Christmas Fruit & Nut Honey Balls
Little no-bake confections of dried fruit, nuts, honey and warm spice, rolled in cocoa or coconut — the sweetmeats set out on the holiday table beside the tea. Rich, festive, and made in minutes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- An old world recipe, made the way it always was
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- No baking required
- Sweetened with real honey
- Makes enough for 20
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 1 cup (160 g) dates, pitted
- 1/2 cup dried figs or apricots
- 1 cup (100 g) mixed nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds)
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves, zest of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder, pinch salt
- To roll: cocoa, coconut or ground nuts
How to make it
Pulse nuts to coarse crumbs; set a little aside.
Add dates, figs, honey, spices, orange zest, cocoa and salt; process to a sticky mass.
Roll into 20 balls.
Roll in cocoa, coconut or ground nuts.
Chill 30 minutes to firm. These keep beautifully in a tin.
Save this one for later — hover the image to pin it.
Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Christmas Fruit & Nut Honey Balls really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from honey - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
Do I need to bake Christmas Fruit & Nut Honey Balls?
No baking at all. It sets in the fridge, so you do not need to turn the oven on - which makes it an easy one for a hot day.
How long does Christmas Fruit & Nut Honey Balls keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Christmas Fruit & Nut Honey Balls make?
This makes enough for 20. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Christmas Fruit & Nut Honey Balls
Little no-bake confections of dried fruit, nuts, honey and warm spice, rolled in cocoa or coconut — the sweetmeats set out on the holiday table beside the tea. Rich, festive, and…
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160 g) dates, pitted
- 1/2 cup dried figs or apricots
- 1 cup (100 g) mixed nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds)
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves, zest of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder, pinch salt
- To roll: cocoa, coconut or ground nuts
Instructions
- Pulse nuts to coarse crumbs; set a little aside.
- Add dates, figs, honey, spices, orange zest, cocoa and salt; process to a sticky mass.
- Roll into 20 balls.
- Roll in cocoa, coconut or ground nuts.
- Chill 30 minutes to firm. These keep beautifully in a tin.
