How to Use Winter Dried Fruit in Cocktails

Dry Ingredients
4 dried orange slices
3 dehydrated raspberries
2 dehydrated cranberries
1 cinnamon stick
1 sugar cube

Spirits
12 oz. bourbon

Dry Ingredients
3 dehydrated orange slices
2 dehydrated grapefruit slices
3 dehydrated lime slices
2 to 3 leaves of dried mint

Spirits
12 oz. gin, tequila or vodka

Dry Ingredients
4 dehydrated orange slices
3 dehydrated apple slices
1 cinnamon stick
2 to 3 cloves

Spirits
12 oz. bourbon

Dry Ingredients
3 dehydrated apple slices
3 dehydrated orange wheels
3 dehydrated lemon wheels
1 sugar cube

Wine
12 oz. Virginia red wine

With an Oven

Slice your fruit and spread them out on a pan with a bit of space between each other. Preheat oven to 200° F. Any temperature higher will cook the fruit rather than dry them. Once the fruit is put into the oven trays, the drying process will take four to eight hours. Check the fruit periodically to check the drying process, you will know the fruit are finished once they have a slightly shriveled, chewy texture.

With a Dehydrator

Prepare fruit in single layers on the dehydrator's trays and place them into the dehydrator. Select the fruit setting if there is one available OR set the temperature to 145° F. This process will take six to eighteen hours depending on the size of the fruit.

Pre-made Options

Pre-made dried fruit cocktail kits are sold by many online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores. Dried fruit can also be bought individually, which you can use to make your own cocktail jars!