Image by Reinhard Thrainer from Pixabay

 

Looking to make some delightful sugar plum candies this holiday season? These treats, made with dried fruit, toasted nuts, warm spices, and a crunchy sugar coating, are perfect for gifting or enjoying yourself. Plus, you can easily double the recipe to make extra!

 

Prep Time	Cook Time	Servings	Calories
10 minutes	10 minutes	14 pieces	87 kcal

 

Equipment

– Food processor

 

 Ingredients

– ½ cup California prunes (about 3.25 oz)

– ½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (about 2 oz)

– ¼ cup dates, pitted and chopped (about 5 dates, just over 1 oz) or dried figs

– ¼ cup dried cranberries (about 1.25 oz)

– ¼ cup hazelnut meal or almond meal (or hazelnut or almond flour), toasted (see note for using whole nuts)

– 2 tablespoons apricot preserves or honey

– ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

– ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom

– ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

– 1 pinch fine sea salt

– ½ cup sugar (I prefer coarse sugar for that extra crunch)

 

 Instructions

 

Toasting the Nuts and Nut Meal:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Spread the walnuts out in a single layer on one side of a baking sheet. On the other side, spread the nut meal in an even layer, about ¼ inch thick.
3. Pop the sheet in the oven for about 8 minutes. Once done, take it out and let everything cool.

 

Making the Sugar Plums:

1. In a food processor, combine the chopped prunes, walnuts, dates, and cranberries. Pulse until everything is chopped into small, even pieces. Be careful not to over-process; you don’t want it to turn into a paste.
2. Add the toasted nut meal, apricot preserves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and salt. Pulse a few more times until everything is well combined and the mixture holds together when you roll it into a ball. You should still see some texture from the fruit and nuts.
3. Line a tray or container with wax or parchment paper. Scoop out heaping tablespoon portions of the mixture and roll them into 1-inch balls. Place them on the prepared tray.
4. Just before serving, roll the sugar plums in the sugar to give them a lovely, crunchy coating.

 

And there you have it! Delicious, traditional sugar plums that are sure to be a hit. Enjoy!

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I hope you find this version easier to follow and more engaging! If you have any other recipes or questions, feel free to ask.