Dehydrating Blueberries {How-To}

Have you ever considered dehydrating blueberries at home? It is so much easier than you might think and a great way to preserve those in-season berries! This article on Dehydrating Blueberries {How-To} is all you need! If you like dehydrating, I also have a post on how to dehydrate apples as well.

If you have an excess of blueberries, let me share a few other favorite ways to use them. How about Kamut blueberry muffins? They are so light and tender. Our family loves this goat cheese and blueberry dip. It is a cold appetizer that is so easy to make. Or what a refreshing blueberry mojito mocktail?

Why Dehydrate Blueberries?

For one thing, it preserves the season bounties. This will make those delicious berries last even longer. If they are stored in an airtight container, they will last for up to 6 months. Definitely worth it.

Dried blueberries are an easy add-in to your favorite breakfast cereal or granola. I love adding dried fruit to my cereals. This recipe is my favorite Homemade granola recipe. These can also be added to your favorite pancake recipe, muffins, etc.

Don't forget that these dehydrated blueberries are also really tasty for snacking! I love grabbing a handful when I have a sweet craving.

Ingredients

Frozen or fresh blueberries- You will want blueberries that are ripe and have a good flavor. Although the dehydrating process will sweeten them a bit, it is really good to note that the quality of the hydrated blueberries will affect the flavor of the dry blueberries. Some blueberries are really tart, I grew up on these in Alaska and love them. Now that we live further south, most of the berries we get locally are big and sweet.

Both of these are good for dehydrating!

How To Dehydrate Blueberries

1. Wash blueberries.
2. Bring a pan of water to a boil.
3. Add the berries to a colander and dip them in the water for 10-30 seconds, depending on the size of the berries.
4. Spread them on your dehydrator trays.
5. Dehydrate. Because of the liquid in blueberries, they will need to dehydrate for a long time.

TOP TIP: Size and moisture matter. The bigger the berries are, the longer they will take to dehydrate. Moisture content also has a big effect on how quickly they will dry out. This varies from berry to berry, and variety. Don't be discouraged if yours take a little longer, or don't be surprised if they dehydrate more quickly.

Notes

Okay, above I gave a quick version. Now, let me break it down. The drying process is simple, but let me break it down.

• Blueberries have skin that gets pretty hard when it dehydrates. It is also covered in thin natural waxy skins. The skin needs to be pierced in some way, this will give you the best results.
• I like to "check" the blueberries by boiling them for a short period of time. It only takes seconds, so don't walk away. Especially if you have small blueberries- don't boil them for more than 10 seconds. The easiest way is shown in the photos- add them to a colander and dip it in the boiling water. You can also add the berries directly to the water and remove them with a slotted spoon when they are done.
• You can also pierce the berries with skewers, chop them, or pulse them a couple of times in the food processor. Out of all of these, I like the boiling method best.
• Next spread them in a single layer on your dehydrator trays. Make sure you are using mesh trays. Some people recommend drying the berries with paper towels, but I have not found this makes a difference. I use a L'Equip food dehydrator and love it. The trays are easy to remove and fill and the temperature is consistent. All the dehydrated foods I have done in it have turned out really well. This size also allows you to do lots of blueberries at one time!
• Dehydrate between the temperature of 115-130 degrees. I usually do mine at about 125-130 degrees. This needs to be done on low heat.
• Once they are dried, let them cool to room temperature and store.
• I like to store them in glass jars (mason jars), air-tight containers, or even plastic bags. Just make sure to remove all air. If you want, you can also add in a desiccant pack as well to remove any extra moisture.
• Make sure they are stored in the pantry, in a dark place, out of direct sunlight.
• You can also use frozen berries. If you do, make sure and thaw them and drain really well. Also, you will not need to boil the blueberries if they were previously frozen. Their skin is already split, so no need.

Pro Tip: Check for molding over the first week in storage. Make sure and check for any molding in your storage container. Following the instructions provided, you shouldn't have any issues, but just in case, I like to check them after the first week or 2, just to be safe!

Other Methods

You can also dehydrate the berries in direct sunlight. This will take longer, but is a method people have used forever! Add them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You will need to live in a hot, dry climate for this. If your temps are averaging about 100 degrees, they will dry in 3-4 days.

The blueberries can also be dried in the oven. Lay the berries out on a cookie sheet, set the oven to the lowest temp you can, and open the oven door. This will help to circulate the air. Again, dry until all the liquid is removed.

Did you know you can also dehydrate them in an air fryer? Working in smaller batches, dry them at about 120 degrees. This can take between 10-17 hours. The lower temperature is key for these.

Ways To Use

As noted above, there are so many ways to use this dehydrated fruit. Aside from adding it to your favorite cereals, what about adding it to your favorite trail mixes? Or even homemade granola bars.

Another great option is to make your own blueberry powder. Take the dehydrated berries and pulse them in a small food processor or coffee grinder until they are in powder form. This is so good to make icing with, flavor ice cream, or add to your favorite plain yogurt!

There are so many great ways to use these berries, how would you use them??

• Snacks