What Are Apricot Bliss Balls?
In Australia and New Zealand, energy balls are called bliss balls. These apricot bliss balls are small single-serve energy bites made from dried apricot instead of the classic Medjool dates. They also contain almonds and coconut that add moisture and texture. They are great school snacks or post-workout sweet treats paired with healthy fats.
I am always looking for healthy snacks for the kids’ lunchbox or afternoon tea, and these apricot bliss balls are the perfect lunch box addition! Finally, a low-fat energy ball recipe, no coconut oil needed, only a few simple ingredients that you probably have in your pantry.
The kids love their soft, moist texture and orange color. Plus, did you know that 100 grams of dried apricot are packed with 2.7mg of iron? So if like me, you are raising vegetarian kids, these apricot balls are a great iron booster for your little one while enjoying a treat! Let me share with you how to make them in just 10 minutes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
It’s very easy to make bliss balls are home. All you need is a food processor and a few ingredients.
Dried Unsulfured Apricot – I used freshly dried apricots. They are soft and moist, and therefore, you don’t need to soak them in hot water to make bliss balls. If yours are a few weeks old and very dry, you can presoak them in boiled water for 5 minutes and drain them before use. Almond Meal or rolled oats or cashews Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut – not shredded coconut that is coarser and much more difficult to blend. Lemon Juice – fresh or bottled. You can also use lime juice. Vanilla Extract – for flavor. Maple Syrup or brown rice syrup for a low-GI option or coconut nectar or any liquid natural sweetener you love
How To Make Healthy Apricot Bliss Balls
Storage Instructions
Store the bliss balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bliss balls are freezer-friendly snacks perfect to meal prep some healthy snacks for your week. You can double the recipe, freeze leftovers in zip bags and thaw at room temperature the day before.
Allergy Swaps
These apricot balls are naturally:
Vegan Gluten-free Egg-free Dairy-free
If you have food allergies, I listed some options below.
Nut-free – you can replace the almond meal with ground sunflower seeds, ground sesame seeds, or oat flour. Remember that these options make the bliss balls a bit bitter, drier, and darker in color. Coconut-free – you can replace the coconut with almond flour or oat flour. The balls might be dryer with oat flour, and you can add a bit of water to make them softer.
Add-Ons
You can make these apricot balls with some add-ons. To add some crunch, you can add 1/4 cup of the below ingredients into the final batter:
Chopped almonds White chocolate chips Crushed peanuts Rolled oats
Or add one tablespoon of healthy seeds like:
Hemp seeds Chia seeds Sunflower seeds
Below are my answers to your most common questions about these apricot coconut bliss balls recipes.
More Easy Healthy Snacks Recipes
Below I listed some more easy snack recipes to bake with your family.
