Holi-date Bites
[recipe title="Holi-date bites" servings="8" time="60 minutes" difficulty="medium" description="These fruit and nut bites make great holiday treats and gifts. Year-round, they are a great snack to keep on hand."]
Ingredients
- cup dried fruit
- 1/2 cup nuts or seeds
- 1-2 Tbsp flavor (or less, see below.)
- 1/2 cup freeze-dried fruit (optional)
Instructions
- Place nuts in food processor and mix until medium ground. You don't want paste, or large chunks. Pour nuts into medium bowl.
- Place dried fruit in food processor and mix until smooth.
- Add nuts back into processor; add flavor to processor. Pulse until mixture comes together. It will stick together when you pinch it.
- Transfer mixture back to bowl. Grab small amount. Squeeze together in your palm, then squeeze with fingertips. Finally, roll or press into a ball about the size of a marble.
NOTES
Fruit: Dates are the best for making bites that will easily roll into a ball. Apricots add a nice tangy flavor. Cranberries add a festive color. Mix any fruits until you have one cup.
Nuts or seeds: For a nut-free version, use sunflower seeds or pepitas. Nuts that work well are almonds, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, walnuts. If using a nut flour, reduce to 1/3 cup.
Flavors: Coconut, cocoa powder, candied ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon. (If using ground ginger and/or cinnamon, use 1 Tbsp of the spices combined — ie. 1/2 Tbsp ginger, and 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon).
Freeze-dried fruit coating: For festive and fun bites, place freeze-dried fruit in processor and process until powdered. Roll bites in powder. (Strawberries and raspberries make red balls.) You can also roll in coconut flakes.
[/recipe]
This is what your date bites should look like as you work them in the food processor.
Apricot and macadamia nut (left), chocolate peanut (right)
