I love creating recipes from scratch. Having the freedom to experiment in the kitchen without sticking to strict instructions—that’s the beauty of cooking.
I’m a huge fan of nuts, especially raw ones, and I also adore Medjool dates—the big, fleshy, naturally sweet kind. That’s when the idea hit me: I already had the base and the sweetness for my raw balls, so now it was time to add more flavor and texture.
I peeled and added raw pistachios and hazelnuts. Since it was cherry season, I couldn’t resist adding fresh, pitted cherries to the mix. You can easily swap cherries for other berries—blueberries, raspberries, or even a mix of all.
For a deep, chocolatey note, I included raw cacao beans. To remove their bitterness, I peeled them by lightly hitting them with the bottom of a pan to crack the shells. I also added hazelnut tahini to help bind the mixture together.
Everything went into the blender. I pulsed it a few times, scraping down the sides to make sure everything blended evenly. Once ready, I placed the mixture in the fridge for a couple of hours (or overnight). If you try to shape the balls right away, the mixture will stick to your hands.
When it’s time to shape them, I scoop out a spoonful of the mixture, roll it gently between my hands, and coat it with coconut shavings in my other hand. This not only prevents sticking but also adds a lovely flavor. At this point, the balls are vegan and ready to enjoy.
But I decided to take mine a step further—with a silky dark chocolate ganache. I used 90% cocoa chocolate, adding a touch of sugar to balance the bitterness. To make the ganache, I warmed some good-quality whipping cream (or coconut milk for a vegan version), poured it over shredded chocolate, let it sit for 2–3 minutes, then stirred until smooth and velvety.
I placed the raw balls on a tray, spread the ganache over them with a spatula, and sprinkled crushed hazelnuts and pistachios on top. After a short chill in the fridge (or freezer), my rich, fruity, nutty raw cherry balls were ready to enjoy.
Raw Cherry Pistachio Hazelnut Balls – Recipe Card
Ingredients:
- 6–7 Medjool dates, pitted
- 100 g (3.5 oz) raw pistachios, peeled
- 100 g (3.5 oz) raw hazelnuts, peeled
- 100 g (3.5 oz) fresh cherries, pitted (or other berries)
- 20 g (0.7 oz) raw cacao beans, peeled
- 2 tbsp hazelnut tahini
- Coconut shavings (for rolling)
For the Ganache (optional):
- 60 g (2.1 oz) dark chocolate (90% cocoa)
- 50 ml (1.7 fl oz) whipping cream or coconut milk (vegan)
- 1–2 tbsp sugar (to taste)
- Crushed pistachios and hazelnuts (for garnish)
Instructions:
- Add dates, pistachios, hazelnuts, cherries, cacao beans, and tahini to a blender.
- Pulse a few times, scraping down the sides, until you get a sticky, even mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Scoop out portions with a spoon and roll into balls.
- Coat each ball in coconut shavings to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- For the ganache: heat the cream (or coconut milk) until just hot, but not boiling.
- Pour over the shredded chocolate, let sit for 2–3 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Spread ganache over the raw balls, sprinkle with crushed nuts, and chill until set.
