove the fruit and place them in a large bowl filled with ice and water.

Allow them to sit in the ice bath for 1-2 minutes and then remove and place them on a towel. The peach skin should be easy to remove with your fingers. Expert Tip: Use a sharp knife to make a slit in the skin to get the process started.

📋 Step-By-Step Instructions

Peach halves are hard to dehydrate because it takes a long time to remove all the moisture. Plus, dried peach slices are easier to eat. Once the peaches are peeled and you have removed the pit, cut them into slices, about ¼ to ½ inch thick.

Next, place the peach slices directly on the food dehydrator trays, ensuring they don't touch.

Set the dehydrator temperature to 125°F and dry the peaches for 12 hours. When done, remove the trays from the dehydrator and remove the dried slices. Expert Tip: Using your fingers, push each peach slice through the holes in the trays so they are easily loosened and can be removed.

Enjoy immediately! Dehydrated peaches are a healthy snack and when they are stored in an airtight container, they can last up to 6 months! They can also be used in yogurt with granola and when baking pies and cakes. The possibilities are truly endless!

💭 Expert Tips

• I typically dehydrate 8-10 peaches at a time. When they are on sale, I buy them in bulk so I can make multiple batches for snacking, as well as for storing.
• Peach halves take longer to dehydrate and are harder to snack on so I like dehydrating peach slices instead of halves.

• The easiest way to cut a peach is to hold it vertically with the stem upwards. Using a sharp knife, insert the blade until it hits the pit. Slowly roll the fruit around the blade of the knife so that the blade is touching the pit the entire time until you're back where you started cutting. From there, put down the knife and hold the peach in the palm of your hands. Twist the fruit to separate. You should now be able to easily remove the pit with your fingers and cut the fruit into slices.

• A lot of recipes call for pretreating sliced peaches in a lemon juice solution before dehydrating. The purpose of this is to reduce browning of the fruit. This is an optional step. I've never done this when dehydrating peaches and I've never had a problem with the fruit browning.

🙋🏼 Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell when dehydrated peaches are done?

They will take around 12 hours to dehydrate at 125°F. They should be a bit pliable and chewy. If they break in half when bent or are crunchy, they are overcooked.

How long do dehydrated peaches last?

If stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they will last for at least 6 months, if not longer.

Do I have to peel the peaches before dehydrating?

No, you can dehydrate them with the peelings on or you can remove the peelings. The dehydration process and time won't change.

Can I dehydrate frozen peaches?

Yes! It takes closer to 14-16 hours to dehydrate.