Dried fruit compote

Name: Dried fruit compote
Prep time: 25 min
Yield: 10 servings

This dried fruit compote recipe makes an easy fruit topping for yoghurt, pancakes and more.

Fruit compote, with raisins, dried plums, apple, pine seeds, cinnamon, dried apricot, dates in a glass bowl

By Carlton Boyce | Published - 30 Dec 2025

This dried fruit compote is simple and easy to make, and is a great way to get one of your five-a-day under your belt by the end of breakfast.

It's popular with all ages and you can freeze it, so its great for batch cooking.

Prep time

25 mins

Serves

Ingredients

150g dried fruit (we use whole figs, apple rings, apricots and prunes, but any other dried fruits would work just as well)
300ml apple juice
1 stick of cinnamon
1 star anise
5 cloves

Method

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Simmer for five minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. The apple juice will be syrupy and delicious by now, and the fruits will have started to soften.
When the fruit compote is cool enough, remove the cinnamon, star anise and cloves.
Serve on granola, homemade yoghurt or cereal, or use as a pancake or waffle topping.
You can store the compote in the fridge for up to a week, or you can freeze individual portions in a freezer bag, defrosting as needed.

Notes

Thrifty tip

Raisins, sultanas and other cheaper dried fruits work just as well as the more expensive ones, although it’s well worth splashing out on something exotic for a special occasion.

Variation

I know it’s hard to believe that any recipe could possibly be improved by the addition of alcohol, but a glug of brandy helps lift this compote from merely very good to utterly outstanding. But it’s probably best to save that for high days and holidays, given you’ll be eating it for breakfast.

(Hero image credit: Getty)

Written by: Carlton Boyce

Carlton gave up being a prison governor to become a freelance motoring journalist six years ago, and now earns his living travelling the world driving, photographing and writing about cars. He’s also previously worked as a lumberjack, police officer, retail manager, breakfast chef, and smallholder, allowing him to write about more than just cars.

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