Christmas Bliss Balls – Cranberry, Pistachio, Coconut & Salted Caramel
If you’re running out of time to make biscuits but want to give homemade gifts this Noel, these Christmas Bliss Balls may be the answer. They’re not only delicious but are refined sugar, dairy and gluten free and easy to make. Rolling the balls in green pistachios, red cranberries and white coconut make them look wonderfully festive.
Time has been even more of an issue than usual for me this year, so whizzing up a load of these Christmas Bliss Balls has been a bit of a life saver. I usually bake several batches of biscuits and cookies for Christmas gifts, but these chocolate pistachio biscotti are all I’ve managed. Luckily, everyone loves these no-bake goodies and the only people who can’t eat them are those that have a nut allergy.
The ingredients I needed to make them came in my latest Suma order. Just in case you don’t know, Suma is a long established whole food worker’s co-operative which supplies both shops and individuals with all sorts of goodies as well as their own branded products. They are a great organisation who I’m delighted to work with. This year they even won Employer of the Year at the Grocer Gold Awards.
I made the Christmas bliss balls in my Optimum G2.3 platinum series induction blender from Froothie. Most blenders or food processors would be fine, although it rather depends on how smooth you’d like the mixture. My blender makes a super smooth mixture, which almost melts on the tongue. I find it’s a bit of a pain trying to extract it from under the blades, so when I’ve got what I can out, I just throw in a bit of milk, blitz it and make myself a nice milkshake.
You can of course just make one flavour, but it’s not that much more effort to create four different ones and the contrasting flavours and colours makes them extra special. The basic mixture is the same for all, it’s just a case of dividing it into four, mixing in some extra ingredients and rolling them in a different coating. The worst thing about making these Christmas bliss balls is the washing up.
- Cranberry – added some chopped up cranberries and orange zest to the mix, then rolled in cranberry powder.
- Pistachio – added some Christmas spices to the mix, then rolled in ground pistachio nuts.
- Coconut – added some desiccated coconut to the mix, then rolled in some more coconut.
- Salted caramel – added some raw cacao powder, maca powder and a touch more salt to the mix, then rolled in chopped raw salted caramel chocolate. This Loving Earth organic chocolate is a new one to me and I was interested to try it. It’s made from cacao butter, cashew nuts and coconut. I wouldn’t say it tasted much like chocolate, but it was nice.
- 250g raw cashew nuts - soaked for a few hours
- 250g Medjool dates
- 50g oats
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp raw honey (I used orange blossom)
- pinch of Himalayan pink rock salt
- 15g dried cranberries - chopped
- zest of ½ an organic orange - finely grated
- 3 tsp cranberry powder
- grating of nutmeg
- pinch of ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- 10g pistachio nuts - roughly ground
- 15g desiccated coconut + 2 tsp for rolling
- 2 tsp raw cacao powder
- ½ tsp maca powder
- pinch of Himalayan pink sea salt
- 20g salted caramel chocolate (I used Loving Earth)
- Wash and drain the nuts.
- Put them and the other main ingredients into a power blender or food processor and blitz until everything is a smooth paste.
- Divide the mixture between 4 bowls.
- Mix the cranberry pieces and orange into one - I found a flat bladed knife worked well. Roll into balls, then roll in the cranberry powder to coat.
- Mix the spices into the mixture in the second bowl. Roll into balls, then coat with the ground pistachios.
- Mix the desiccated coconut into the third bowl. Roll into balls, then coat with more coconut.
- Mix the cacao powder and maca powder into the remaining bowl. Roll into balls and coat with the grated chocolate.
- Keep in a cool place until needed and eat within a week.
- It's best to soak the nuts for a minimum of 4 hours, but overnight is best.
Other recipes for no-bake Christmas goodies you might like
- Candy cane rocky road via Foodie Quine
- Chocolate coated caramel Brazils via Tin and Thyme
- Chocolate truffle Christmas baubles via Baking Queen
- Christmas tiffin via Tin and Thyme
- Christmas pudding truffles via Veggie Desserts
- Coconut mint Christmas chocolates via Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
- Glitzy chocolate mendiants via Tin and Thyme
- Neapolitan marzipan chocolates via FabFood4All
- Rosemary chocolate truffles via Tin and Thyme
These Christmas bliss balls variously flavoured with cranberries, pistachios, coconut and salted caramel are my seventh recipe for the Suma Blogger’ Network.
Christmas Bliss Balls. PIN IT.
I use my Optimum Blenders for smoothies, spreads, sauces and even chocolate making. The post contains affiliate links. Buying through a link will not cost you any more, but I will get a small commission. This helps keep Tin and Thyme blythe and blogging. Opinions are, as always, my own.
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This beauty was white yesterday morning. I knew it was going to turn, but it still seems like a miracle. It’s the first cobaea we’ve grown in several years and this is it’s first bloom.
Crumbling cliffs adding interest to CT’s birthday walk. Fabulous day for it. Sand martins seem to love it.
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Lucy
20th December 2016
I really love the colours of your bliss balls, they are so pretty and vibrant. What a wonderful healthy edible gift idea! Thanks for linking to my truffles.
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Thanks Lucy. I’ve not had any feedback from anyone, so I’m crossing fingers … 😉
Sus // roughmeasures.com
20th December 2016
Um cranberry powder?! Where can I find such an item? I want these bliss balls under my tree at Christmas thats for sure!
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Or even hanging from your tree Sus 😉 I got mine online from Indigo Herbs.
Camilla Hawkins
20th December 2016
I’ve not heard of Suma before but like the concept of this company and their products! Your Christmas Bliss Balls are fabulous, healthy & festive:-) Thanks for linking to my chocolates:-)
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Thanks Camilla. Suma are fantastic and have a great range of products too.
Jo of Jo's Kitchen
20th December 2016
These are so cute! Its great to have a few healthier sweet treats up your sleeve during the festive season
Choclette
22nd December 2016
It does make a nice change from all the chocolate – pretend I didn’t say that 😉
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
21st December 2016
I love things like this! I really like how you made a healthy snack so festive.
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Thanks Jemma. You’d never know from eating these that they are anything but an indulgent treat – so good 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes
21st December 2016
So very colourful and amazingly delicious and so GOOD for you too!
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Thank you Angie. We’ve just polished off a couple I’d completely forgotten about and they really are so good.
Johanna @ Green Gourmet Giraffe
21st December 2016
these look great – I really love the cranberry ones because they are so vibrant. Have never heard of cranberry powder before. I also love your tip about cleaning out the blender – I hate not being able to get out the mixture from under the blades. Hope you have a happy christmas with lots of interesting treats like these!
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Thanks Johanna. Getting ‘thick’ food out from the blender is such a pain. I don’t think I’ll be getting much in the way of homemade food over Christmas, but I’ll make up for it in the new year. Hope you have a wonderful time.
Nico @ yumsome
21st December 2016
Making a smoothie is such a great way to ‘clean’ out your blender – brilliant!
I love the look and sound of these little balls, especially the pistachio ones. And I love that they are so easy to make too. 🙂
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Thanks Nico. Getting them out of the blender was the hardest bit. Thank goodness for the bonus smoothie 🙂
Kate | The Veg Space
21st December 2016
Oh those are so pretty Choclette, and the colours are incredibly festive, they look like little Christmas baubles and sound like they would taste great too. Yum!
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Thanks Kate. I certainly wouldn’t mind a few of them hanging on my tree 🙂
Dom
22nd December 2016
just so colourful and I love the idea of cranberry powder… you know I love my balls at Christmas! Merry Christmas to you and CT xxx
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Well yes, I did think of you Dom. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you too 🙂
Amy
22nd December 2016
Wow, what a great idea. Handmade Christmas gifts are the best!
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Thanks Amy. I rather wished I’d gifted a few more of them to myself 😉
Nadia
22nd December 2016
I love bliss balls, and I agree they would make a fantastic edible gift idea! The contrast in colours is so beautiful 😀 Love Suma products 🙂
Choclette
22nd December 2016
Thanks Nadia. Suma are a great company and they sell loads of fabulous products 🙂
Kate - gluten free alchemist
24th December 2016
SO pretty Choclette. I would love to receive a bag of these. A perfect Christmas treat (and way healthier than most of what will be consumed over the Xmas period I am sure)!!! Have a fantastic Christmas and all the best for 2017 xx
Choclette
29th December 2016
Thanks very much Kate. Luckily, they proved to be popular. I hope you’re having a great Christmas.
Janice
2nd January 2017
What a lovely treat, there’s still lots of New Year visiting to do and I’m sure these would be really welcome.
Choclette
2nd January 2017
First footing is a great Scottish tradition. Bringing a few of these along with you would surely not go amiss – especially if folk are trying to eat healthily.