Made with dried prunes for California Grown

I am always looking for a way to get my kids to eat more healthy. Discovering that dried plums (or prune) puree can be used as a substitute for butter or oil in baking is a game changer. Using prune puree in recipes that rely heavily on good semi-sweet or dark chocolate is delicious. The kids will never know what you’ve done, and you can rest easy knowing you are killing it at the Mom game. Level 10, for sure.

These cookies are so good, you will be sad you have not been adding prunes all along.

Prune Puree

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A healthy replacement for butter or oil in many baking recepies.

Keyword butter substitute, Chocolate, oil sub, prune, puree

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Author Rachel Dunston

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 1 cup pitted California prunes (dried plums)
• 1/3 cup hot water

Instructions

• Pour hot water over prunes and let soak for 10 min.
• Pour soaked prunes and remaining water into a food processor and blend until smooth.

Notes

It is normal to have a few lumps and bumps in your puree.

Chocolate Pecan Cookies

Print Recipe

Moist and delicious, chocolate pecan cookies with dried plums.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cup white granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup prune puree
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour or plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 standard bag semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• flaked sea salt for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 cookie sheets or baking trays with parchment paper (baking paper).
• Bring water to a boil. Measure out 2/3 boiling water and soak 2 cups of pitted prunes for about 15 min. Add water and prunes to a food processor and pulse until combined in a puree. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of puree.
• In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, white sugar, prune puree and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated.
• Add the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir the dry ingredients first before mixing them through the wet ingredients until a dough forms (do not over beat). Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.
• Use a small ice cream scoop to make dough balls and place onto prepared baking sheets. Press them down in the center.
• Bake in hot preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will come out soft from the oven but will harden up as they cool. (Be careful not to over bake as they will dry out.) Sprinkle warm cookies with a bit of sea salt.
• Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

This recipe was developed in partnership with California Grown.

If you like this recipe, you will also enjoy this No Bake Chocolate Crepe Cake from Meg at This Mess Is Ours.

These Chewy Granola Bars from KC, the G-Free Foodie as also a winner!