Sugar Plum Recipe

It doesn't get any more festive than sugarplums for the holidays! Traditional Victorian sugar plums are a type of comfit similar to Jordan almonds candy, but this easy recipe combines dried plums, toasted almonds, and rich spices for a 15-minute Christmas candy.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Sugar Plum Candy, Sugar Plums, Sugar Plums Recipe, Sugarplums

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 0

Servings sugar plums

Calories 72kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Equipment

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole almonds lightly toasted (see Notes)
1 cup prunes dried plums
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons coarse sugar or finely chopped nuts (to coat the balls; see Notes)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Blend. Add the toasted almonds to a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add all remaining ingredients (except the coarse sugar), pulse a few times, and then process until it forms a ball. (TIP: The mixture will not be completely smooth; this is fine.)
Scoop and roll. Use a 1-tablespoon scoop to measure out the prune mixture, then roll each into a ball in the coarse sugar or finely chopped nuts to coat. (TIP: You can double roll to fully coat the sugar plums.)

Video

Notes

To Toast the Nuts: If your almonds aren't already toasted, toast them first. To do so, preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the nuts out onto a baking tray, and bake until they start to turn golden and smell nutty, about 8 minutes, giving the tray a shake once halfway through. Cool, and then continue with the recipe. (Also, feel free to swap out the almonds for any type of nut you like!)
Coarse Sugar and Other Coatings: Here I went with sanding sugar, which adds a delicious crunch that's a wink and a nod to the hard sugar coating on traditional sugarplum candy. Another of my favorite coatings for this candy is dark chocolate with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar. If you want to reduce the added sugar for a healthy holiday snack or dessert, you can roll them in finely chopped nuts, unsweetened cocoa powder, or unsweetened shredded coconut.
Storage: Store this candy layered between pieces of parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature for about 10 days (or longer if your kitchen is cool), or in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Special Diet Friendly: This Christmas candy recipe is surprisingly healthy! As written, it is naturally gluten free. For the vegan version, use maple syrup or agave nectar instead of honey. And to make it paleo, roll the candy in finely chopped nuts instead of coarse sugar.

Nutrition