Fruit Balls

Four ingredients through a food chopper, bound with a beaten egg, rolled into balls, and coated in sugar. These old-fashioned no-bake fruit confections are about as simple as candy-making gets.

Grinding the cherries, dates, walnuts, and coconut together creates a sticky, naturally sweet dough that holds its shape without any cooking. The dates act as the binding agent, their natural sugars turning tacky and glue-like when chopped fine.

The beaten egg adds just enough moisture and protein to help the mixture stick together into firm little balls. Without it, the fruit and nut blend would crumble apart.

Rolling in sugar right after shaping gives each ball a sparkly, slightly crunchy shell that contrasts with the chewy, dense center.

Chef Tips

• Use a food processor if you don’t have a food chopper. Pulse in short bursts until everything is finely chopped but not pureed. You want small pieces, not a paste.
• Dampen your hands slightly when rolling. The mixture is sticky and clings to dry fingers.
• Let them sit at room temperature for an hour after rolling so the sugar coating sets and the balls firm up.
• Store in the fridge in a single layer. They keep for about a week and the flavors actually deepen after a day or two.

Variations

• Cocoa dusted: Roll in unsweetened cocoa powder instead of sugar for a darker, less sweet finish.
• Tropical version: Swap the dates for dried apricots and add a squeeze of lime juice to the mixture for a brighter, tangier fruit ball.