Coconut Cranberry Pistachio Truffles

Full of delicious and good for you ingredients; these coconut cranberry pistachio truffles are quick and easy to make, and perfect for those mini snack or sweet cravings!

Plus, these double up as hostess gifts for the festive or holiday season!

Fall is all about pumpkins and gourds. We often overlook some other super delicious produce like cranberries, apples, potatoes etc.

These are as much Fall as the pumpkins!

Cranberry is an important part of Holiday season and this tiny berry is full of good things! It improves heart health, is excellent for UTIs and improves gut health.

Plus, these add such a pop of color in any recipe that you include them in.

The other ingredient that appears between August and October is Pistachios. These green delights are great for blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure.

Today, I am sharing a delicious way to include cranberries as well as pistachios in snacking. It doubles up as an easy Indian style dessert too. Call them truffles made with coconut powder or coconut ladoos studded with pistachios and cranberries; the choice is yours!

This Recipe of Coconut Cranberry Pistachio Truffles

• Is super simple, quick and easy. It comes together in under 30 minutes and is so easy to scale. The time to cook will remain same, only extra minutes required to roll the truffles.
• These truffles are just enough to satisfy sweet cravings without too many additives or a quick snack for that 4 p.m. need. They are quick to disappear so be watchful of how many you gulp down without realizing!
• Uses cranberries and pistachios for flavor and an extra pop of color. However, apricots, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, cashews or almonds may be used too.
• This recipe can be consumed straight after making or over the next few days. Just refrigerate the truffles in an air tight container and let them come to room temperature before consuming.

The proportions below make 10-11 medium size truffles. Feel free to double or even halve the recipe; it will work well either way.

Video Recipe

Ingredients

Desiccated Coconut: The base for these Coconut Cranberry Pistachio Truffles is Desiccated coconut. Available on Amazon and in most local grocery stores, these flakes find application in so many recipes.

I like to use the unsweetened ones so we can control the amount of sweetener that is added to the recipe.

Sweetened Condensed Milk: The sweetener here is condensed milk. Not only does it sweeten the recipe, it also adds a lot of creaminess to the truffles.

Sugar can be used for making these but I definitely prefer sweetened condensed milk.

Dried Cranberries: We use dried cranberries to make the recipe. These can be sweetened or unsweetened based on what you like.

I have made the recipe using both; if you like a slight tang, use unsweetened ones. Else stick to the sweetened ones.

Pistachios: Pistachios give the recipe so much crunch and texture. Plus, they go really well with the cranberries.

One can also use other nuts like almonds, cashews, pecans etc.

Cardamom: I like to add some ground cardamom seeds. They make the truffles so flavorful and festive. However, skip these if you do not have them.

Ghee: Ghee brings all the dry ingredients together with the condensed milk.

Coconut sautéed in ghee gives a delicious flavor to the truffles. However, swap it with unsalted butter if you like.

Plus, add different nuts, seeds and berries to make the truffles different each time.

Step by Step Instructions to make Coconut Cranberry Pistachio Truffles

1- Heat ghee in a wide pan.

2- Add desiccated coconut and sauté for 4-5 minutes, ensuring it does not burn.

3- Once the coconut is flavorful, add condensed milk. Mix well.

4- Then add chopped pistachios, chopped dried cranberries and cardamom powder.

5- Mix well till the entire mixture comes together.

6- Transfer to a bowl to avoid cooking the mix any further.

7- Once the mix is slightly cool, make equal size balls using it.

8- Take some desiccated coconut in a plate and roll the balls in it. Transfer to an airtight container and enjoy!

Tips and Notes

• Do not over cook the desiccated coconut else it will become chewy. The same goes for the mix. Only cook the mix till it comes together.
• Adding more nuts, berries and seeds is an option. Also, if you leave out the cranberries and pistachios, you will get plain coconut truffles.
• Using dates or figs instead of cranberries works too. They tend to be sweeter and will need slightly less condensed milk in the recipe.
• Refrigerate these coconut cranberry pistachio truffles for up to a week. Remove them from the refrigerator a few minutes before serving so they are perfectly soft.

More sweet recipes to try

• Instant Marie Biscuit Chocolate Truffles: A SUPER easy and addictive sweet made using biscuits and a handful of ingredients; these chocolate truffles are a MUST-TRY for the festive season and beyond!
• Rose Shrikhand Popsicles: Homemade creamy, tangy and full of floral flavors; these rose shrikhand popsicles are a treat. A great way to enjoy a protein rich dessert thats easy to make with just FOUR ingredients!
• Instant Pot Gajar Halwa: A delicious Indian dessert made with carrots, Gajar Halwa is an addictive and magical recipe. Cut the long cooking time by using the Instant Pot without compromising greatly on the taste and flavor.