How to Dry Herbs in a Paper Bag

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I love having my own herbs around to use for teas, cooking, and garnishes. But as wonderful as home-dried herbs are, the *process* of drying fresh herbs can be time consuming (and space consuming), especially if you’re doing a lot of them. Once I figured out how to dry herbs in a paper bag, saving herbs from my own yard and garden became so much easier! You don’t need any special equipment, heat, or hardly any time to dry and store all sorts of herbs using the paper bag method.

Drying your own herbs is a great way to enjoy vibrant flavors all throughout the winter months. Most herbs grow quite prolifically, so it’s not difficult to harvest enough to last throughout the entire year. And if you cook with a lot of herbs, having jars full of your own dried leaves can make for some nice savings in the grocery budget, too!

What Are the Main Methods for Drying Herbs?

The paper bag method is just one way to dry herbs. Here are some of the other popular methods you’ll see:

Oven drying. The process for oven drying requires spreading your herbs in a single layer over baking sheets, then baking them on very low heat (you may need to keep the oven door open) for a few hours. The benefit of this method is that you don’t need any equipment besides an oven and baking sheets. The downside is that it requires electricity and you need to keep a VERY close eye on your herbs, checking them every half hour to make sure they don’t burn.
Dehydrator drying. A food dehydrator is a fairly easy way to dry herbs. It requires much less attention than oven drying and only takes a few hours (usually about 2-5). The downsides of this method are that you have to have the equipment (a dehydrator) and you can only dry as many as your trays can hold, of course.
Microwave drying. Using a microwave oven is the quickest way. With this method, the drying process can take as little as 5 minutes. While you do have to pay attention, checking them every 20-30 seconds, the whole process is quite short. The downsides are that many people prefer not to use a microwave, and like all heating methods, applying heat can remove some of the essential oils – and therefore flavor – from the herbs.
Air drying. Air drying herbs in small bundles can be a beautiful way to preserve them! Just use string or a rubber band to tie the herbs in small bunches, and then hang each herb bundle in a dark, dry, well-ventilated area until they’re crumbly (about 3-10 days). The downsides of this method are finding an area in your house that is dry, dark, not dusty (you don’t want those herbs collecting dust and grime!), has enough space to pin many small bunches of herbs (if you’re doing larger amounts), has good air flow, and is an okay place for inevitable herb crumbs to fall to the ground. (As you might have guessed, this method – albeit beautiful – has always felt difficult to me!).
Sun drying. Some herbalists like to dry herbs in the sun by hanging them or adding a thin layer to a mesh bag and setting it outside. Unfortunately, putting cut herbs in direct sunlight degrade both the oils/flavor and the color of the plants.
Paper bag method. In my opinion, this is the best way to dry herbs! It does take a longer length of time than some of the other methods (usually around 5-10 days), but I think the benefits outweigh the downsides!

little girl holding a bowl of freshly picked oregano leaves

Benefits of the Paper Bag Method for Drying Herbs

1. Saves time

As much as I love drying herbs, there are so very many things I want to do (especially in the spring and summer months!), and herbs are just one of them! While the drying time is longer using this method (I find around 10 days is ideal for most plants), the hands-on time is incredibly minimal – usually around 5-10 minutes total.

2. Virtually free

You don’t need any special equipment for this method – no dehydrator, microwave, or oven. And there’s no electricity cost!

All you need is a brown paper bag!

3. Doesn’t require much space

I hang my brown paper bags in a dark closet. You can fit quite a lot of herbs in one bag, so I usually only do one bag at a time, anyway.

folded over paper bag hanging by twine in a closet in front of some shirts

With this method, you don’t have to worry about having a long ceiling area for hanging many small bunches of herbs.

4. No mess

The bag catches everything, so no worrying about crumbly herbs falling to the ground. And, no dishes to wash!

I just reuse my bag over and over!

5. Dries large amounts at once

In a regular-sized paper bag, you can dry enough herbs to fill at least 1-2 quart-sized glass jars.

6. Doesn’t deplete oils

Lastly, unlike many of the other methods, drying your herbs in a paper bag doesn’t require any heat, so it doesn’t take away the natural oils or flavor of the plants.

Let’s do it! Here’s what you’ll need to dry your herbs.

A grocery-sized paper bag
Twine or string for hanging
A hole punch or scissors
Clean, dry herbs
A dry, dark place

How to Prepare Your Paper Bag

You can hang your bag however you like – on a closet rod, from hangers, or by poking two push pins into the wall. Here’s how I like to prepare my paper bags (and unless you’re drying lots of herbs, you may just need one. You can reuse it over and over!)

Fold the top over a couple of inches.
Use a hole punch to make a small hole on either side.
Thread a piece of twine or string through each hole and tie it so it’s easy to hang.

How to Dry Herbs Using the Paper Bag Method

Once your bag is ready, it’s time to dry your herbs! This method is so simple!

Pick your herbs. You can pick just the leaves or the entire stem (just don’t more than 1/3 of the plant’s foliage at once). If you know your source and the herbs are clean and not sprayed with anything, there’s no need to wash them. If you do wash them, use cool water and make sure they’re completely dry before putting them in your paper bag.
Toss the herbs in your paper bag! I just bring my bag right out to the garden with me. It’s important to make sure that the bag has proper airflow, so don’t fill it more than 1/3 of the way full.
Hang your bag up in a dark, dry place with good air circulation. A bedroom closet or dry basement can be a good place.
Check on your herbs every few days. When they crumble in your fingers, they’re ready! Although some suggest just a few days, I find that it usually takes at least 7-10 days for my herbs to get really dry. Some of my favorites to dry include mint, nettle, white clover, and chamomile.
When the herbs fall apart easily, take them out and crumble them into a jar.
Store your herbs in glass jars or airtight containers in a cool, dry place. When stored properly, they will last up to a year or even more. Don’t forget to label your finished product with the name of the herb!

FAQs About Drying Herbs

Should you remove the stems when drying herbs?

You can remove or leave the herb stems when drying. If you remove them before drying, the leaves will be super easy to crumble into your canning jars or containers once they’re dry. But, it’s also pretty easy to remove them after they’re dry, especially for plants with long stems. The stems don’t crumble like the leaves do, so you can separate them easily.

(Also, it totally won’t kill you to have a little bit of stem in with your herb leaves, so don’t stress about it too much!)

Is it necessary to wash herbs before drying them?

If you’re picking from your own herb garden or any place that you know is clean and hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals, it’s really not necessary to wash your herbs.

If you do opt to wash them, rinse them under cold water and then dry thoroughly using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. It’s super important to completely remove all excess moisture when you’re using the paper bag method. Moist herbs can lead to mold.

What herbs are best for drying?

I love drying mint, nettle, white clover, basil and chamomile. However, you can dry any herbs! The most important thing to keep in mind is that the plants should be totally dry before placing them in your paper bag.

Some herbalists warn against drying herbs that have a high moisture content (such as basil, chives, and mint) using this method. However, I have never had a problem with any of these herbs molding, and I usually keep them for a year.

What are the tricks?

Don’t wash them (as long as you trust the source) or pick them when they’re wet
Don’t rush the drying time (I usually shoot for 10 days, but more certainly won’t hurt)
For long-term storage, use airtight, glass jars and keep them in a cool, dark, dry place

Other herbs that work well for drying include:

Lemon balm
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Thyme
Bay leaves

little girl holding a paper bag open over the grass

When is the best time to harvest herbs?

The best time to harvest herbs is in the mid to late morning, after the dew has dried but before the hottest part of the day. This is when the essential oils are the most concentrated, so you’ll get the best flavor. If the plants are dry, I find the easiest way to harvest is just to bring my paper bag out to the garden, cut my herbs, and throw them directly into the bottom of the bag. This method is seriously so easy!

In terms of the growing season, aim to harvest before the plants flower. This is typically in the spring or early summer for most plants.

How to Dry Herbs in a Paper Bag – Super Simple DIY Method

What Are the Main Methods for Drying Herbs?