Roasted Fruit with Date Syrup and Pomegranate Molasses

Name: Roasted Fruit with Date Syrup and Pomegranate Molasses
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (bonus points if you have orange olive oil!); 14 - 18 fresh figs (about 1 lb - any type you have, stem removed and halved from stem end); 1-2 pluots or plums (sliced into 4 to 6 pieces); 1-2 peaches or nectarines (sliced into 8 pieces); 1 cup red grapes; 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses; 2 tablespoons port; 1.5 tablespoons date syrup (honey is great as well. 2 tablespoons if you like sweeter, 1 for less sweet); 1 tablespoon brown sugar; zest of 1/2 an orange; 4-5 thyme sprigs (rosemary would be nice also)

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Roasted fruit or baked fruit is revelatory. When you combine late summer stone fruits, grapes and figs with thyme, date syrup or honey, pomegranate molasses, and a splash of port - then bake it - the result is magical.

Another great recipe using roasted fruit is my strawberry shortcake with roasted strawberries and also roasted grapes.

For ease of browsing, here are all of my baking and dessert recipes

Roasted fruit in a glass serving dish with a spoon in foreground and the pan of fruit in the background.

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Jump to:

The story behind creating this roasted fruit recipe
Why you will LOVE this recipe
Ingredients and substitutions
Let's make roasted fruit step-by-step!
Beth's expert tips and shortcut suggestions
FAQs about roasted fruit
How to serve baked fruit
More recipes that use pomegranate molasses
Roasted Fruit with Date Syrup and Pomegranate Molasses

The story behind creating this roasted fruit recipe

So many years of writing, thinking, and talking about food nearly every day has transformed me. I've always been adept at menu planning - matching flavors of the main course to sides and to the preferences of the diners, all while factoring in logistics of preparing multiple dishes at the same time. But I used to be a slave to the recipes that I found, assuming whoever wrote them had to know more about recipe rendering than I did, so I better not mess with it.

I still believe that many recipes should be prepared, for the first time, as they are written, knowing how much effort and expertise the author put into creating it. But now I also know that a recipe can be a springboard for change to suit your own palate or maybe just to use up an overflowing fruit basket.

It's liberating to veer off the road occasionally. You may reach a dead-end, waste a bit of time, and have to turn around but sometimes you find another path that's just as lovely as the original route.

Close up of roasted fruit in the baking pan with a spoon showing the sauce.

Why you will LOVE this recipe

Inspired by a roasted fig recipe from David Lebovitz when I created this dish, you will be equally enchanted by the sensuous scent of orange and thyme perfuming the fruit as I was.
The use of date syrup (or honey) combined with pomegranate molasses and port adds so much depth of flavor and creates a sauce you'll want to drink! But instead, you should drizzle it with wild abandon on your yogurt or ice cream.
While the photos show this dish with my late summer fruit - plums, peaches, figs and grapes - you can morph the content as the fruit offerings change. Add in dried fruits and firmer apples and pears, for example. Even some winter citrus!
Think of this recipe as a crisp without a topping. I grew up eating stewed fruit - cooked in a pot with a bit of juice or water added and some sugar and honey. A real comfort food that my daughter now relishes just as much I do. But the idea of elevating that concept by roasting the fruit captured my attention and elevates the result.

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients shot for roasted fruit showing all the fresh fruit plus the items for the sauce on an old cutting board.

Fresh fruit: Obviously some of the fruit I show in this picture will not be available year round. Or during the same time of year depending on where you live. So use your creativity to substitute in some dried fruits, off-season stone fruits that will taste good once baked, firmer apples or pears, and how about dried figs instead of fresh.
Date syrup: If you don't have date syrup, honey works perfectly but if you've never tried date syrup, I encourage you to order some and give it a try!
Pomegranate molasses: Make it yourself or buy a bottle. It's a great addition from appetizers through desserts. I promise you'll love it.
Port: If you don't have any ruby port, try a red wine, preferably one with some depth and body. So not a super light pinot - more like a big zinfandel, cabernet or hearty blend.

Let's make roasted fruit step-by-step!

(Printable recipe card is at the end of the post with ingredients, measurements and step-by-step instructions. This section includes more and larger pictures and high level explanations of the process.)

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This is a really simple recipe with a big flavor payoff!

1. Prepare all the fruit and add it to the baking dish.

Cut figs in white roasting pan for baked fruit.

Plums added to cut figs in white roasting pan for roasted fruit.

Peaches added to fruit in white roasting pan.

2. Pour the mixture of pomegranate molasses, date syrup or honey, port, brown sugar and orange zest over the fruit mixture. Add the fresh thyme and cover with foil.

Sauce added to the fruit in the white roasting pan for baked fruit.

Grapes and thyme added to fruit in white roasting pan.

Roasting pan covered with foil before being placed in the oven.

Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, loosen but don't remove the foil, bake for 10 minutes more. Then remove the foil and slosh some of the juices over the fruit on top and bake for about 5 - 7 minutes more. You'll see the fruit just starting to brown on the edges and the juices in the roasting pan will be bubbling. Fruit should be soft but still intact.

Roasted fruit out of the oven, foil off, and ready to eat.

Beth's expert tips and shortcut suggestions

I have used convection setting and regular to roast this. If you use convection, reduce the temperature to 375° to get approximately the same cooking times.
Every oven is a little bit different so use visual cues to know how your fruit is coming along. You're looking for the juices to have emerged and to start vigorously bubbling. Fruit should still be intact - we are not trying to make a compote where the fruit dissolves almost to jam stage.
Remember to have fun with the fruit choices based on the season, even including dried fruit into the mix.

Yogurt and roasted fruit on a tan plate with a spoon and fork on either side.

FAQs about roasted fruit

What fruits are good for baking and roasting?

Any firm fruit or fruit with a pit will be a good candidate. As the summer stone fruits and fall figs disappear, think about firm apples and pears and even dried fruits. I haven't tried this yet, but quince, which are only edible when cooked, could be a great addition. Just have to get the size right so they cook in a similar time as the rest of the fruits.

Can I use dried fruits, such as dried figs, when fresh figs aren't in season?

Absolutely. Figs are one of the best examples where the dried version will work beautifully. Think also about dried cranberries, raisins, cherries, apricots, peaches, and prunes! Give the underrated prune a shot at stardom here! Remember they were plums!

How should I store the baked fruit?

I store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days but unless you make a double batch, it won't last that long!

How to serve baked fruit

My favorite way to eat this roasted fruit is on yogurt or ice cream or just straight up as is! I also love it with cottage cheese, ricotta cheese or farmer's cheese.

Roasted fruit in a clear bowl on yogurt with toasted almonds and the pan of fruit in the background.

If you celebrate the Jewish holidays, this is a perfect dish to prepare for breaking fast after Yom Kippur. You can make it ahead, it uses honey which is symbolic for a sweet new year, and it would be a lovely side dish to serve with an all dairy meal like blintzes or bagels, lox, and cream cheese. Also perfect for your dessert table, sitting beside a luscious honey or apple or pear cake.

More recipes that use pomegranate molasses

See more Pomegranate Molasses →

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Roasted Fruit with Date Syrup and Pomegranate Molasses

Beth Lee

4.75 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course Dessert

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Servings servings

Calories 97 kcal

Ingredients

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil bonus points if you have orange olive oil!
14 - 18 fresh figs about 1 lb - any type you have, stem removed and halved from stem end
1-2 pluots or plums sliced into 4 to 6 pieces
1-2 peaches or nectarines sliced into 8 pieces
1 cup red grapes
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons port
1.5 tablespoons date syrup honey is great as well. 2 tablespoons if you like sweeter, 1 for less sweet
1 tablespoon brown sugar
zest of ½ an orange
4-5 thyme sprigs rosemary would be nice also

Instructions

Prepare the fruit, preheat the oven to 400°F regular bake and grease a 9 X 13 baking pan with the olive oil.
Lay the figs flat side down in the baking pan and scatter the rest of the fruit around the figs.
In a small bowl whisk together the pomegranate molasses, honey, port, orange zest, and brown sugar and pour this mixture over the fruit.
Lay the thyme sprigs on top. Cover with foil and put in the oven.
Roast for 10 minutes tightly covered. After 10 minutes, loosen the foil but leave it on and bake for another 10 minutes.
Take the foil off, slosh some of the pan juices on the fruit slices and let it cook for 5 more minutes. Check and cook for 2 more minutes if needed. Fruit should be bubbling and just starting to turn a bit dark on the edges. Remove from oven and let cool.
Devour after letting it cool or put it in a container and store in the refrigerator. Excellent eaten alone, with ice cream, on yogurt, with granola. You get the idea.

Notes

I have used convection setting and regular to roast this. If you use convection, reduce the temperature to 375° to get approximately the same cooking times.

Every oven is a little bit different so use visual cues to know how your fruit is coming along. You're looking for the juices to have emerged and to start vigorously bubbling. Fruit should still be intact - we are not trying to make a compote where the fruit dissolves almost to jam stage.