These Lemon & Cashew Bliss Balls are a delicious light snack that is so easy to make and dare I say pretty healthy!
This recipe stems from a request on my Facebook page on another Bliss Ball recipe I have, “does anyone have a lemon version?’ so I got to playing in the kitchen and I think these hit the mark! Light, delicious and so lemony.
When working with lemon I always want to make sure I have enough of the lemon flavour to ensure they are undoubtedly a lemon recipe! I think I have got it right with this one.
If you cannot eat nuts or coconut then this won’t be the recipe for you, but feel free to do some research for nut free or coconut free lemon bliss balls, nuts & coconut are perfect for binding bliss balls together and providing lots of good nutrition too.
I use raw unsalted cashews for bliss balls as the flavour is not as intense as roasted. Some people like to pre soak cashews, I don’t feel I need to for this recipe. The reason for pre soaking cashews is for a few reasons, one is to soften them if you are making cashew cream or butter, but also it can be to do with digestion.
Soaking cashews can neutralize some of the enzymes that make nuts hard to digest. If you choose to use one of the soaking methods you may need to change the preparation method to reduce the liquids.
All lemons are so different! This needs to be a disclosure on all my lemon baking recipes. I get delicious big lemons from my Dad’s garden which tend to err on the sweeter side, lovely and juicy with delicious a lemon zest. Your lemons may be more on the bitter side, this is important to note, as you will need to taste it at the end of the recipe to ensure the balance of a strong lemon flavour is complemented by a little sweetness and enough liquid to bind.
You may need to add either lemon juice or honey to get the right consistency for rolling, but taste test as you go.
The ingredients are so simple
(scroll down below for the full printable recipe card & method)
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Raw Cashews
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Desiccated Coconut
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Lemons
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Vanilla Essence
-
Honey (I used runny honey, any will do)
You will need a food processor or blender, blitzing together nuts can be hard on the motors of some appliances, so keep that in mind when working with this recipe, and indeed when buying a blender or food processor!
I tend to go with a bigger motor and jug capacity when I buy these appliances so it is suitable for all sorts of recipes and check the specifications to see if it can handle blitzing nuts, ice and dried fruits as a test for if it will work for all your needs.
I used the zest of two lemons, this works out to at least 2-3 tablespoons of zest, this gives such a lot of flavour, ensure only the yellow outside of the lemon is used for zest, the white layer is bitter.
Once you blitz the cashews & coconut into a fine crumb, add the lemon zest, honey and vanilla and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Blitz this altogether to combine the ingredients well. Depending on your machine you may need to turn this into a bowl to ensure you can stir it through well.
I then taste test the mixture, and see what consistency it is, you may need to add up to 2 tablespoons more of lemon juice (or honey depending on the sweetness/bitterness of your lemons) to get a consistency that is able to hold its shape while rolling and not be too dry. I used 5 tablespoons for my mix and it was perfect but my lemons run a little on the sweeter side.
Then set up a station for rolling, a small bowl of water for your hands and if you wish to roll them in coconut a small bowl of coconut, and a plate to place the rolled balls onto. I use a tablespoon to measure consistent sized balls of dough, this recipe makes 16 balls.
Take a level tablespoon of mixture, on damp hands roll it into a firm ball and set aside on a plate. Repeat with all remaining mixture then refrigerate for an hour to set. Keep the balls stored in an airtight container once they have set, they will stay fresh for up to 7 days at least or you can freeze them.
If you wish you could also add a tablespoon of poppy seeds to this recipe! Lemon and poppy seed is always a lovely combination.
I have some lovely bliss ball recipes you can also try
Cranberry Date & Cashew Bliss Balls
Apricot & Coconut Bliss Balls
Raspberry Chocolate Bliss Balls
Christmas Pudding Bliss Balls
Simple Apricot Bliss Balls
Onto the recipe for Lemon & Cashew Bliss Balls
Lemon and Cashew Bliss Balls
Delicious light and healthy bliss balls with a lovely strong lemony flavour
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Raw Cashews, 140 grams
- 1 Cup Desiccated Coconut, 90 grams
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest, 1-2 large lemons
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
- 2 Tablespoons Honey* (I used runny honey, any will do)
- 3-5 Tablespoons Lemon Juice*
Optional
- 1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds (add to blender with other additions)
- Coconut for Rolling if you wish
Instructions
- In a strong blender or food processor blitz together the raw cashews and coconut until it is a fine crumb
- Finely zest the lemon(s) then juice them, sieve the juice to ensure no pips.
- Add to the cashew and coconut crumb the lemon zest, vanilla essence, honey and 3 Tablespoons of the lemon juice (and poppy seeds if using)
- Blend thoroughly, then check the taste and consistency. The mixture should bind into balls. If too dry, add more lemon juice, but taste first, to avoid bitterness you may wish to add a little honey if needed. I use 5 tablespoons of lemon juice and no extra honey.
- Set up a rolling station; a small bowl of water for your hands, a tablespoon for measuring the balls and a large plate for the rolled balls to set on (and a small bowl of coconut if you wish to roll in that)
- Take a level tablespoon amount of mixture and with damp palms genthly roll the balls into a lovely firm round ball, place on the plate and continue with the rest of the mixture (if rolling in coconut do so when still damp from rolling)
- Allow the balls to chill for an hour to firm up before storing. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and snack all week long!
- Can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Can I double this recipe?
Absoutely! This recipe makes 16 bliss balls, so it is a lovely idea to make more, the you can snack on some and store some for another day too.
Can I freeze bliss balls?
Yes, they freeze really well, I still set them on a plate in the refrigerator first, then once firm I place in a ziplock freezer bag or an airtight container and they will freeze for up to 2 months
How long to bliss balls last in the refrigerator?
They last as long as the fresh ingredients would normally last, so up to 2 weeks should be ok, if they are not eaten before then!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 109Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 31mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g
JustAMumNZ.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although justamumnz.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
So there you have it, so so easy and delicious. I love bliss balls in that I can taste as I go and create something delicious and healthy along the way. If you love this one please rate it and let me know in the comments below how you got on.
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Happy Baking!
Anna
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Megan says
Made these today. Delicious! Very zingy and sweet-tart combo, and a tablespoonful is the perfect sized serving. I keep mine in the freezer.
justamumnz says
Lovely to hear!
Shirlyn E says
Thanks so much for this recipe.
Im looking forward to making it.
Do you know the variety/ name of your Dad’s Lemons tree?
Such a beautiful looking Lemon and rind.
justamumnz says
From Dad “It’s probably a Meyer. Keep tree healthy and fruit juicy with Citrus fertiliser spring and summer and dolomite lime for magnesium and a good soil PH once a year. Conqueror Oil spray occasionally to keep bugs off.” Hope that’s helpful, Anna