Description
Sugarplum Christmas Candy is a festive and delightful no-bake treat featuring a blend of dried fruits, nuts, warm spices, and sweet cherry preserves, rolled into bite-sized balls and coated in granulated sugar. Perfect for holiday gatherings, these candy balls offer a chewy texture with a hint of spice and a charming traditional appearance.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits and Nuts
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted dates
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped prunes
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped skinless toasted hazelnuts
Flavorings and Coating
- 2 tablespoons cherry preserves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for rolling/coating)
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all necessary ingredients to ensure a smooth preparation process.
- Process Base Mix: Place the chopped dates, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, prunes, and toasted hazelnuts in a food processor. Pulse a few times to roughly combine the ingredients while retaining some texture.
- Add Flavorings: Add in the cherry preserves, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves to the food processor. Pulse several more times until the mixture holds together well when squeezed, but is not over-processed into a sticky paste. The texture should still be coarse.
- Form Sugarplum Balls: Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls using your hands.
- Coat with Sugar: Roll each ball in granulated sugar until fully coated to add a sweet and decorative finish.
- Serve: Arrange sugarplums in decorative candy cups or stack them in a festive display. Add to cookie plates or dessert trays as desired.
Notes
- Store sugarplums in an airtight container between wax paper layers to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerate sugarplums for up to one month; they can also be frozen for up to three months.
- For an adult twist, add a spoonful of brandy or rum. If the mixture becomes too wet, adjust by adding more dried fruits or nuts, or chill before rolling.
- Experiment by rolling in different sugars such as white sanding sugar or multicolored sugar crystals for variety.
- Try swapping cherry preserves with fruit chutneys like Major Grey’s for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 candy ball (approx. 15g)
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
