Prune Spread | Perfect Deliciousness
This prune spread recipe is naturally sweet and so delicious. It’s perfect to eat by the spoonful, on bread, or slathered on pancakes. The possibilities are endless!
This prune spread is always in our fridge. Seriously. Both Christopher and I love this spread. And although I never thought this was possible, he may love it more than I do. Why do I think that? Christopher eats this prune spread every single day. I eat it around 4 times a week.
I came up with this recipe because when I was growing up, my grandmother used to make a dessert called prune kuchen that I adored. It was a baked dessert made with a slightly sweet dough spread out in a 13 x 9 pan and topped with prune spread. I do not have her recipe, but I wish I did.
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Helpful tips
- Sometimes I cut each prune in quarters, sometimes in halves. Quarter pieces seem to make a softer spread; halves seem to make the spread denser. Maybe the bigger pieces absorb less water?
- Once the prunes are cooked, press and blend them with a masher. I have found a potato masher works best. You could also use a pastry cutter or perhaps an immersion blender, but the prunes are gooey and could bind the blender.
- I buy my pitted prunes at Trader Joe’s and they are non-sorbate. I buy them in a 1 pound bag, which is roughly 3 – 4 cups.
- You can keep this spread in the refrigerator in a glass container for 3 + weeks. (If it lasts that long 🙂
- You can also use this as prune filling in pastries. It’s so good.
How to make prune spread
Step one
Gather the ingredients and tools – 1 pound of prunes, water, a medium sized sauce pan, cutting board, knife and potato masher.
Step two
Cut 1 pound of prunes in 3 – 4 pieces. (Or not, see tip above.)
Step three
Place prunes in the sauce pan and pour in 4 cups of water.
(Update: I have changed the amount of water I’ve added from 3 1/2 cups to 4 cups because Hubby likes it better a little looser. And I tend to agree.)
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Step four
Turn the heat under the sauce pan to medium and bring the prune mixture to a boil. Once it starts boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
See how the prunes puffed up? You want some water to still be visible, as you see above.
Step five
Take a masher and mash away until the spread is mostly mashed. There will be some prune chunks in the spread.
I put my prune spread in a jar for storage.
The next photo shows the spread on Irish soda bread. It is such a tasty, slightly sweet spread. I hope you try it!
If you like prunes, you are going to love this recipe! It is naturally sweet and delicious.
I hope you enjoyed this prune spread recipe!
Please feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite spread is.
Other scrumptious spreads or sauces
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love the know what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Prune Spread
Ingredients
- 1 pound pitted prunes (chopped in 3 – 4 pieces)
- 4 cups water (if you want thicker spread, use 3.5 cups)
Instructions
- Chop prunes into 3 – 4 pieces or (see notes for other ideas). Add prunes to a medium saucepan
- Add water and turn the heat to medium and once it comes to a boil, lower to a simmer for 30 minutes
- Mash the prunes with a potato masher. It will still be somewhat chunky
- Spread on bread or eat by the spoonful
- Enjoy
Equipment
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Notes
- Sometimes I cut each prune in quarters, sometimes in halves. Quarter pieces seem to make a softer spread; halves seem to make the spread denser. Maybe the bigger pieces absorb less water?
- Once the prunes are cooked, press and blend them with a masher. I have found a potato masher works best. You could also use a pastry cutter or perhaps an immersion blender, but the prunes are gooey and could bind the blender.
Nutrition
First published December of 2015
This spread was perfect. I love prunes and now I put it on toast.
Thanks Joyce!!
When stewing prunes I place several tea bags in with the prunes while they are boiling. The tea I most often use is Celestial Season’s Bengal Spice. This lends a delightful flavor!
I bet my hubby would love that addition, Denise. Thanks for sharing and commenting.
I never rate recipes until I try them, so sorry for no rating yet. I realize this recipe has no sugar added in the process, but can you tell me how this has 0 grams of sugar per serving, or how I can find the sugar content per serving? I thought prunes have sugar in them…they’re very sweet. Also, is there no fiber per serving? I was looking for a recipe to substitute regular butter for something more nutritious on toast, and I thought that prunes might be a good alternative.
Thank you for your responses .
Hi Mara,
At this time, food bloggers don’t have to find the nutritional value of the dish, just the calories. But I figured it out for you! Carbohydrates are 18.5 grams, sugars 11 grams. I couldn’t find the fiber but rest assured there is a lot! This is truly a dish that is always in our household! I hope this helps!
Prunes are NOT plumbs and are sweetened by sugar alcohols called sucrose. It’s not sugar, and can have a laxative effect.
Prunes are plums that have been dried, Ron. And they are naturally sweet and get sweeter by being dried.
I love prunes! I have ever since I was little. This is such a great recipe and yet another way to enjoy this fruit.
Thank you, Sharon.
This prune spread looks really yummy. How long can you keep it in the refrigerator?
One batch lasts us at least 3 weeks and it’s never gone bad. Hubby eats the majority of it as he has it every day.
This is the perfect way to get in some of your daily fiber and its the perfect blend of sweetness to start my day!
Thanks, Kristina! I love this spread for those very reasons.
I can just imagine how sweet and delicious this prune spread is! I simply can’t wait to try it! When Jake was little he used to call prunes “Fruhms” and he wanted one every morning! Lol! He will love this! I’ll make it for when he comes home for Easter! Thanks Lainey! Lol!
That’s so cute. It’s so good. I have my nieces and nephews try it thinking they won’t like it, but they do and want more!
I’m really loving this recipe! I’ve loved prunes ever since I was little — and this spread is a great new way to eat them! 😉 I love it on pancakes and toast!
Thanks for your comment, Amy!
WOAH, Elaine! Growing up in Germany, this was a STAPLE and we would always use it to fill pancakes or eat it with bread or yeasted sweet dumplings! I miss it so much and will bookmark this recipe right away! Thanks for sharing
How fun Kiki!! My grandmother who made the kuchen was German! I used to help her make it and spoon the prunes in my mouth!
Do you think this would freeze well? I often freeze fruit spreads if I’m not canning them – I think this would be great to freeze in small batches and pull out on the very rare times we have toast or scones in the house! (My husband loves bread too much and will eat a loaf in a day, so I only bake it 3 or 4 times a year!)
What a great question Julie. I’ve never thought of freezing it. I’ll do so and update the comment.
Can you spread this on bread. And does it help you go to the bathroom.
Yes you can definitely spread it on bread. And yes, it does help. Thanks for your comment Beverly. It is always in our fridge and my hubby not only eats it on his toast in the morning but takes big spoonfuls of it everyday!
How would food processing the prunes go?
I wouldn’t recommend it. I’ve tried an immersion blender but it got gummed up very quickly which is why I don’t the a food processor would work. I hope this helps, Leah.
This is a very old, tried and true recipe. If you have the old Woman’s Companion Cookbook from the 40s, you’ll find that recipe in there. It’s located in the section for Lunchbox Sandwiches. Thank you for keeping this truly vintage recipe alive and well. Oh by the way, the cookbook adds nuts to this spread. Prune-nut sandwiches. I’ll be making it for sure! Thank you again. These are all lost recipes!
It’s the Woman’s Home Companion Cookbook. Sorry I had to correct the title.
Now I need to find the cookbook. How fun. Thank you Shawnee for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it.
That is so fun! I’m so glad you let me know Shawnee about that cookbook! My grandmother used to make prune kuchen and I just LOVED it. I love prunes. She used to sweeten the prunes for the kuchen but I stopped doing that somewhere down the line because I felt it didn’t need it. And I can totally see the addition of nuts. We literally have prune spread in the fridge all the time. Hubby eats it on toast every day and I eat it by the spoonful every few days.
Looks so easy and perfect instead of jam. I usually have squashed prunes with homemade walnut butter, I’ll definitely try this.
Mmmm. I’ve never tried walnut butter, Rodney. That sounds heavenly. We literally have prune spread in our house at all times. I need to look at how to make walnut butter. Thanks for your comment Rodney.
Easy & delicious! I make it often, using an immersion blender with no difficulties.
I’m so glad to hear that, Lia! I’m glad to hear that an immersion blender works! Thanks for letting me know.
Thank you for this recipe. I add the prune spread as a fruit topping to my homemade yogurt.
You’re most welcome, Sue. I’m glad to hear that. Hubby puts it on his toast in the morning and I eat it by the spoonful. 😉 Thanks for letting me know.