The natural caramel taste and texture that comes from this dried fruit fascinates me. Mixed with toasted pecans, and you have yourself a natural indulgent treat!
It tastes like the inside of a Turtle’s chocolate but there is only natural ingredients used, making it totally fine to eat a ‘ hundred’ of them in one sitting, and serve as a healthy snack for your kids.
Two of my friends-my “happy randomly selected volunteer taste testers”, whom I love and value their input so very much responses were” it’s incredible- better than the original!” Another friend who doesn’t like dates said “this acutally tastes really good! You should dip this in chocolate!” That is a great idea! Then it really would be like a Turtle’s Chocolate gone O’natural! I will play around with that idea and see if it is as ‘show worthy’ as it sounds. Thanks for the suggestion and potentially genius idea!
My son and ‘Riggin’s downed the rest before I had a chance to hide a few, so I will have to post pone the try out for the O’natural Turtle Chocolate’s with a new batch of date balls, in the near future.
In the mean time enjoy some of nature’s caramel delights mixed with toasted pecans with or with out dried cranberries! Happy eating!
Ingredients for O’Natural Caramel Balls with Toasted Pecans
1 (8 oz.) package pitted dates (Amport brand)
2 Tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans (other nuts can work too)
Chopped dried cranberries to roll in (optional)
Instructions:
1. In a saucepan, mix together water, dates,and honey. Cook over medium heat until dates disintegrate and form a paste stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).
While the dates are cooking, take another pan, heat up on medium high heat and toast pecans (about 3 minutes) stirring occasionally to prevent burning. This is better to leave less toasted than to over toast/burn if you are nervous about your nuts. Your end product will still be delicious. Set aside until dates are done.
2. Remove date paste from heat and add vanilla and cinnamon. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool. Stir in chopped toasted nuts. Once cool enough to handle, roll into balls. Roll in dried cranberries if desired. Store in an airtight container.
Date mixture turning into a paste…
- Ingredients for Date Balls
- 1 (8 oz.) package pitted dates (Amport brand)
- 2 Tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans (other nuts can work too)
- Chopped dried cranberries to roll in (optional)
- Instructions:
- In a saucepan, mix together water, dates,and honey. Cook over medium heat until dates disintegrate and form a paste stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).
- While the dates are cooking, take another pan, heat up on medium high heat and toast pecans (about 3 minutes) stirring occasionally to prevent burning. This is better to leave less toasted than to over toast/burn if you are nervous about your nuts. Your end product will still be delicious. Set aside until dates are done.
- Remove date paste from heat and add vanilla and cinnamon. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool. Stir in chopped toasted nuts. Once cool enough to handle, roll into balls. Roll in dried cranberries if desired. Store in an airtight container.
I made these and all of my children begged for more and my husband couldn’t deny how moreish they were. Again thank you so very much
I might step on some toes with the following comment….I was fortunate to have a taste of these the other day, felt like a tease, even though I ate 3 of them. They were a refreshing take on the term “comfort food”, they left me feeling very comforted. Thank you.