It’s finally December, which means it’s time for Christmas recipes!! I’ve been waiting for Chrimbo to come round for what feels like forever, and it’s nice to finally be openly festive without having daggers thrown my way! If any of you love Christmas as much as I do, you’ll know it’s the kiss of death playing festive music in November…

For my first seasonal recipe this year, I’m sharing these super cute Christmas pudding bites. FYI there’s no Christmas pudding needed for this recipe (I’m not a big fan), but it’s full of delicious Christmas spices which taste just as festive. Plus it looks like a Chrimbo pudding, and we all know we eat with our eyes!

These Christmas bites are an adaption of my chocolate caramel energy balls with added festive cheer! Ok, no ‘cheer’ has gone into this recipe, but cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger have and that’s kind of the same in my eyes! Aside from looking ridiculously cute, these pudding bites are perfect as a festive snack to have throughout the day or before the gym – you could have them as an evening snack on Christmas day (if you have any room left!)

If you want to make these vegan, simply replace the white chocolate for a vegan friendly version (check your local free-from aisle) and you’re good to go!

INGREDIENTS

100g pecans
180g medjool dates, de-stoned
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
75g white chocolate, vegan if needed
24 dried cranberries
24 pumpkin seeds

RECIPE

1. Place the de-stoned dates, pecans, cocoa powder, spices and melted coconut oil into a food processor and blend until all the ingredients have broken down.
2. Roll 1 tbsp of nut/date mixture into small balls and place on a baking tray. Pop in the freezer for an hour.
3. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate on the hob until silky smooth (I melt using a bain-marie), then drizzle a small amount of the chocolate over each ball to resemble the icing on a Chrismas pudding.
4. While the chocolate is still wet, place 2 pumpkin seeds and 2 cranberries onto the chocolate.
5. Place in the fridge/freezer to set for an hour – then enjoy!

Sophie x