Apricot Bliss Balls

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These super easy, 4-ingredient (5 if you add honey!) apricot bliss balls are the perfect quick breakfast or snack on the go. They have a tangy and slightly sweet flavor that adults and kids will both love. And, you can make them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge or freezer!

hand picking up bliss ball from white cup

Note: this post was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2022 with new photos and improved instructions.

I've been super busy lately, running around in a million different directions. So for me, that means grabbing whatever snack is on hand...chips, my daughters' goldfish crackers, etc. Not the healthiest options for sure! And I want to try and find a way for my daughters to branch out from goldfish crackers for snack time too. Enter these amazing apricot bliss balls!

I know energy balls/bites have been popular for a while now, and I can see why! They are easy to make, can be made ahead of time, and are convenient to grab and go without any further prep needed.

I tried out one with oatmeal as an ingredient, and that did not go over well with my toddler. ("Mommy, there's a bad piece in here.") So, I came up with this recipe that is just dried fruit, nuts, and a bit of orange juice and zest for flavor. And, I think the flavor combo appeals to adults too - the apricot is slightly tangy, the dates add sweetness, and the orange zest adds an aromatic freshness.

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Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

Cashews: I prefer using roasted, salted cashews. I think they have more flavor, and the bit of extra salt provides flavor for the bliss balls. But, feel free to use whatever kind of cashews you like.

Dried apricots: you will need sulfured apricots; these are the most common type available at stores (at least here in the US). Sulfured apricots work better in this recipe because they are much softer and more moist than unsulfured apricots. Check out this article for more info on sulfured vs. unsulfured apricots.

Medjool dates: for easiest prep, buy Medjool dates that are already pitted. But, if you can't find those, you can cut the dates in half and take the pits out yourself.

Honey: the honey is optional if you want the bliss ball to be a little bit sweeter. Or, for vegan bliss balls, feel free to swap in agave syrup for the honey.

Step by step photos

1. First, pulse the cashews in the food processor until they are finely chopped. This took me about 9 - 10 one-second pulses.

In terms of food processors, I recommend this Cuisinart 14-Cup food processor (affiliate link) - it's super powerful and the perfect size for most recipes! (It's the same one I use for my dill pickle hummus, easy bean dip, and strawberry mimosas recipes.)

collage of cashews being poured into food processor and chopped cashews in food processor

2. Next, remove the cashews from the food processor into a bowl. At the same time, be sure to measure out 6 tablespoons (40 g) of the cashews and place them in a separate, smaller bowl. The smaller amount of cashews will be used for the outside coating.

collage of pouring chopped cashews from food processor into bowl and scooping cashews into separate small bowl

3. Now, add the apricots and dates into the now-empty food processor. Pulse the dried fruit until the fruit is chopped into rough pieces. This took me about 5 one-second pulses.

chopped dried fruit in food processor with recipe ingredients on the side

4. At this point, leave the fruit in the food processor for a moment while you turn your attention to the orange. First, zest the orange. I love using my Microplane (affiliate link) for this.

When zesting, be careful to only remove the colored portion from the peel. The white pith underneath is quite bitter so you don't want that in your bliss balls!

Now, after zesting the orange, measure out 1 teaspoon of the zest.

5. Next, cut the orange in half and squeeze out the juice. You can use a juicer if you like, but you'll only need 1 - 2 tablespoons so I just squeezed the orange by hand.

collage of orange being cut in half and half orange being squeezed

6. Now you can add the zest into the food processor with the dried fruit. Also, add one tablespoon of the orange juice. And, if you're using honey, add that in now.

collage of orange zest being added to food processor and orange juice being added to food processor

7. Pulse the food processor a few times to combine the zest, juice, and dried fruit (and honey, if using). This will further break up the dried fruit, and the mixture should start to clump up a little bit.

ground dried fruit in food processor with recipe ingredients on the side

8. Next, add the chopped cashews back into the food processor. But, be sure that you keep the separate 6 tablespoons (40 g) set aside for the end!

chopped cashews being poured into food processor with dried fruit inside

9. Pulse the mixture again a few more times, until the mixture begins to ball up, like this:

collage of bliss ball mixture being blended in food processor and finished bliss ball mixture in food processor

10. Now, you can examine some of apricot bliss ball mixture and see if it's a texture and taste that you like.

If you want the balls to be softer, you can add in more orange juice. Or, if you want the mixture to be sweeter, you can drizzle in a bit more honey. (Just keep in mind that the mixture will firm up a bit when stored in the fridge!)

spoonful of apricot bliss ball mixture being felt with fingers

11. Next, pour out the reserved finely chopped cashews onto a plate.

finely chopped cashews being poured out onto a plate

12. At this stage you can form the bliss ball mixture into balls with your hands. You can make them any size you like. I made mine about 1 ½ inches (3.8 cm) in diameter.

hands rolling bliss ball mixture into ball overtop plate with ground cashews on it

13. Now, go ahead and roll the apricot bliss balls into the finely chopped nuts so they are completely coated. After the bliss balls are fully coated in the nuts, you can enjoy them right away, or store them, tightly covered, in the fridge or freezer!

bliss balls being rolled in chopped nuts on plate

Tips and tricks

The Medjool dates I used were about 2 inches (5 cm) long. If yours are smaller, you can use an additional 1 - 2 dates. Or, just go by the weight measurement I included in the recipe card below (130 g).

If you're using unsalted cashews, you can add a pinch of salt to the mixture to help bring out the flavor of the bliss balls.

Also, feel free to buy cashew pieces rather than whole cashews; they are less expensive and it doesn't matter anyways since they will be chopped into small pieces!

But, if you are using cashews that are mostly pieces, it would be most accurate to use the weight measurement rather than the volume measurement listed in the recipe.

Recipe FAQs

Can I substitute a different kind of nut for the cashews?

If you don't have or don't like cashews, you can feel free to substitute your favorite type of nut. I think almond or macadamia nuts would be good substitutions.

Cashew nuts are pretty soft, so just be aware that depending on the type of nut you substitute, you may need to pulse the nuts for longer than listed in the recipe to break them down to the right size.

Can I substitute something else for the orange?

The orange is there to add moisture (from the juice) and a complementary flavor to the apricot (from the zest and juice).

However, if you don't like orange juice, you can add a different type of juice, like apple. Or, you can even just add in an equal amount of water instead.

Finally, to replace the flavor from the zest, you can try lemon zest instead. Or, just leave it out, and the bliss balls will still taste great!

How do I store apricot bliss balls? Can I freeze them?

Because these bliss balls have freshly-squeezed orange juice in them, I store them in the fridge or freezer to keep them fresh. When storing, cover them tightly so they don't dry out or pick up odors. They will keep well in the fridge for about 3 - 4 days.

To freeze the bliss balls, I like to first freeze them flat on a plate or tray (covered with plastic wrap). When they are frozen through, then you can move them to a zip top bag for long-term storage. Freezing them flat first prevents them from mashing together and distorting their round shape. Alternatively, you can layer them in an airtight food storage container, separating each layer with a sheet of parchment paper.

These bliss balls, if properly sealed, should last well in the freezer for 3 - 4 months. You can then thaw them in the fridge for a couple hours, or let them sit at room temp for about 10 - 15 minutes.

bliss balls on plate with chopped cashews

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