Sweet, sticky, and amazingly good, this charoset is made in the food processor with nuts, raisins, honey, a little wine, and no apples!
Charoset is a delicacy, and this recipe is especially good. Made with no apples, it's fabulously smooth, sticky, and sweet. If you like nuts and honey and prefer a smooth texture over a chunky one, you will love it! It's one of the highlights of my family's Seder, and we look forward to it every year.
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Walnuts: Use raw, unsalted nuts. Pecans work well instead of walnuts. Make sure they're unsalted.
- Raisins: I use 3 ounces, and I prefer dark raisins over golden raisins. However, if all you have are golden raisins, you can go ahead and use them. You can use chopped dates instead of raisins.
- Honey: Just ¼ cup adds the perfect amount of sweetness and stickiness.
- Dessert wine: Traditionally, you would use a Jewish dessert wine. I often use marsala wine, which is a departure from tradition, for sure, but a tasty one. You can omit the wine completely or replace it with 100% grape juice.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Process the walnuts in your food processor. You want them finely chopped, but you should stop before they become walnut butter.
Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Remove the blade and stir the mixture one more time with a rubber spatula, paying special attention to the bottom of the bowl.
Transfer the charoset to a bowl and serve it.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe, as written, yields a fairly small amount - ¾ cup, or 6 servings. If you're hosting a big Seder, you can easily double it.
- It's best to use soft, plump raisins. Small, drier ones tend to stay whole and don't blend easily with the remaining ingredients.
- Don’t over-process the nuts. Pulse just until finely chopped. If you blend for too long, the nuts can turn into nut butter and make the mixture oily.
- If possible, make the charoset a day ahead and refrigerate it covered. The flavors meld and develop overnight.
Recipe FAQs
No. Only real honey works. Charoset relies on a sticky consistency to help the tiny fruit and nut pieces bind together. Honey is viscous and dense and is the perfect binder. Maple syrup’s thinner consistency results in a looser mixture.
Traditional Ashkenazi charoset typically includes grated apples, finely ground nuts, cinnamon, grape juice or wine, and honey or sugar. This recipe is apple-free and emphasizes a smooth, richly sweet texture, ideal for spreading.
Yes. For a nut-free version, assuming you can eat seeds, try using unsalted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead of walnuts or pecans. The flavor will be slightly different, but you’ll still get that rich, sticky texture.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Remove the portion you'll use from the fridge an hour before you plan on enjoying it.
Serving Suggestions
During Leil Ha'Seder, as shown in the photos below, charoset is traditionally eaten with matzah and lettuce leaves as part of the ceremony.
If you have leftovers, they're delicious on matzah, apple slices, almond flour bread, or banana bread. The photo below shows the leftovers served on apple slices and celery sticks.
Recipe Card
Charoset Recipe (No Apples)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 ounces raw walnuts
- 3 ounces raisins
- 4 tablespoons honey - 3 ounces
- 2 tablespoons dessert wine - I use Marsala
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Process the walnuts in your food processor until they are finely chopped, stopping before they become a paste.
- Add the raisins, honey, wine, and vanilla extract. Process until combined.
- Remove the food processor's blade and use a rubber spatula to give the charoset another thorough stir, paying extra attention to the bottom, until well-blended.
- Transfer the charoset to a serving bowl and serve.
Notes
- Traditionally, you would use a Jewish dessert wine. I often use Marsala wine, which is a departure from tradition, for sure, but a tasty one. You can omit the wine completely or replace it with 100% grape juice.
- It's best to use soft, plump raisins. Small, drier ones tend to stay whole and don't blend easily with the remaining ingredients.
- If possible, make the charoset a day ahead and refrigerate it covered. The flavors meld and develop overnight.
- If not using the charoset the same day you make it, cover and refrigerate it for up to a week, but remove it from the fridge an hour before serving and give it one final stir.
- This recipe, as written, yields a fairly small amount - ¾ cup, or 6 servings. If you're hosting a big Seder, you can easily double this recipe.
- This is not a low-carb recipe.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
