Our favourite Cherry Ripe Balls are so simple to make and taste delicious! Made from glace cherries, coconut, sweetened condensed milk, pink food colouring and dark chocolate - the perfect dessert or sweet treat!
If you love Cherry Ripe bars (and who doesn't!?) then you're going to love these quick and easy Cherry Ripe Balls! Whether you're making them as a Christmas treat, a sneaky late night dessert or for a special morning tea, this is going to become your new favourite no-bake recipe!
Ingredients For Cherry Ripe Balls
- glace cherries
- desiccated coconut
- sweetened condensed milk
- pink food colouring
- dark chocolate
- coconut oil - optional (see recipe notes below)
- Cherry Ripe bars - optional (for decoration)
*Please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and method
How To Make No-Bake Cherry Ripe Balls
These simple cherry balls take just 15 minutes to prepare! Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for more detailed instructions and tips.
Step 1 - Chop the glace cherries
Finely chop glace cherries using a knife or blitz them in a food processor or Thermomix. Note: Glace cherries are sticky little things, so be prepared for sticky fingers if you're cutting them with a knife!
Step 2 - Add the coconut and sweetened condensed milk
Mix the coconut and sweetened condensed milk with the chopped glace cherries until sticky and combined.
Step 3 - Add food colouring
To get that vibrant colour, mix through 4-5 drops of pink or red food colouring until well combined.
Step 4 - Roll into balls
Roll the mixture into heaped teaspoon-sized balls and place onto a flat baking tray. If your mixture is too soft to roll into balls, add a little more coconut and mix again. Chill the balls in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Step 5 - Dip into melted chocolate
Gently toss the chilled balls into melted chocolate using two forks or spoons. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off and then place back onto the baking tray. Decorate with a small chunk of Cherry Ripe bar and place into the fridge to set.
Storing Cherry Ripe Balls
These balls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
More No-Bake Ball Recipes
Just like our Cherry Ripe Balls, these recipes are quick, easy, taste AMAZING... and they're no-bake!
- White Chocolate Tim Tam Balls
- Kid-Friendly Rum Balls
- Salted Caramel Cheesecake Balls
- Bounty Balls (just like a Bounty bar!)
- Christmas Mint Slice Balls
- Baileys Tim Tam Balls
FAQ
What are glace cherries and where can I buy them?
Glace cherries are maraschino cherries that have had the stones removed and have been candied in sugar syrup. They are very sweet and sticky! You can buy glace cherries in packets in the dried fruit and nuts section of any supermarket. They are particular popular around Christmas as they are used in many Christmas cakes and recipes.
Do I have to use food colouring?
No, not at all! However, the food colouring gives the balls a beautiful vibrant colour. Without the food colouring, the filling in the balls will be white with a touch of red/brown from the chopped glace cherries.
Can these be made ahead of time and given as a Christmas gift?
Yes, these balls make a delicious addition to any Christmas hamper. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or made ahead of time and frozen for up to 3 months. For more Christmas foodie gifts, check out my entire collection here.
The glace cherries are so sticky! What's the best way to chop them?
Personally I like to use a food processor or a Thermomix to chop/puree them as it avoids the stickiness involved with cutting them with a knife. However, if you choose to use a knife, place the glace cherries on a flat board and cut into small chunks using a sharp serrated knife.
I don't like cherries! Can I make these without them?
Absolutely! If you leave out the glace cherries you'll be left with balls that taste just like Bounty bars! Check out my Bounty Balls recipe here.
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Cherry Ripe Balls
Ingredients
- 200 g glace cherries
- 360 g (4 cups) desiccated coconut
- 395 g sweetened condensed milk
- 4-5 drops pink food colouring
- 250 g dark chocolate
- 2 tbs coconut oil optional - see notes
- 55 g Cherry Ripe bar optional for decoration, cut into small chunks
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Finely chop the glace cherries into small chunks (or puree in a food processor).
- Place the chopped cherries into a large bowl.
- Add the desiccated coconut and sweetened condensed milk and mix until well combined and sticky.
- Add the pink food colouring and mix until evenly distributed.
- Roll mixture into heaped teaspoon-sized balls and place onto a baking tray.
- Place the tray into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Place chocolate melts and coconut oil into the microwave.
- Cook on 50% power in 30 second bursts until just melted (stirring each time with a dry metal spoon).
- Using two forks, dip each of the coconut balls into the melted chocolate mixture, allowing any excess to drip off.
- Place back onto the baking tray and top with a small Cherry Ripe square.
- Repeat with remaining balls.
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Thermomix Method
- Place the glace cherries into the TM bowl and puree on Speed 8 for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the coconut and condensed milk and mix on Reverse, Speed 4 until completely combined.
- Add the pink food colouring and mix on Reverse, Speed 4 until the colour is evenly distributed.
- Roll mixture into heaped teaspoon-sized balls and place onto a baking tray. Place the tray into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Place chocolate and coconut oil into the TM bowl. Melt on Speed 2, 50 degrees for 4 minutes (scraping down the sides of the bowl partway through). Pour the melted chocolate into a small bowl.
- Using two forks, dip each of the balls into the melted chocolate mixture, allowing any excess to drip off.
- Place back onto the baking tray and top with a small Cherry Ripe square.
- Repeat with remaining balls.
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
B
How do I go about freezing and defrosting these? I was thinking of packing them tightly in a snaplock bag, and then into a container or freezer bag. Can they just go into the fridge to defrost, and does defrosting do anything weird to the chocolate? Could I freeze them without chocolate? I'm headed for a few medical procedures over the next few weeks, so I want to get a few things in the freezer for Christmas NOW, as I don't see myself up for much for the next month. Cherry Ripe bites sound like just the loveliest thing for our hot Australian Christmas gatherings- decadent and delicious, homemade and impressive, but cold and most importantly, made ahead of time!
Lucy
Hi there, yes you can freeze them either with or without the chocolate. And yes, simply place them into the fridge to defrost. When freezing, they can be placed into either a ziplock bag or an airtight container - either is fine. Good luck with your procedure!
Kelly
Oooo these sound fab, I wonder if I can add rum in to these as I have been searching for cherry rum balls ?
Lucy
Absolutely!!
Bec Kimber
Can you use fresh cherries instead of glace cherries?
Lucy
Hi Bec, I would not personally recommend it as you need the sweet and stickiness of the glace cherries.
Elle
Recipe never explains about the coconut oil.
Lucy
Hi Elle, please refer to the recipe card for details (the coconut oil is added at the same stage as the chocolate when melting)
Phil
Thanks for this recipe. As a Displaced OZZy in Canada I miss my Cherry Ripe Bars & These certainly fill the gap.
The wife has made 2 lots so far & I limit my intake to a couple a week, watching my weight :-).
Lucy
Oh that's fantastic! So glad you like them!!
Kerry
These are amazing. I turned mine into protein balls by adding 90 grms of tasteless protein and made 30 balls - 3 grms protein each. It makes a lovely afternoon sweet treat, but I can feel like I’m getting something good out of them too, so win, win!
Lucy
What a fabulous idea!