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    Home » Recipes » Passover

    Sephardic Charoset

    Published: Mar 26, 2021 Modified: Mar 26, 2021 by Candice

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Bowl of brown dip with matzo.
    Bowl of date dip.
    Bowl of brown dip with matzo.
    Bowl of date dip.

    Charoset is the sweet snack you're looking for this week. It’s naturally sweet from the dates and apple, and has the perfect texture for smearing on matzo.

    We eat it during the Passover seder as a symbol of the brick and mortar used by the Jews for building while they were enslaved. It’s very easy to make and keeps great in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Bowl of date dip.

    This post contains affiliate links where I might receive a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

    TABLE OF CONTENTS hide
    1 Why this Recipe Works
    2 Ingredients & Substitutions
    3 How to Make this Recipe
    4 Charoset FAQs
    5 Related Recipes
    6 Charoset

    Why this Recipe Works

    The spice blend of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg are beautifully aromatic in the mix and work so well with the blended date and walnut paste.

    The cooked date mixture is pulsed in the food processor making it the perfect consistency for spreading on the fragile matzo.

    Walnuts are mixed in on their own, ensuring they are fine enough to thicken the cooked fruit, and big enough to add the perfect amount of texture.

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    Ingredients for charoset.

    walnuts - you can use halves or pieces.

    apple - I use Granny Smith in this recipe.

    wine - you can use any Kosher for Passover wine, even Manischewitz.

    spices - I use a combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. You can also use a charoset spice blend.

    How to Make this Recipe

    In a food processor, pulse 1 ½ cups of walnut halves or pieces until about half of them are finely ground. Transfer them to a bowl and set aside to mix into the date mixture later.

    Add the 1 cup of pitted dates, 1 cup of orange juice, ½ cup of wine, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg, tablespoon of lemon juice, pinch of salt, and a peeled and diced Granny Smith apple to a saucepan.

    Cook the date mixture until most of the liquid is absorbed and the apples begin to soften. The apples will release their own liquids, about 8 minutes. Let it cool slightly, then pulse the mixture in the food processor until it forms a loose paste.

    Pouring cooked apples into food processor bowl..

    Fold the date mixture into the walnuts. Store the charoset in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It should last all week.

    Bowl of date dip.

    Charoset FAQs

    What does "charoset" mean?

    The Hebrew word translates to "clay" and the dish signifies the mortar that the Israelites used for building during their enslavement.

    Can it be made in advance?

    Yes. It can be made up to 3 days in advance.

    Is it on the seder plate?

    Yes, charoset is on the seder plate along with maror (horseradish), karpas (greens like parsley), zeroah (shank bone), beitzah (egg), and matzo.

    Bowl of brown dip with matzo.

    Related Recipes

    If you're looking for Passover recipes, I've got you covered. Here are some guides and a few of my favorite recipes.

    • What's Kosher for Passover?
    • Matzo Icebox Cake
    • Matzo Pizza
    • Why Anti-Racism is Our Passover Theme this Year

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    Bowl of date dip.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Charoset

    Charoset is the sweet snack you're looking for this week: naturally sweet from the dates and apple and perfect for smearing on matzo.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Jewish
    Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 188kcal
    Author: Candice

    Equipment

    • Food Processor or Blender

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups walnut halves or pieces
    • 1 cup dates pitted
    • 1 apple Granny Smith, peeled and diced
    • 1 cup orange juice
    • ½ cup red wine like maneschevitz
    • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon 1 tsp? less
    • ¼ teaspoon cloves
    • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 pinch salt

    Instructions

    • Pulse the walnuts until about half of them are finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
    • Add the pitted dates, orange juice, wine, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, lemon juice, salt, and apple to a saucepan. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the apples begin to soften and release their own liquids, about 8 minutes.
    • Let it cool slightly, then pulse the mixture in the food processor until it forms a loose paste.
    • Fold the date mixture into the walnuts.
    • Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

    Video

    Notes

    Keeps in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
    You can substitute the spices with a pre-mixed charoset spice blend.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you try this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and/or comment! And tag @ProportionalPlate on TikTok or Instagram... I'd love to see what you're making.

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    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

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    Woman with a flower.

    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

    READ MORE
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