Plump, sweet prunes stuffed with creamy herbed goat cheese, crunchy smoked almonds and drizzled with hot honey are a fun, vegetarian play on the classic Devils on Horseback appetizer.

Close up of goat cheese stuffed prune rolled in chopped almonds on a wood board. — Stuffed California prunes make the perfect party bite.

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with California Prunes. The state of California produces 99 percent of the nation's prunes and 70 percent of the world's prune crop.

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Why I love California prunes
Why you will love this recipe
Ingredients
Method
Variations
More prune recipes to try
More of my favorite party bites
Herbed Goat Cheese and Smoked Almond Stuffed Prunes

Why I love California prunes

Prunes do not get the love they deserve. Also known as "sweet plums" or dried plums, prunes are probably the plumpest dried fruit you will find and they are incredibly delicious!

For some odd reason, we've been conditioned to only associate these delicious little gems with getting old and easing gastrointestinal distress. While prunes can definitely help keep you regular, they also have a host of amazing health benefits. These sweet, delectable fruits pack a powerful punch of important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

So next time you're at the grocery store, don't be shy about tossing some California prunes into your cart. If you're looking for a healthy, delicious and decadent snack to impress your guests, look no further than this stuffed prunes recipe!

Why you will love this recipe

Inspired by the classic appetizer Devils on Horseback or bacon wrapped dates, this recipe is a fun, vegetarian version using delicious prunes. The crunchy smoked almonds are a perfect vegetarian stand-in for bacon!
It's full of flavor and texture - plump, sweet prunes, creamy, herby goat cheese and crunchy smoked almonds with a drizzle of spicy honey make these one-bite wonders a party in your mouth.
It's an easy appetizer made with just five simple ingredients and sure to impress your guests. They make a great bite for a cocktail party or addition to a cheese board.
It's guaranteed to make you fall in love with prunes!

Ingredients

All you need is five simple ingredients to make this recipe.

California prunes - make sure you selected pitted prunes.
Goat cheese
Fresh herbs - chives and parsley
Smoked almonds - crunchy, salty, smoky almonds bring so much flavor and texture. You can easily find these in most grocery stores with the nuts and dried fruits.
Hot honey - adds a sweet and spicy kick to round out all of the flavors.

Method

Use the round end of a wooden spoon or your thumbs to make an indentation in each one of the prunes. Finely chop the herbs and mix them into the goat cheese in a medium bowl.

Chop the almonds and place them in a shallow dish.

Using a butter knife or a small offset spatula, scoop a rounded half teaspoon of the goat cheese mixture into the indentation in each prune, shaping it into a dome. Roll the dome in the chopped smoked almonds until coated.

Step by step images of prepped ingredients and brown hand rolling stuffed prune in chopped almonds. — Fill the prunes with herbed goat cheese then roll in chopped, smoked almonds.

Place stuffed prunes on a serving board, drizzle with hot honey and garnish with more fresh herbs.

That's it!

Round wood board full of goat cheese stuffed prunes. — A fun, vegetarian play on classic Devils on Horseback.

Variations

If you love bacon, try Nigella Lawson's Drunken Devils On Horseback recipe or these Prosciutto Wrapped Prunes from my friend K.C. the G-Free Foodie.
Try it with a different type of nut like pistachios, pecans or walnuts.

More prune recipes to try

Not only are prunes a great snack, they are a wonderful ingredient to add a touch of sweetness to so many delicious dishes! Definitely give some of these sweet and savory prune recipes a try: