Stewed prunes are so delicious. Cooking softens them, and they end up swimming in the most delicious syrup.
They keep well in the fridge for several days, so you can make a big batch and enjoy a few of them daily.
Fruits are wonderful in their raw state, but I really enjoy cooked fruit. Some of my favorite desserts are blueberry compote, strawberry compote, and fried bananas.
Stewed prunes might be forever tied in our minds to constipation relief, but they are actually delicious. Sweet and flavorful, they make a wonderful dessert or snack.
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Ingredients
You'll only need four simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Prunes: Obviously, you should use pitted ones in this recipe. I like to use fairly large ones, but any size should work.
Water: Some people use orange juice, straight or diluted. But I like to simply use water.
To flavor the dish: Vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. These really add a lot to the dish, so I wouldn't skip either of them.
Instructions
Making stewed prunes is so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Your first step is to place the ingredients - dried plums, water, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon - in a small saucepan. Gently stir.
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and gently stir again. Cover the saucepan, and simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes.
- The last step is refrigerating the dish. This allows it to thicken. But you can certainly serve it warm, especially if you'd like to pour it over Greek yogurt.
Expert tip
Stewed prunes are wonderful when served warm, but you can also eat them cold, after being refrigerated overnight (or longer).
The advantage of refrigerating them is that it considerably thickens the cooking liquids and makes them more syrupy.
Frequently asked questions
They are. 20 years ago there was a marketing effort to rebrand "prunes" and call them "dried plums." I don't know if it succeeded or not. The package I have says "Amazing Prunes," so maybe they gave up.
The thing is, prunes are truly tasty! They are sweet but not cloyingly so (unlike dates for example which are VERY sweet). They have a deep, complex flavor, and they have very mild sour notes to balance out the sweetness, which I find really nice.
When cooked they are especially delicious. Cooking softens them, and they end up swimming in the most delicious syrup. Just as important, making them is so easy. See the recipe card below. This is a truly easy, simple recipe.
Some recipes add sugar or honey to the dish. I find it completely unnecessary. Dried fruits are naturally very sweet, and cooking them brings out this sweetness and enhances it.
I do add vanilla and cinnamon, and those are indeed lovely additions. But I don't add any sweetener.
Both are good. I typically serve it cold because I like to let it thicken in the fridge. But it's also good warm, especially when spooned over Greek yogurt.
Variations
One way you can vary this recipe is to cook the prunes in orange juice, as mentioned above.
You can also cook them in water, and add orange zest or lemon zest to the water. This adds a nice layer of flavor.
Serving suggestions
You can simply eat these prunes on their own as a sweet homemade dessert, and that's how I usually serve them. You can also spoon them on top of plain Greek yogurt for a filling breakfast or snack.
Storing leftovers
The leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 4-5 days. If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, do so very gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
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Recipe Card
Stewed Prunes Recipe
Ingredients
- 20 pitted prunes (160 grams)
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Place the prunes in a small saucepan.
- Add the water, vanilla, and cinnamon. Gently stir.
- Bring to a boil (this will likely take about 5 minutes). Gently stir again, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the prunes are soft and swimming in syrup.
- Transfer the stewed prunes to a heat-proof glass storage container. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This allows the syrup to thicken and flavors to develop. Serve alone as dessert, or spoon on top of plain Greek yogurt.
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Notes
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition per Serving
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Mary Sutherland
I want to stew dried papaya. Are vanilla and ground cinnamon still recommended? Something else? Thank you.
Mary Sutherland
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Mary, I would stick with just vanilla if using papaya.
Debby
This is a daily staple for me, with plain cashew milk yogurt. Thanks for an easy recipe I can make every week.
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Debby!
Barb
My system hasn’t been what it used to be since a surgery. I was looking for this recipe and this is perfect with one tiny change. I made it with 21 prunes, so I could have three each day for a week. I am going to have this with plain yogurt, chia seeds, and walnuts. Thank You!
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Barb! I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you return to normal soon.
Sara
Great recipe to go when needed. Thanks!
Vered DeLeeuw
You're most welcome, Sara!