• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

    Left menu area

    Gourmande in the Kitchen

    A collection of whole food, seasonal recipes

    Right menu area

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Work with Me

December 22, 2011

Orange, Cranberry Fruit and Nut Truffles

Home » Recipes » Courses/Meal » Sweets » Orange, Cranberry Fruit and Nut Truffles

  • Pin

Easy to prepare no-bake, make-ahead fruit and nut truffles made with cranberries and pistachios make for a sweet treat this holiday season.

Fruit and Nut Truffles in Paper Cups

The word sugar-plum, evokes a quaint sense of old-world whimsy and yuletide celebrations gone by. We think of Clement Clark Moore’s famous poem where “children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads…” or the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky’s The Nut Cracker.

But what exactly is a sugar-plum?

ingredients for cranberry orange fruit and nut truffles

While some may conclude by the name alone that it refers to a plum of a similar name, this Christmas-time confection is not a plum at all, nor is it required to consist of any. The true origins of the term sugar-plum has unfortunately been lost over time and faded into historical obscurity, but it is thought to once have referred to any dried fruit or sweet confection.

The confection we have come to associate with the word sugar-plum today primarily contains dried fruits and nuts combined with holiday spices.  It signifies everything simple, sweet and delectable about the holiday season.

Fruit and Nut Truffles in cups on tired serving tray

While sugar-plums were a mainstay of holiday seasons of past they have fallen out of favor in recent years in favor of cookies and other sugar-filled sweets.   I think they may be due for a comeback. Wholesome and easy to prepare, they can be made in less than 15 minutes with a food processor.  These no-bake, make-ahead fruit and nut “truffles” can also be stored for weeks in the refrigerator, perfect during the entertaining season.

Here nuts, dried cranberries, orange zest and dates are finely chopped, held together by a splash of Cointreau and finished with a light coat of chopped pistachios. At first bite a melting and subtle sweetness leads to the fragrant almost floral taste of orange peel and Cointreau swiftly followed by the tartness of cranberry.  Serve them with coffee or tea for an afternoon or after dinner treat.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday.

Serves 20

Orange, Cranberry Fruit and Nut Truffles (aka Sugar-Plums)

Sylvie Shirazi

Yields 20

Easy to prepare no-bake, make-ahead fruit and nut truffles.

20 minPrep Time

Save RecipeSave Recipe
Print Recipe
My Recipes My Lists My Calendar

Ingredients

  • ½ cup / 60g raw pistachios
  • ¾ / 90g cup raw almonds
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 6 large, soft pitted medjool dates
  • Zest of half an organic orange
  • 1-2 tsps Cointreau or Grand Marnier (for an alcohol-free version substitute same amount of orange juice)
  • ¼ cup / 30g dried cranberries

Instructions

  1. Place a ¼ cup of the pistachios in a food processor and process until finely ground. Set aside in a small shallow bowl.
  2. Put the almonds and remaining ¼ of pistachios in the food processor with the salt and process until finely chopped.
  3. Add the dates, orange zest and Cointreau and process again until the mixture begins to clump together. Add the dried cranberries and pulse briefly until just mixed. Small chunks of cranberries should still be visible.
  4. Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of the mixture into the palm of your hand and squeeze and roll into a ball. Repeat until all the mixture has been formed into “truffles.”
  5. Roll each ball in the ground pistachios and chill for at least 1 hour before serving to firm.
  6. Store in a sealed container for up to one month in the fridge or a few months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories

65 cal

Fat

4 g

Carbs

8 g

Protein

2 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
ESHA Logo
7.8.1.2
21
https://gourmandeinthekitchen.com/fruit-nut-truffles-sugar-plums/
gourmandeinthekitchen.com

You might also like...

  • Gluten-Free Fruit and Nut Bread (Paleo)Gluten-Free Fruit and Nut Bread (Paleo)
  • Honeyed White Wine Poached Apricots with Yogurt and PistachiosHoneyed White Wine Poached Apricots with Yogurt and Pistachios
  • Mulberry Pistachio Chocolate ClustersMulberry Pistachio Chocolate Clusters
  • Cardamom Pistachio Energy BarsCardamom Pistachio Energy Bars
  • Holiday Fruit Salad with Spiced Vanilla Bean Syrup (Paleo, Vegan)Holiday Fruit Salad with Spiced Vanilla Bean Syrup (Paleo, Vegan)
  • Chilled Tomato Peach Soup with Pistachio Basil PistouChilled Tomato Peach Soup with Pistachio Basil Pistou
  • Nectarine Parfaits with Walnut Crumble and Lemon Cashew Cream (Raw, Vegan, Paleo)Nectarine Parfaits with Walnut Crumble and Lemon Cashew Cream (Raw, Vegan, Paleo)
  • Chocolate Almond Fudge Truffles (Paleo, Vegan)Chocolate Almond Fudge Truffles (Paleo, Vegan)
Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she’s been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.

Filed Under: Courses/Meal, Diets, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Raw, Recipes, Season, Snacks, Sweets, Vegan, Winter Tagged With: fruit, nut, pistachios, truffles

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER

Never miss a recipe again, get the latest recipes sent directly to your inbox!

Reader Interactions


Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this recipe: ☆☆☆☆☆

  1. beti says

    January 8, 2012 at 8:11 pm

    this is something really different and interesting, they look delicious the whole combination of flavors is great and I love that they don't have any chocolate
    Reply
  2. Yummy Morsel says

    January 4, 2012 at 7:10 pm

    Scrumptious! Lovely clicks.
    Reply
  3. Sophie says

    January 1, 2012 at 6:14 am

    Delightful truffles! And with no cream in them at all! I loved them! Have made them twice already! MMMMMMM,....!!!
    Reply
    • Sylvie says

      January 1, 2012 at 3:14 pm

      I'm so glad you liked them! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know, that makes me so happy to hear.
      Reply
  4. Naomi says

    December 30, 2011 at 3:26 pm

    I'm embarrassed to admit, I never quite knew what a sugar plum was. These look and sound delicious! I love pistachios and love the green color they leave on this!
    Reply
  5. Cookie and Kate says

    December 29, 2011 at 5:39 pm

    I honestly had never thought about what sugar plums really are. Yours look just as delicious as I would imagine sugar plums to be!
    Reply
  6. Chris says

    December 29, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    Love the recipe! I have two photos of my fruit and nut truffles http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/14998050790/2/tumblr_lwzsmv80Sb1r74fxh http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/14998050790/1/tumblr_lwzsmv80Sb1r74fxh
    Reply
    • Sylvie says

      December 29, 2011 at 6:55 pm

      Thank you so much for sharing the photos, they look great! I'm glad you liked them.
      Reply
  7. Jamie says

    December 29, 2011 at 11:32 am

    Beautiful! And I love the fact that these truffles are made with fruit and nuts rather than overly-rich chocolate. Truly wonderful!
    Reply
  8. mustardseed says

    December 29, 2011 at 10:31 am

    What an exotic and wonderful dessert. It is healthy, simple and delicious!
    Reply
  9. Magic of Spice says

    December 28, 2011 at 2:03 pm

    I just love these and everything in them! These are a must for parties...gorgeous! Happy New Year Sylvie, wishing a perfect 2012
    Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Trackbacks

  1. 2011 A Year in Food | Welcoming 2012 | gourmandeinthekitchen.com says:
    January 2, 2012 at 12:04 am
    [...] in Food | Welcoming 2012Truffle Butter, Parmesan and Thyme Popcorn | A Popcorn and Champagne PairingOrange, Cranberry, Pistachio Fruit and Nut Truffles | Visions of Sugar-PlumsTate’s Bakeshop Giveaway | Gluten-Free Cookie and Brownie Basket with CookbookHoliday Gift [...]
    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Fast, Fresh, Feel Good Food

Here you'll find fresh, feel good food made fast with recipes that don’t skimp on satisfaction. Everything you see is free from gluten and processed ingredients with many paleo, vegan, raw and allergy-friendly options as well.

Get Started Here...

Search for Recipes...

As Seen On…

POPULAR NOW

Chocolate Gelato
Warm Vegan Spiced Cashew Coconut Milk
Homemade Skin Cream | Healthy Homemade Series Part 1
10 Ways to Use a Tea Towel
Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Feta, Olives and Sundried Tomatoes
Pineapple Ginger Wellness Shots

FIND RECIPES

SEARCH BY TYPE

COPYRIGHT – PRIVACY POLICY – DISCLOSURES

Copyright/Terms of Use

Privacy Policy

Disclosures

Copyright © 2021 Gourmande In The Kitchen · Implemented by WPopt

logo
  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Work with Me