Dehydrating Figs: How to Dry Figs in a Dehydrator

very close up image of a white bowl of dehydrated figs from the side view

Dehydrating Figs: How to Dry Figs in a Dehydrator

Dehydrating figs in a dehydrator is easy and preserves them for a naturally sweet treat any time of year! In just a few easy steps, you can dry them and store for later using a dehydrator or even just your oven.

Course Sauces and Condiments, Snacks

Cuisine American, Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Diet Gluten Free, Halal, Hindu, Kosher, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Dry Time 8

Servings Servings

Calories 42kcal

Author Christy Gurin

Equipment

1 Food Dehydrator
1 Cutting board
1 Paring Knife
Large canning jars or any glass storage container
Oxygen obsorbers optional

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. Figs brown figs usually require blanching (step 2) and green do not

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Gently wash figs in cold water.
OPTIONAL (see notes): Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch figs in boiling water for 30 seconds and then gently place in an ice bath to cool for 2-3 minutes.
Trim the stem off of the end and cut each fig into halves or quarters. If you have really small figs, you can leave them whole but I don't recommend it. Pieces should all be roughly the same size.
Arrange the figs in the dehydrator trays spaced to allow air flow between them.
Set dehydrator to 135° F (60° C) and dry figs for 6-8 hours for quartered figs, 8- hours for halved, and 12+ hours for whole. Dry time can vary based on size and how ripe and juicy the figs are. When done, figs should be firm but dry and not overly sticky.
Let the figs cool for an hour or two before placing in jars for storage. I remove and separate the drying trays and use them as cooling racks but move each fig a little bit to prevent them from sticking to the tray while they cool. They will become less sticky and more leathery as they sit.
Store in a sealed glass jar in a cool dark place. See notes for more details on storage.

Notes

Step 2 Note on Blanching: This step is only necessary for dark figs with thick skin. For green or light colored figs, you can skip blanching since the skin is softer. The only exception is if you plan to dry green figs whole, blanching can help with the overall texture.

Storage: Store in tightly sealed glass jars in a dark cool area for up to 6 months. Add an oxygen absorber (100 - 500cc) to extend storage time to 1-2 years. You can also vacuum pack and freeze dried figs but it may make affect the texture. Storage times listed are for halved or quartered figs and dried whole figs typically only last a few months since they have a higher moisture content.

Nutrition