How to Make Fruit Powder and Why You Should Bother

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Strawberry Rhubarb Powder

Let’s start with the fruit powder basics and then we’ll move on to how to make fruit powder.

What is Fruit Powder?

Fruit powder is dried fruit that’s been finely ground.

How to use Fruit Powder

Fruit powder can be used in place of artificial flavoring to flavor just about anything.  However, fruit powder truly shines in desserts where the moisture balance is very important.  Here are some examples of how to use fruit powder:

  • Use fruit powder to transform basic buttercream into any fruit flavor without dumping fruit into your perfectly-pipeable frosting.  Using fresh fruit can make buttercream too runny to hold a sweet swirl.
  • Sprinkle on top of fruit-flavored chocolate truffles to add some color and hint at the flavor inside.
  • Use it when making Neopolitan cookies.
  • Make fruity meringue cookies or macarons (I’ll be posting about this specific example soon).
  • Make a fruity spice rub for meat.
  • Throw some in your morning oatmeal when you don’t have fresh fruit on hand.

How to Make Fruit Powder

Dehydrator

Although you can buy fruit powder online [paid link], it’s easy to make fruit powder at home to preserve whatever fruit is in season.

Dried Strawberries

You can make fruit powder from store-bought dried fruit (make sure to choose fruit that has no moisture left), but if you can get your hands on ripe, inexpensive fresh fruit, you can dehydrate it yourself and use it to make fruit powder.  I do so using an Excalibur dehydrator [paid link].  You could also dehydrate fruit by thinly slicing it, placing it on cookie sheets, and leaving it in the oven on the lowest setting overnight.

Dried Rhubarb

The recipe below can be used with any dried fruit.  However, I also share the specific proportions for the fruit powder shown above.  If you haven’t guessed yet from the photos, I made strawberry rhubarb powder!  I chose to make strawberry rhubarb powder because it’s a flavor combination that is sadly relegated to pie and I wanted to experiment with using it in some fun new ways.  I can’t wait to share the results!

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Strawberry Rhubarb Fruit Powder
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3.91 from 33 votes

How to Make Fruit Powder

Fruit powder is dried fruit that's been finely ground. Fruit powder can be used in place of artificial flavoring to flavor just about anything.  However, fruit powder truly shines in desserts where the moisture balance is very important.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Stefani

Ingredients

  • Any dehydrated fruit that has not been sweetened be sure that the fruit is fully dehydrated with little to no moisture remaining

Instructions

  • Freeze the dehydrated fruit overnight.
  • Blend the frozen fruit until it turns into a powder. (It helps if you have a blender with some kick. I heart my Vitamix [paid link] for tasks like this.

Notes

For reference, two pounds of fresh strawberries and one pound of sliced/frozen rhubarb yield 1 1/4 cups of fruit powder after being dried and blended.
The powder may end up slightly clumpy. Be sure to sift before using in recipes that require a fine texture.
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62 comments:

  1. Sherrisays:

    Sounds great and I’m going to give it go! One question though, wouldn’t putting it into the freezer cause condensation when you take it out and salts to defrost?

    • Stefsays:

      Because you’ve dehydrated the fruit, there shouldn’t be any moisture. The reason that it’s frozen is so that it can be finely pulverized; you don’t want to thaw it out before blending it.

  2. Jerisays:

    5 stars
    Could you use this powdered fruit in drinks? Say margaritas? And what is the equivalence to 1 teaspoon of favorings for say, icing?

    • Stefsays:

      It doesn’t dissolve completely. So, I don’t think it would work that well in a drink. For icing, I would say, add a little at a time, until you like the flavor. You will find that you need more that, for example, an extract.

    • CLBsays:

      I use my fruit powders in hot herbal tea. Since I just pour hot water over loose herbs, I strain it into my tea cup. No clumps of fruit powder.

  3. Carolsays:

    Could you store it with rice to kind of keep it from clumping? Naturally sift it before use. I want to make banana powder for mufgins for one.

  4. Laurel Chaykowskisays:

    I’ve made dehydrated strawberries and used them in frostings and cakes. And they make the kitchen smell absolutely heavenly! Today, I’m actually in the process of drying cantaloupes and strawberries. Can hardly wait to try the cantaloupes in some recipes!

  5. Sameka bannistersays:

    Hi there Ive recently heard of your products through a friend and I just thought I’d try reaching out to see if you’d be interested in sending some samples of your products. I would really love to try these out as I’m always looking to introduce new products to my immediate social platform groups. Pls let me know if this is would be possible.

    Love xx
    Thanks in advance

  6. reedhikasays:

    4 stars
    what is the shelf life of these powders?

  7. KImsays:

    5 stars
    Have you ever tried to make gelatin with the fruit powder? I’d like to attempt to make it using monk fruit instead of sugar or artificial ingredients but I”m not sure of ratios.

  8. Dr. Cowan's Gardensays:

    5 stars
    Making a fruit Powder is cool idea. I will definitely try with the 2 simple direction given by you. Thanks for the sharing.

  9. Sarahsays:

    I have been looking for a recipe to make my own strawberry milk powder (already found chocolate). No luck thus far. Do you imagine that this could work? Also, what would be the shelf life for dehydrated fruit?

    • Lloyd Boothsays:

      Dehydrated fruit has a 2-3 year shelf life if sealed under vacuum with oxygen absorber.
      Freeze dried fruit has a shelf life of 25 years if sealed in mylar bags (to keep light out) and an oxygen absorber.
      There are freeze-driers out there for home use in the $2-$3000 range, and can freeze dry foods in around 24 hours. Don’t have one myself, but I do like freeze dried fruits!

  10. akinolasays:

    I love your job

  11. Rose Baldemorsays:

    I`m very much thankful for teaching us your skills. It helps me a lot.

  12. Andreasays:

    Can I use fruit powder to color white chocolate to make decorations?

  13. Beckysays:

    What are your thoughts on using freeze-dried fruits. It seems like it would be ideal, but I would appreciate your opinion.

  14. Deborahsays:

    What a great idea…

    I don’t have a dehydrator, but my oven goes down to 150 degrees.

    I have some purchased organic dried blueberries that were dried with apple juice. Do you think that would work? I wondered if the apple juice would be considered a true sweetener?

  15. kitwa Jamessays:

    This very helpful, thank you.

  16. Eunice greensays:

    I am so excited to try this fruit powder idea. And about the question of laying the fruits on drying mats in the dehydrater a long time ago I used a single sheet of cheese cloth under things I dried that would other wise fall thru. It worked fine

  17. Andreasays:

    going to make 3 tier pav for Christmas, bottom layer choc (topped with choc streaked cream) raspberry pav topped with cream streaked with crushed fresh raspberries, and top layer plain pav with maybe fruit on top. Tried once before to make rasp pav but used homemade rasp coulis and oh dear was served in class with cream and fresh fruit instead!!!!) So thankyou for the recipe for raspberry powder.

  18. Sandrasays:

    When I dehydrated my strawberries they turned a dark brown to black yet they still aren’t all the way dry. What can I do to make sure I get fruit that’s dry and still has some pretty color left in it??? Thanks, Sandra

  19. Gisellesays:

    I love using dried Raspberries and strawberries powders for eclairs and I use when I make laminated pastries. It gives so much flavor with none of the moisture.

  20. Collettesays:

    You can also use butcher paper or even fry pan screens. One thing you can do is puree it before dehydrating and use the fruit roll up flats. Then when it is dry put it in the grinding appliance.

  21. Andreasays:

    Anyone know how to make homemade popsicles using fruit powder?? I bought some thinking I could use it same as kool aid, but haven’t figured out how to do it yet…

    • Stefsays:

      Oooh.. good question. I think you’d have to rehydrate the fruit to use it in a popsicle. It’s not the same as kool aid. But, I haven’t experimented with it.

  22. Katrinasays:

    Hey, why do you freeze it? Doesn’t that just add moisture back into it? Like when you take it out doesn’t it create condensation? How does that work vs not freezing it?

  23. Chazzsays:

    Hi Stef. Very nice post! Is it possible to store fruit powder for a certain period of time? Or will it absorve moisture and get clumpy?

  24. lucysays:

    Do you know what 1tbsp of strawberry powder is equivilient to fresh strawberries?

  25. Bsays:

    whats the shelf life of the powder?
    ta :)

  26. rizasays:

    its a nice idea, can i make another powder out of pineapple fruit?

  27. Hollysays:

    If you want to save time, you can buy powdered fruit as well. All the nutritional value is still intact, and it’ll last for years. Easy to use in smoothies, cakes, frosting, like you said, oatmeal, etc. Activz is a good one. They currently have mixed berry, mango, and raspberry. https://activz.com/fruit-powders/

  28. Annsays:

    Live this.I have been using fruit powder along with beet powder not only for taste , but also to color frosting in my cupcakes or cakes. Looks great.

  29. c.says:

    Hi,Can this fruit powder dissolve in water like kool-aid and tang?

  30. Nataliesays:

    Hi, just wondering if you know whether the fruit powder would sit well as a dusting powder on top of a butter cream icing, or whether it would dissolve and go yucky? I want to use it with a stencil to dust an image on a birthday cake… Thanks, great post :)

  31. Melindasays:

    Hello. I am getting a bird that has a large amount of nectar in its diet. You can’t turn this powder back to juice by adding water can you?

    Thank you.

  32. stephaniesays:

    Hi. I love you.

  33. Florenciasays:

    Hi! is this resulting powder water soluble?

  34. Ryansays:

    I just did this then found your post! I’m also wondering if you could use this in a homemade face scrub or mask? I did oranges and it smells amazing would love to use it in more ways!

  35. TokiTsays:

    Hi, great ideas with the buttercream!
    just wondering what sorts of fruits work for dehydrating? Any?

  36. Laurasays:

    How long does this last? Can it be made in big batches in the summer when fruit is in season and cheap and then used all winter if it stored in an air tight container?

  37. crystalsays:

    have you tried making pumpkin powder?

  38. tracy {pale yellow}says:

    What a great idea and it seems so simple. Thanks for sharing!

  39. Monica @ TheYummyLifesays:

    What a fabulous idea, Stef! I’m thinking this would be great stirred into iced tea for adding natural sweetness and flavor. Pinned it! Thanks. :-)

  40. Cheyennesays:

    The first thing I think when I see these awesome fruit powders is “WOW, that would be amazing in soap, in clay facials, etc…” (No points for guessing what I do, LOL)

    But then I saw the buttercream idea… heavenly! :-)

  41. Carlysays:

    How much powder would u use if substituting for an essence? This is where I go wrong. For 2 tsp essence how many of powder?

    • Stefsays:

      Hmm good question. I’d just taste as I went along as see what worked best. I imagine that it would be different for different fruits.

  42. Auntie Emsays:

    Brilliant! What a great way to use a bumper crop of homegrown rhubarb, besides freezing it!

  43. Arkaysays:

    I have been making powdered lemon peel for ages now (and then I freeze the juice in ice cube trays) and it is a great way to use zest in all sorts of dishes-I love to sprinkle it on top of chickens roasting in the oven, and I add it to breadcrumbs when cooking chicken tenderloin.
    I’m looking forward to trying rhubarb powder.

  44. TJ Lubranosays:

    This makes me SO excited! I can’t wait to try this in my buttercreams and well lots of other recipes. :D Thank you! Xx

  45. Beckysays:

    Where did you get the handy mats/screens you used for drying in the oven?

  46. Kasha the FarmGirlsays:

    I made a terrific strawberry angel food cake for Valentine’s Day. I used freeze-dried fruit from the supermarket (another purchase that I made without intent), but I love the idea of using in-season fruit and dehydrating it. Stirring it into buttercream sounds perfect!

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