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These no-bake apricot balls come together in a food processor with just dried apricots, almonds, and oats, no added sugar needed. They’re soft and chewy enough for little ones to eat easily, and they’re a gentle way to introduce chopped nuts while sneaking in some extra iron from the apricots.
Recipe At a Glance
- Ready in 10 minutes: No baking, minimal cleanup.
- Naturally sweetened: Dried apricots do all the work, no refined sugar needed.
- Nutritious and satisfying: Healthy fats, fiber, and plant-based protein keep everyone fuller longer.
- Great for snacking on the go: Easy to pack for lunchboxes, road trips, or a quick grab-and-go treat, and freezes well for later.
- Kid-approve: Soft, chewy texture that toddlers and older kids both love.
“Great recipe and very delicious. My children love these balls. They will eat the whole tray in one go if I don’t stop them. They are easy to make, naturally sweet and addictive.” – Daymien
Feeding my kids feels relentless and never ending. I cook, we eat, I clean up, I turn around and it’s time to eat again! Yes, I understand toddlers have small tummies and need to eat every 2-3 hours, but it sure is exhausting to keep them fed and happy, isn’t it?
These EASY bliss balls, peanut butter bliss balls, pumpkin balls, and carrot balls have been HUGE hits with both of my kids, so I’m committed to coming up with all kinds of variations, like these apricot energy balls! You can even turn these into homemade larabars!
Enjoy as a quick mid morning or afternoon snack or add to kids lunch boxes!
Love snacks like these? You’ll find all your reader-favorite no bake snacks in one place, full of simple, healthy ideas that kids can’t get enough of…and parents love too!
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Table of Contents
Selecting the Best Apricots
Since apricots are the star ingredient, it’s worth choosing well. Look for fresh, dried Turkish apricots, which tend to be sweeter and juicier than other varieties.
You’ll find them sold sulfured (brighter, orange-hued, longer shelf life) or unsulfured (darker, sweeter, but best eaten quickly or refrigerated). I prefer unsulfured for the flavor, which is why the balls pictured here are darker in color. If you’d rather have a brighter hue, go with sulfured apricots instead.
Key Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Fresh dried Apricots – This is the most important ingredient, so get the best quality you can find. I prefer unsulfured apricots, which are commonly found in the bulk bin section at the grocery store. If your apricots don’t have much moisture and feel dry, refer to the “expert tips” section below.
- Almonds – Adds protein and healthy fats to help make these more filling. Cashews or macadamia nuts work too.
- Chia seeds – Adds texture and extra protein, fiber, and omega-3s. Hemp seeds are a good swap.
- Oats – Rolled oats give a chewier texture, while quick oats or oat flour make for a smoother consistency.
How to Make Apricot Balls
You’ll find the full recipe card with all the exact measurements at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Add the almonds and pulse until finely chopped. Make sure there are no big chunks left. Optional: If using rolled oats and you desire a smooth consistency, pulse along with the almonds.
Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients into a food processor.
Step 3: blend on high for 1-2 minutes, until a sticky dough forms.
Step 4: Use a mini cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll into bite-sized balls.
Expert Tips
- Rehydrate dry apricots. If your apricots seem dry, soak them first in hot water for 5 minutes or so to rehydrate them. Drain, pat dry, then add to the food processor. Otherwise your batter will not stick together.
- Don’t over process. Pulse until the mixture just comes together into a sticky dough. Over blending can turn the almonds into nut butter and make the balls greasy instead of firm.
- Fix a crumbly batter. If too crumbly, pulse in more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Wet your hands before rolling. The dough is sticky, so lightly dampening your palms with water keeps it from sticking to your hands and makes rolling much easier.
- Taste as you go. Apricots vary in sweetness depending on the brand and how fresh they are, so taste the dough before rolling and adjust with a little extra cinnamon or vanilla if needed.
- Chill for easier scooping. If the dough feels too soft or sticky to roll, pop it in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to firm up before shaping.
- Roll the balls in extra desiccated coconut, if desired.
Variations
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, it’s easy to customize these apricot balls with different flavors and mix-ins. Here are some of our favorite ways to switch things up.
- Nut-Free Apricot Balls – Replace the almonds with raw sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a school-friendly version that’s perfect for nut-free lunchboxes.
- Chocolate Apricot Balls – Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to the food processor for a rich chocolate flavor. You can also stir in a handful of mini dark chocolate chips after blending.
- Orange Apricot Balls – Apricot and orange are a classic pairing. Add 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest for a bright, citrusy flavor.
- Lemon Apricot Balls – For a fresh twist, replace the cinnamon with 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- Protein Apricot Balls – Blend in 1 to 2 tablespoons of your favorite unflavored or vanilla protein powder. If the mixture becomes dry, add a teaspoon or two of water until it comes together.
- Warm Spice Apricot Balls – Swap the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice, chai spice, or a pinch of ground ginger and nutmeg for a cozy fall-inspired snack.
Apricot Balls FAQs
Transfer to an airtight container and keep on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. These bliss balls will become firmer so take them out 5 minutes or so prior to serving.
You can also freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours or at room temperature.
Yes. Swap the almonds for raw sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a school-friendly, nut-free version.
These are soft and chewy, making them easier for little ones to eat than whole nuts or hard snacks. If serving to a younger toddler, you can soften the texture further by adding a little extra water or milk.
The dried apricots provide all the natural sweetness needed, so no added sugar is necessary. If you prefer a sweeter batch, you can add a small amount of honey or maple syrup, though this isn’t required.
This usually means the mixture needs more moisture. Pulse in extra water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the dough holds together when rolled.
More Snack Recipes
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Apricot Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds (155g), or cashews
- 1 cup fresh dried apricots (180g), see note
- 1/4 cup oats (quick oats, oat flour, or rolled oats)
- 1/4 cup dessicated unsweetened coconut (plus more for rolling, optional)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Water, as needed
Instructions
- Add the almonds and pulse until finely chopped. Make sure there are no big chunks left. Optional: If using rolled oats and you desire a smooth consistency, pulse along with the almonds.
- Add the rest of the ingredients into a food processor and blend on high for 1-2 minutes, until a sticky dough forms. Using a mini cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll into bite-sized balls.
Notes
- If your apricots seem dry, soak them first in hot water for 5 minutes or so to rehydrate them. Drain, pat dry, then add to the food processor. Otherwise your batter will not stick together.
- If too crumbly, pulse in more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Roll the balls in extra desiccated coconut, if desired.
Oh my gosh, incredible! I have had this recipe bookmarked for quite a while. My 2 year old’s homemade snack stash was running critically low and I needed to whip up something quick, and these came together amazingly fast. They are absolutely delicious. I don’t make much with apricot, so didn’t realize that pairing with cinnamon would work so well. Great recipe. Thanks Min!
Do you use raw or roasted nuts?
Raw! But you can use roasted if you wish
These are a huge hit in our house, with my daughter and my husband 🙂
Woohoo!! Thanks for sharing!!
Also great!
I love it! it is super simple and super yummy!!! Will make more of it!
So easy right? Enjoy!!
Great recipe. I did not have dessicated coconut so skipped that but it still turned out great and my 2 year old enjoyed it! Thank you MJ!
So happy to hear that your toddler enjoyed these balls!!
Great recipe for kids and adults alike! I added 2 Tbsp of low carb maple syrup for stickiness, and mixed macadamia, almond and hazelnuts.
Love the extra additions!
Do you think they can be made with sunflower seeds? No nuts or tree nuts in school 🙁
I haven’t tried so can’t say for certain but I bet it would work! Would you let me know if you try?
I used pepitas / pumpkin seeds for rolling and it turned out great. I haven’t tried replacing the nuts with it, though
ooh! will have to try that next time! Thank you for sharing!
This was such a hit for my toddler. She doesn’t stop asking for more! I wish I could pack it with her snacks to daycare, but they are a nut-free environment. Thank you so much for this recipe. It is delicious 😋
I’m SO glad that she loves these so much!! Thanks for taking the time to share!
If you have ground almonds and no scale, how much would you say it is?
Not completely certain but I would start with 3/4 cup