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Drying mint is such a simple way to preserve this delicious pantry staple! Learn how to make this dried mint leaves recipe in a food dehydrator, the oven, or via air drying.
Dried mint is an incredibly versatile herb for home cooks. From homemade mint extract to mint chocolate ice cream, mint packs so much flavor into lots of fantastic dishes.
Drying your own mint leaves is both easy and affordable, and I’ll show you how.
And if you don’t have a dehydrator or don’t want to use either of the other two drying methods, this tutorial on how to freeze mint will be right up your alley.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Avoid the temptation to increase the heat on the dehydrator or oven to speed up the process. Low and slow wins in the race on this one.
- The mint is ready when pieces of it break or snap instead of bend. It will feel like dried fall leaves when ready.
- Store whole or grind in a food processor, mortar and pestle, or a coffee grinder used just for spices.
- Store fully cooled mint in an air-tight container like a mason jar for up to a year.
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Dried Mint Recipe (3 Ways)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 bunch mint
Instructions
How to Dehydrate Mint in a Dehydrator
- Rinse the stems in a bowl of water.
- Then carefully dry in a salad spinner or between layers of a tea towel/flour sack.
- Carefully remove the leaves from the stems.
- Arrange the mint on the drying racks so the leaves aren’t touching.
- Dry mint at 95F, rotating the trays every few hours.
- The mint is ready when it is dry to the touch and has the consistency of dried leaves (~6-12 hours).
- Allow leaves to fully cool before crushing or storing whole in an air-tight container.
How to Dry Mint in the Oven
- Place clean dry mint leaves on baking drying racks set inside baking sheets. Don't let the leaves overlap or touch.
- Place in the oven at the lowest temperature possible (usually 140-170 degrees F) and prop open the door with the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Bake for 3-5 hours. Check every 45 minutes, rotating trays and making sure leaves are not touching.
How to Air Dry Mint
- Suspend small amounts of mint in a paper bag with holes punched in it and close the top of the bag with string, yarn, or a rubber band.
- Hang in a place where it can get air circulation.
- Peek in the bag every few days. Drying times will vary depending on conditions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was really helpful. Thanks for sharing this tip.
Always happy to help people with these little tricks!
This is so clever, Sarah! I often use the dried mint from inside mint teabags when I can’t find dried mint in the shop. But I have a large mint plant in the garden. Never thought to dry it myself. 😂
If you have a mint plant at home, you’ll never run out of mint. Those things are prolific!! 🙂