Juicy, naturally sweetened and full of flavour, these easy apricot balls are the perfect healthy snack! Packed with dried apricots, juicy dates, coconut and chia seeds, they take only 5 minutes to make and can even be frozen to enjoy later.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Apricot bliss balls are made with only 4 healthy ingredients and take only a few minutes to make! Pack them into school lunchboxes for the perfect portable treat when on-the-go. They are soft, juicy and packed full of apricot-coconut flavour. Everyone loves them 🧡
- Quick and easy – they only take 5 minutes to make in a food processor.
- Only 4 ingredients – simple pantry staples, no dairy and no condensed milk.
- Make ahead – they keep well in the fridge or freezer, so you can make a batch or two and snack on them all week long!
- Freezer-friendly – just like these strawberry bliss balls and raspberry bliss balls, they freeze beautifully. Eat them straight from the freezer or thaw them on the bench in minutes.
- Perfect for lunchboxes – full of flavour, naturally sweet (no added sugar) and packed with energy, these balls are nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan friendly.
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- Dried apricots – packed with fibre and nutrients, apricots naturally sweeten and give the balls their apricot flavour. Make sure the apricots are soft and not too tough. If your apricots are really dry or tough, soak them in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften them before use. Drain them before adding to the food processor.
There are two kinds of dried apricots available; sulphured and un-sulphured. Sulphured dried apricots are found in the supermarket and are preserved with sulphur dioxide. Sulphur dioxide extends shelf-life and keeps the bright orange colour of the apricots, as well as keeping them soft. Un-sulphured apricots and organic dried apricots are darker in colour and can be found in most health food stores and some supermarkets.
- Desiccated coconut – use unsweetened, fine desiccated coconut from the baking aisle in the supermarket. Don’t use shredded coconut, as it is more coarse and won’t break down as nicely in the food processor. This can make the balls fall apart.
- Medjool dates – to bind and naturally sweeten the balls. Medjool dates are partially dried dates that have a juicy, sticky texture and sweet caramel flavour. Their stickiness makes them perfect for holding bliss balls together. Medjool dates can be found in the fridge in most supermarkets, grocers and health food stores. Remove the pits before adding them to the food processor. I don’t recommend using regular dried dates, as they make the mixture too dry.
- Chia seeds – highly nutritious seeds that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. Chia seeds add numerous health benefits to the balls while also adding texture. Use black or white seeds, depending on what you have available.
Step by step instructions
**Full ingredient list and detailed step-by-step instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Ready in minutes, simply place all of the ingredients together in a food processor. Blend until the mixture has broken down, combined and become sticky.
Scoop and roll the mixture into balls of your desired size. Roll in extra desiccated coconut to coat, if preferred.
Expert tips
- Due to the Medjool dates and apricots, the mixture will be sticky, but it should hold together when squeezed/rolled. If the mixture is too wet or sticky, add more coconut to dry it out.
- If the mixture is a little dry, you can add some more dates or a little maple syrup and blend again.
- These are no-bake balls, but you will need a food processor to break down and combine the ingredients. A high-powered blender or a Thermomix could also be used.
- If you prefer them a little sweeter, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or brown rice syrup. You may need to add a little more coconut to account for the extra moisture from the syrup.
- Add ¼ cup of hemp seeds, sunflower seeds or your preferred healthy seeds of choice.
- You can also add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to enhance the flavour.
- Roll them in extra desiccated coconut or even some icing sugar.
- This recipe makes about 14 x 50 gram balls. But you can make them smaller, or larger depending on preference.
FAQs
Keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
These balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply roll the balls and place them into an airtight container, separating any layers with baking paper to prevent sticking. Then grab them from the freezer any time you need a healthy snack or something sweet!
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Healthy Apricot Balls with Coconut
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried apricots 360 grams
- 1 cup medjool dates pitted (approx. 220 grams when the pits are removed/10-11 large dates).
- 1 cup desiccated coconut plus extra, for rolling
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend on high speed, until the ingredients break down and the mixture is smooth (no lumps) and sticking together. It may take a minute or two for the mixture to fully break down.
- Roll the mixture in your hands into firm balls and roll the balls in additional coconut (optional). Store in the fridge or freezer until required.
Notes
- Make sure the apricots are soft and not too tough. If your apricots are really dry or not soft, soak them in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften them and drain before using. If you want unsulfured apricots, buy them from your local health food or specialty food store.
- Don’t swap desiccated coconut for shredded coconut, as shredded coconut is coarser and more difficult to break down in the food processor.
- Medjool dates are stickier and juicier than regular dried dates and can be found in the fridge in most supermarkets, grocers and health food stores. Remove the pits from the dates before adding them to the food processor. Regular dates are too dry and would need to be soaked in boiling water and drained before using.
- The mixture will be sticky, but it should hold together when squeezed/rolled. If the mixture is too wet or sticky, add more coconut to dry it out.
- If the mixture is a little dry, you can add some more dates or a little maple syrup and blend again.
- These are no-bake balls, but you will need a food processor to break down and combine the ingredients. A high-powered blender or a Thermomix can also be used.
- If you prefer them a little sweeter, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or brown rice syrup. You may need to add a little more coconut to account for the extra moisture from the syrup.
- Add ¼ cup of hemp seeds, sunflower seeds or your preferred healthy seeds of choice.
- You can also add 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
- Storage; Keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Freezing; These balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply roll the balls and place them into an airtight container, separating any layers with baking paper to prevent sticking. Then grab them from the freezer any time you need a healthy snack or something sweet!
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the mixture being rolled into 14 (50 grams per ball) balls, with one ball being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the bliss balls.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
Nutrition
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in February 2019, but was re-published with new information, helpful tips and photos in September 2022.
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