German Fruit Soup Recipe Using Dried Fruit

German dried fruit soup, often called Backobstsuppe, is a gently spiced soup of dried apples, pears, and plums simmered until tender in a light, sweet-tart broth. Versions vary by region and household; this one is easy to serve warm or chilled, with lemon to balance the fruit and an optional light thickening for a fuller texture.

Ingredients

1 cup (85 g) dried apple rings or pieces
1 cup (110 g) dried pear pieces
1 cup (170 g) pitted prunes, also called dried plums
6 cups (1.42 L) cold water
1 cinnamon stick, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long
3 whole cloves
1 wide strip lemon peel, about 2 inches (5 cm), with as little white pith as possible
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold water, for the cornstarch slurry
1 small pinch fine salt, about 0.3 g

Instructions

Rinse and prepare the fruit. Check the dried fruit for stems or stones, even if the prunes are labeled pitted. Rinse it briefly under cool running water. Cut large apple or pear pieces into bite-size chunks so they soften at a similar pace to the prunes. If the fruit is already small and fairly uniform, leave it whole.
Soak the fruit for 30 minutes. Put the apples, pears, and prunes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and pour in the 6 cups (1.42 L) of cold water. Leave the fruit to soak for 30 minutes. This gives it a head start on rehydrating and helps the tougher pieces cook more evenly; keep the fruit in the soaking water, since it will become the soup base.
Add the spices and simmer. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, lemon peel, sugar, and pinch of salt. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring the liquid just to a boil, then turn the heat down to maintain a gentle simmer. Partly cover the pan and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The fruit should be plump and tender when pierced with a fork, but it need not dissolve into the broth. If it is still firm, continue simmering in 5-minute increments.
Season the broth. Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon peel. Stir in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice. Taste a spoonful of both broth and fruit before adding more sugar: prunes and dried pears can be quite sweet, while some dried apples are tangy. Add sugar a teaspoon at a time if it needs sweetness, or another small squeeze of lemon if it tastes flat. Keep the adjustment modest so the fruit remains the main flavor.
Thicken the soup lightly. Whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold water in a small cup until smooth. Stir the soup so the fruit is distributed, then pour in the slurry while stirring. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the broth looks lightly glossy and slightly thickened. Do not add dry cornstarch directly to the hot soup; it can form lumps. For a thinner, more broth-like soup, use only half the slurry or omit it.
Serve warm or cool for later. For a warm serving, ladle the soup into bowls as soon as it is ready. For a chilled serving, cool it safely and refrigerate until cold; the broth will become a little thicker as it rests. If it thickens more than you like, stir in a splash of water or apple juice just before serving.

Tips

Use fruit that is still pleasant to eat. Dried fruit should smell sweet and fruity, not stale, musty, or rancid. Very dry pear pieces can take longer to soften than apples and prunes, which is why the recipe soaks the mixture before cooking. If your fruit is unusually firm, give it another 5 to 10 minutes at a gentle simmer rather than turning up the heat; a hard boil can break up the softer fruit before the pears are ready.
Adjust the sweetness only after simmering. Dried fruit releases concentrated sweetness as it rehydrates, so the starting amount of sugar is intentionally restrained. Taste the finished broth before adding more. If you use sweetened dried fruit or replace some water with juice, you may not need any extra sugar at all.
Keep the spice subtle. The cinnamon, cloves, and lemon should perfume the broth rather than overpower the fruit. Whole spices are easy to remove before serving. If you have ground cinnamon instead, use ¼ teaspoon (about 0.7 g) and add it with the fruit; avoid ground cloves unless you use only a tiny pinch, since their flavor can quickly dominate.
Make the texture your own. For a clear, loose broth, leave out the cornstarch. For a more spoon-coating soup, use the full slurry and simmer it briefly. Add slurry gradually if you are unsure: the soup thickens further as it cools, and adding too much at once can make it feel gluey rather than silky.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this soup warm in small bowls as a light dessert or as part of a German-style meal. It is also pleasant chilled, when the fruit is especially refreshing and the spice has had time to settle into the broth. There is no single required serving temperature; choose according to the season and the rest of the meal. If you prefer a more substantial bowl, include a generous spoonful of fruit along with plenty of broth rather than treating it like a smooth purée.

A spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream, plain yogurt, or crème fraîche makes a cool contrast to the spiced fruit. For crunch, add toasted sliced almonds just before serving so they do not soften in the soup. A plain butter cookie, crisp wafer, or slice of mild cake works well alongside it without competing with the fruit. If serving the soup after a rich main course, keep the garnish small and let the tart lemon note finish the meal cleanly.

Variations

Change the fruit mix. Dried pears are a familiar choice in many versions of dried-fruit soup, but they can be difficult to find. Replace the cup of dried pears with ½ cup (about 45 g) extra dried apples and ½ cup (about 85 g) extra pitted prunes. The soup will be softer and more plum-forward, with less of the pear’s firm, mellow bite. Chopped dried apricots can replace up to half of the apples for a brighter, more tangy flavor.

Use apple juice for part of the liquid. Replace 1 cup (240 ml) of the water with unsweetened apple juice. This gives the broth a rounder apple flavor and makes it sweeter, so wait until the end to decide whether the sugar is needed. Avoid replacing all the water with juice: the concentrated sweetness can overwhelm the spices and make the soup taste more like a fruit compote.

Add a gentle warm spice. A thin slice of fresh ginger or a small piece of star anise can simmer with the fruit, then be removed with the other whole spices. Use one addition at a time so the fruit remains recognizable. A strip of orange peel can stand in for lemon peel for a softer citrus aroma, though lemon juice is still useful at the end to brighten the broth.

Make it without starch. Leave out the cornstarch for a thinner, more traditional broth-style texture. You can also mash a few softened pieces of fruit against the side of the pan and stir them back in to give the liquid a little body without adding a thickener. Avoid blending the whole pot unless you specifically want a smooth soup; keeping the pieces intact gives each spoonful a more varied texture.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the soup promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking, in a covered container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The fruit continues to absorb liquid as it sits, so the soup may be thicker on the second day; loosen it with a little water or apple juice when reheating. The spices also become more noticeable after a night in the refrigerator, so taste before adding extra cinnamon or lemon.

Reheat only the portion you plan to serve in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until it is steaming throughout. For leftovers, use a food thermometer and reheat to 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS recommended temperature. If reheating in a microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl, cover it loosely, and stir partway through so the fruit and broth heat evenly. Do not repeatedly warm and cool the full batch.

For longer storage, freeze the cooled soup in a freezer-safe container, leaving a little room for expansion. It is best used within 2 to 3 months for good texture. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above. The fruit may be softer after freezing, and a cornstarch-thickened broth can separate slightly; stirring while it reheats usually brings it back together. Do not store this soup at room temperature or attempt to preserve it by home canning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is German dried fruit soup called?

It is often called Backobstsuppe, a German name referring to soup made with dried fruit. Recipes vary between regions and households, including the fruit used, the amount of spice, whether the broth is thickened, and whether the soup is served warm or cold. This recipe is one practical version rather than a claim that there is only one traditional formula.

Can I use a pre-mixed bag of dried fruit?

Yes. Use about 3 cups (365 g) of mixed dried fruit in total, aiming for a mixture that includes apples, pears, and prunes if available. Check the package for added sugar and cut large pieces to a similar size. If the mix contains raisins or cranberries, the soup will be sweeter or more tart, so adjust the sugar and lemon only after cooking.

Do I have to soak the dried fruit first?

The 30-minute soak is helpful because it softens the fruit and shortens the time needed for the firmest pieces to cook. If you are short on time, you can skip it, but expect to simmer the soup longer and check the pears carefully for tenderness. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and add a little water if too much liquid evaporates before the fruit is soft.

Can I make this soup ahead?

Yes. Make it up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. The flavors mingle as it rests, and it can be served cold or gently reheated. If you want to serve it warm, wait to decide on the final thickness until reheating, since the fruit absorbs broth while chilled. Add water or juice a little at a time to bring it back to the consistency you prefer.

Why is my fruit still tough?

Dried fruit can vary in size, age, and how dry it is, and pear pieces are often firmer than prunes. Continue simmering in 5-minute increments until the largest piece is tender when pierced. If the broth is already getting low, add hot water in small amounts. A vigorous boil is not a shortcut; it can make the softer fruit fall apart while the tougher pieces remain chewy.

Can I make the soup less sweet?

Start with the listed 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar, then taste after the fruit has simmered. You can reduce or omit the sugar, especially if your dried fruit is sweetened or you are using apple juice. A little extra lemon juice balances sweetness, but add it gradually so the soup stays pleasantly fruity rather than sharply sour.

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