How to Dehydrate Pears

Learn How to Dehydrate Pears with this easy guide and you can make delicious and healthy snacks anytime. Use dehydrated pears for a quick snack or in salads or baked goods. Once you make these dehydrated pears at home, you will want to make them all the time!

Dehydrated pears are so easy to make and are a healthy snack. Pears are a great source of fiber and vitamins.

Keep those skins on for the most benefit. I add a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar to mine, but that is completely optional.

Since pears have natural sugar in them, they will still be a sweet but healthy treat without the added sugar.

In this post, I show you how to dehydrate Asian pears, but you can use any type of pear or apple for this recipe. Times will vary depending on how thick or thin you slice your fruit, the climate, and temperature at the time, and your dehydrator.

How To Dehydrate Pears

1. Wash and dry the pears.

2. Prepare a large bowl with water and lemon juice (1 tablespoon lemon juice for every quart of water). This will keep the pear slices from browning and adds a little more flavor to the pears.

3. Prepare another small bowl with the cinnamon and sugar mixture and set aside.

4. Slice each pear using a mandoline if you have one. You can also use a knife but I find the mandoline gives you even slices for even dehydrating.

5. Place the slices in the bowl of lemon water so they don't brown while you are prepping.

6. Once you have all of your pears sliced, place each piece on the dehydrator rack until the entire level is full. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if desired and continue until all of your racks are full.

7. Place the lid on the dehydrator and set it to 135º. It will take anywhere from 6-10 hours for the pears to fully dehydrate. Start checking them around 6 hours. You want them to be dry, crisp and have no mushy spots. They may be slightly leathery and should firm up when cooled.

Best Pears for Dehydrating

This recipe will work for any type of pear and also any type of apple. The best pears or apples for dehydrating are just ripe and not too mushy. I like Asian pears because they are firm and sweet and easy to slice. If your pear is overripe, it will be difficult to slice and will probably lose shape in the dehydrator.

To Peel or Not to Peel?

This is really up to you. I keep the peel on when I dehydrate Asian pears and I don't find the peel bothers me at all. However, if you don't like the peel, feel free to peel the pears before slicing.

What to do with Dehydrated Pears

Dehydrated pears make a great snack and they are easy to pack up and store. They are also delicious on salads, pizzas, and desserts! You can add dehydrated pears to baked goods as well like scones, muffins, and cookies!

How to Store Dehydrated Pears

Dehydrated pears will last quite a long time if stored correctly. Place them in a sealable jar or container and store them in a dark, cool place. They should last a few weeks like this. You can also freeze them and they will be good for up to a year.

How to Make Pear Chips in the Oven

If you don't have a dehydrator, you can still make pear chips! Preheat your oven to 225º. Place the sliced pears on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for an hour and a half, flip, and bake for another hour and a half. Continue baking until you have your desired crispiness. Cool the pears on a wire rack before enjoying or storing them.

What To Do With The Extra Pear Pieces

Ok, so after you slice the pears for dehydrating, you end up with the end pieces that have quite a bit of pear still on them. I try not to waste anything in the kitchen, especially delicious fruit! Here are a few ideas of what to do with the leftover pieces. For any of these ideas, you will need to remove the core and seeds.

• Cut them up into small pieces for a quick snack or topping for a salad.
• Pears without the core and seeds also make a great healthy doggy snack! (ask your vet first 🙂)
• Cook with some water and your leftover cinnamon and sugar and make a quick pear sauce. Once nice and soft, blend in a blender or food processor until smooth.
• If you want to dehydrate more things (you have the dehydrator out after all), take that cooked pear sauce and dehydrate it into a pear roll-up using the flat insert for your dehydrator!

Did you Dehydrate Pears?

If you try out this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me your creation.

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