Recipe: $1.50
(Serving size varies based on use.)
As much as I love using dates and date syrup, I was always bummed by how much it costs for me to blend up a bunch of expensive Medjool dates every few weeks. Sure, you can grab them at Trader Joe's for a decent price, but how can you convince people to swap out their super cheap refined sugar for the more labor-intensive, slightly expensive dates? Well, in some cases, you just can't.
Enter: Prunes, also known as dried plums.
When compared to Medjool dates, they're way cheaper, way more available and accessible, and way softer, making them much easier to blend in a standard blender. You can find a bag of California Prunes for $1-$2, and even here in Japan they're cheap and relatively easy to find. (I've found them at Kaldi, Don Quijote, and my local Co-op store.)
Fun fact: California Prunes changed the company name to California Dried Plums because women ages 25-54 responded more favorably to dried plums than to prunes. Must be all those images of the older generation with digestive issues. Yes, prunes and prune juice are fiber-full ways to get things moving, but dates pack the exact same amount of fiber per cup, just without the reputation.
I randomly purchased a bag of California Prunes several weeks ago. I didn't have a game plan at first, but I figured they would make a decent replacement for date syrup. I ate a few straight from the bag and was surprised by their sweetness. They're stickier than dates, but also softer and sweeter. You can pretty easily blend them without soaking them first, which is really helpful for recipes like Larabars!
Here are some delicious things you can make with dried plum syrup:
Whole Wheat Banana Muffins/Bread (Made in Rice Cooker)
100 Days of Real Food's Brownies (Made in Rice Cooker)
Homemade Larabars!
I even mixed some up with almond meal to make these sort-of Larabars and the flavor was really good! I certainly recommend using actual nuts for the textural component in fruit & nut bars, but the dried plum flavor is delicious.
How to Make Prune Syrup (Cheaper Than Date Syrup)
Ingredients
- 1 cup prunes dried plums
- 1 Tablespoon water if necessary
Instructions
- Add prunes to your food processor or blender and process for about 30 seconds.
- Scrape down the sides, getting into the corners, and add the water if necessary. Process again until smooth and uniform.
- Note: If you’re using this for fruit & nut bars, it is best not to add the water. But for all other applications, the added water is fine!
Nutrition
I'm confused. This is prune purée, not prune syrup. Did you try making prune syrup and it didn't turn out so you went with purée? If you did try making it, I would be very interested in hearing your results. I started looking for a recipe for prune syrup (or prune honey) to see if anyone had tried making it without adding sugar. I was excited when I read your title but bummed when I read the instructions. I've heard others say that it's not sweet enough to make without sugar like you can dates & figs but what one person finds sweet another could find sour. I'm not a big fan of wasting food so I was hoping to find someone who had tried before I tried myself.
In case you haven't made traditional date syrup, here are basic instructions: Simmer dates (or figs) in water in a large heavy bottom pot until they just about fall apart, making a thick, dark liquid (about 2 hours). Strain the contents of the pot through a strainer lined with cheesecloth, squeezing the mass of dates at the end to get out the last bit of juice. Pour the date juice into a clean pot and simmer until it thickens to the consistency of maple syrup (about a half of an hour). It will continue to thicken as it cools. The leftover date mash can be used in other recipes such as date butter or a filling for turnovers & pies. No sense in letting it go to waste!
Thanks in advance for letting me know if you've tried making a traditional syrup and if so, how it turned out.
Hi Rebecca - thanks for the comment! I realized too late that technically what I've been calling "syrup," both on this post and the date syrup post, is actually paste. I can't change the title or URL at this point, and I'm so sorry for the confusion. Since you've pointed it out, I will definitely make an update at the top to clarify that, because it can be very frustrating!
I have made syrup from dried prunes, similar to what you mentioned above, but I did add 2 Tablespoons maple syrup for about 1 cup of dried prunes, with about 2 cups of water. I find both prunes and dates to be sweet, just not as sweet as sugar, and I like using them as a less-sweet substitute for other sugar sources. When I made dried prune "syrup" I also added a squeeze of lemon juice at the end, which I felt helped make it taste sweeter without adding a lemon flavor. To make it thicker, I ended up stirring it together with about 1 Tablespoon of prune PASTE, which wasn't really necessary, but I liked it. I'm curious - what do you use your dried fruit syrups for? I used mine in granola (in place of honey), and when I made a berry crumble.
That's brilliant! Date syrup is a bit pricey but I like its dark sweetness in breads, pancakes, and even just a hint in my pasta sauce. i will give the prune syrup a try because I think it would serve just as nicely,
Thanks, Sally! Yes, please try it and let me know what you think! I've been using it in everything because dates are expensive and hard to find in many places. :)