Methods as described in the present disclosure generally include cryogenically freezing sweetened, dried fruit having a moisture content between 8% and 18%, and then breaking the frozen fruit into pieces having an appropriate size distribution. Cryogenically freezing the fruit may be accomplished by passing the fruit through a cold gas tunnel or by immersing or otherwise exposing the fruit to a cryogenic substance such as liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, solid carbon dioxide, gaseous nitrogen, or a mixture of liquid nitrogen and gaseous nitrogen. Breaking the fruit may be accomplished, for example, by rapidly vibrating the frozen fruit on a screen, or by passing the frozen fruit through a mechanical breaking device such as a multi-stage roller mill having cryogenically cooled rollers. A system for producing pieces of sweetened, dried fruit may include apparatus for drying the fruit, infusing it with sugar or otherwise sweetening it, immersing or otherwise exposing the fruit to a cryogenic substance, and/or breaking the frozen fruit through vibration, millling, or the like.
