Coconut Apricot Balls

Coconut Apricot Balls are a no-bake healthy treat made with apricots, raisins, nuts and coconut. They’re naturally sweetened with honey and made without sweetened condensed milk. Store them in the freezer for a quick and easy snack or dessert!

*This post was originally published in November 2017. It has been updated with new photos and text, including helpful tips for readers and a few adjustments to the recipe. Scroll to the bottom to see an original photo.

The recipe I’m sharing today is not your typical apricot balls recipe, which are normally made with sweetened condensed milk. These healthy apricot balls are more like energy balls or bliss balls, made with wholesome and filling ingredients and no refined sugars.

Why you’ll love these apricot bliss balls

Quick and easy – once you soak your apricots, these treats come together in just 10 minutes.

Versatile – they’re healthy enough for a post workout snack and sweet enough for a dessert.

Naturally sweetened – these apricot balls are sweetened with just honey and dried fruit. 

Dairy-free and easily made vegan – there’s no sweetened condensed milk in this recipe and you can swap out the honey for maple syrup.

Freezer friendly – you can make them ahead and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Details on the ingredients

Apricots – Dried apricots add a sweet flavour and chewy texture to these bliss balls.

Coconut – To amp up the texture and flavour, coconut is blended into the bliss balls and used for rolling them in too.

Raisins – I love the pairing of apricot and raisins, so I added some golden raisins to the mixture.

Almonds – The recipe calls for whole, raw almonds, but you can also use whole blanched almonds with the skins removed.

Cashews – You can use whole or halved cashews, just make sure they’re raw (not roasted or salted).

Almond butter – Since these apricot balls are made without condensed milk, a sticky nut butter helps bind everything together. I used natural almond butter, but feel free to use another type of nut or seed butter. 

Honey – Again, a sticky sweetener helps bind the ingredients together, in addition to adding natural sweetness.

Almond extract – Just a teaspoon adds a flavour twist to these apricot balls. Feel free to leave it out, or add vanilla extract instead.

Oats – Added for heartiness and to balance out the sticky ingredients.

How to make apricot balls without condensed milk

• Soak your apricots in hot water for 30 minutes.

• Drain the water and add the apricots to a food processor bowl.

• Add the nuts, raisins, almond butter, honey and almond extract.

• Blend on high until everything is well combined. You may need to stop a few times to scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl. The mixture should be sticky with small pieces of nuts throughout.

• Add the coconut and oats and blend until incorporated. You want some texture, so be sure not to over process.

• Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the mixture and roll into 1.5-inch balls. Roll in coconut and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before enjoying.

Storage and freezing

For the best texture, these apricot balls should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should last for 1-2 weeks.

To freeze them, just place the energy balls in a freezer safe container in a single layer, or in between sheets of wax paper, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before eating.

Recipe substitutions

Raisins – you can substitute golden raisins with another type of raisin, or use more apricots in place of the raisins.

Honey – to make this recipe vegan, substitute the honey for maple syrup or agave syrup.

Nuts – you can use all cashews or all almonds, just make sure they are raw. 

Almond butter – you can replace this with another type of natural nut or seed butter. Just note that it may change the taste of the energy balls slightly.

Almond extract – leave it out or use vanilla extract instead.

Coconut – use flaked or shredded coconut for extra texture, and for a sweeter apricot ball, use sweetened coconut.

Additional recipe tips

• You will need a food processor to make this recipe.

• This recipe makes 14 apricot balls. If you have a large and powerful food processor, you can double the recipe.

• Don’t skip the step of soaking the apricots. This softens them up so they easily blend in with the other ingredients. This is important if you don’t have a powerful food processor.

• The mixture will be sticky, so you may need to rinse your hands a few times while rolling the apricot balls. If it is too sticky, try adding a few more oats or refrigerating the mixture before rolling into balls.

Other bliss ball recipes you can try

• Chocolate Cherry Energy Balls

• Chocolate Hazelnut Balls

• Apple Cinnamon Energy Balls

If you make these coconut apricot balls, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.

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