How to Dry Bay Leaves for Cooking

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Knowing how to dry bay leaves is useful for anyone who grows a bay laurel or receives a fresh branch from a friend. Bay is one of the herbs that university extension publications describe as suitable for drying, and the leaves keep their shape and color well when they are dried flat. This guide covers the methods those publications describe, how to tell when the leaves are ready, and where the published guidance does not give enough detail to be specific.

Quick answer

Pick mature, healthy leaves from the branch, and remove any leaves that are spotted, torn, or insect-damaged.
For the best color and shape, lay the leaves flat on paper towels without letting them touch, then cover them with another towel.
Bay can also be dried as a whole stem by air drying in a dry, well-ventilated room, as the Wisconsin extension publication describes for bay leaves.
Store the dried leaves whole in an airtight container away from light and heat. Bay leaves are generally used whole in cooking, so they are often stored that way.

How we chose

The sources in this guide are university extension publications from Wisconsin, Washington State, and Clemson. Each one covers home herb drying or bay laurel, and each names methods that apply to bay leaves. Commercial spice and recipe websites were not used to support any drying claim, because the storage and drying figures on those pages could not be traced to a named research base. Each source was opened on 2026-10-27, and each quotation was checked against the text of the page or PDF as retrieved.

What bay is and why it dries well

Bay laurel is a small evergreen tree, and the leaves are the part used in cooking. The Clemson HGIC herbs publication describes bay laurel as a small evergreen tree that produces widely used bay leaves, and it notes that “The leaves can be used either fresh or dried.” That statement is useful for cooks, because it confirms that dried leaves are a normal form of the herb rather than a weaker substitute.

The Wisconsin extension publication groups bay leaves with sage, thyme, summer savory, dill, oregano, rosemary, and marjoram, and it says these sturdy herbs are “well suited for air-drying.” Bay is therefore a good candidate for simple home drying. Its leaves are thick enough to hold their shape through the process, and they lose moisture gradually in a dry room.

Step one: choose and prepare the leaves

Start with mature leaves from the branch. Young leaves can be used, but they tend to have less flavor and are more likely to be soft. Look for leaves with an even color and no spots or holes. Remove any leaves that show signs of insects, disease, or damage, because damaged leaves can dry unevenly and may not store well.

The Washington State University drying publication advises handling the leaves gently. Its general guidance for herbs says to avoid bruising the leaves and not to leave them in the sun or unattended after harvest. Bring the cut branches indoors as soon as they are picked, and work on them in a shaded area.

Wash the leaves only if they are dusty or visibly dirty. Rinse them under cool running water, shake off the excess, and dry them thoroughly with a clean towel before drying. Leaves that still hold water are more likely to darken or mold while they dry.

Method one: drying leaves flat on paper towels

The Washington State publication describes a method for leaves that works well for bay. It recommends removing the best leaves from the stems, laying them on a paper towel without letting them touch, and covering them with another towel and a further layer of leaves. The publication states that “Leaves dry flat and retain a good color.” This is the method to use if you want bay leaves that stay flat and keep their green color.

Keep the leaves in a single layer on the first towel. Do not let them overlap, because overlapping leaves can stay damp underneath and dry unevenly. Place the stacked towels in a warm, dry, ventilated room out of direct sun. The Washington State publication describes this method as suitable for “mint, sage or bay leaf,” which is why it is commonly recommended for bay. Replace the towels if they become damp.

The publication also describes a method that uses a cool oven, with the oven light or pilot light providing gentle heat overnight. Any heat-based method carries a risk of overheating and burning the leaves, and it needs careful checking. This guide does not recommend an oven or pilot-light method, because the sources reviewed here do not give a temperature or time that can be checked against a safe range for bay.

Method two: air drying whole stems

Bay can also be dried as whole stems. The Wisconsin publication describes air-drying as the simple method for sturdy herbs, and it lists bay leaves among them. Tie small bundles of stems together with string, and hang them upside down in a warm, dry room with good air movement. Keep the bundles away from the sink, the stove, and direct sun. Humid rooms slow drying and increase the risk of mold.

The Washington State publication notes that drying indoors usually gives better color and flavor retention than drying in the open air. Indoor drying is therefore the safer choice for bay, especially if the room is humid. Check the bundles regularly, and take them down once the leaves feel dry and papery and the stems are firm.

The sources do not give a fixed number of days for air drying bay stems. The time depends on humidity, room temperature, and the thickness of the leaves, so the leaves should be checked rather than taken down on a schedule.

Testing dryness and storing dried bay leaves

Dryness is the main quality check. Dried bay leaves should feel brittle and papery, and they should not feel soft or leathery in the middle. The leaves should be fully dry before they go into a jar, because any moisture left in the leaves can encourage mold during storage.

Store dried bay leaves whole in an airtight container. Keep the container in a cool, dark, dry place, away from the stove and direct light. Whole leaves hold their aroma longer than crumbled leaves, and they are the form most often used in soups, stews, and braises. Label the container with the date so that you can use the oldest leaves first.

The Clemson HGIC publication notes that the leaves can be used either fresh or dried, so dried leaves are a suitable form for cooking. The publication does not give a shelf life for dried bay leaves, so the general guidance for dried herbs applies, and the flavor is best while the leaves still smell aromatic.

Practical steps to dry bay leaves

Pick mature, undamaged leaves, and remove any spotted or insect-damaged leaves.
Rinse only if the leaves are dirty, then dry them thoroughly with a clean towel.
For flat leaves with good color, lay them on paper towels without touching, cover with another towel, and keep them in a warm, dry, shaded room.
For whole-stem drying, tie small bundles and hang them upside down in a dry, ventilated room.
Check the leaves until they feel brittle and papery, with no soft or leathery centers.
Store the whole dried leaves in an airtight, labeled jar in a cool, dark place.

For a broader overview of herb drying, see how to dry herbs. If you are deciding when to cut a bay branch from a plant, the guide to how to harvest herbs covers timing for several kinds of herbs. Bay is often grown in a container in cooler areas, and the guide to how to grow herbs in pots covers container care.

What we could not verify

The sources reviewed here describe general methods for drying herbs and a general description of bay laurel. They do not test bay leaves against each method, and none gives a drying time specific to bay. The method details in this guide are the ones the publications describe, and no drying trial was run for this article.

What the sources do not say

The sources do not give a number of days for drying bay leaves on paper towels or by air drying whole stems. They do not give a shelf life for dried bay leaves, and they do not compare the flavor of flat-dried leaves with air-dried stems. The Washington State publication describes an oven method that depends on a light or pilot light, and it does not give a temperature range for that method, so this guide does not include it as a recommendation.

Frequently asked questions

Can bay leaves be dried?

Yes. The Clemson HGIC herbs publication states that bay leaves “can be used either fresh or dried,” and the Wisconsin publication lists bay leaves among herbs well suited to air-drying.

Should bay leaves be dried flat or on the stem?

The Washington State publication describes drying the leaves flat on paper towels, which it says gives leaves that dry flat and keep a good color. Air drying whole stems is also described in the Wisconsin publication as a suitable method for sturdy herbs.

How can I tell when bay leaves are dry?

Dry bay leaves feel brittle and papery, and they should not feel soft or leathery in the middle. Leaves that still feel damp should be left to dry longer before storage.

Should I store bay leaves whole or crushed?

The sources do not specify, but whole leaves are the form most often used in cooking, and they keep their aroma longer than crumbled leaves. Store them whole in an airtight container until needed.

Is it safe to dry bay leaves in an oven?

The Washington State publication describes an oven-light or pilot-light method for flat leaves, but it does not give a temperature range that can be checked. This guide does not recommend an oven method, so readers should air dry or use the paper-towel method described above.

Sources

University of Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener, “Drying Herbs,” https://mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/files/2015/12/drying-herbs.pdf (opened 2026-10-27)
Washington State University Extension, “Drying Herbs,” https://wpcdn.web.wsu.edu/wp-extension/uploads/sites/2079/2019/09/Drying-Herbs.pdf (opened 2026-10-27)
Clemson Extension Home and Garden Information Center, “Herbs,” https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/herbs/ (opened 2026-10-27)