Charoset (also called Haroset) is a traditional fruit and nut mixture served on matzah during the Passover Seder. It represents the mortar the Israelites used to lay bricks when they were slaves in Egypt. This is a delicious recipe that everyone can enjoy, Jewish or not!
I’ve been a food blogger for over ten years and I’ve never posted a charlotte recipe! To be honest, I usually just go with a basic set of ingredients and it always turns out the same. But this year I decided to do a little prep work and actually measure the ingredients to save my Charlose recipe.
After having kids, I started to really appreciate how my daughter had a complete digital cookbook of all my favorite recipes that she could refer to if she decided she wanted to cook something when she grew up. It’s also possible that she isn’t interested in cooking at all, but in the unlikely event I want to record as many recipes as possible so she can always have them.
This Charisse recipe is no exception. It was absolutely delicious and definitely my favorite part of the Passover Seder. Even if you’re not celebrating Passover this year, charoset makes a delicious dip for cookies or just a dessert that can be eaten with a spoon. I highly recommend trying it!
Why make this Charoset recipe?
Everyone and their (Jewish) mom has a charcoal recipe. Mine uses the traditional Haroseset ingredients but is slightly different. I’ve also chosen a few time-saving tips that I’m pretty sure my ancestors would agree with…
- Packed full of flavor – This Charoset recipe is sweet and spicy, the perfect condiment to add to matzah.
- Use a food processor – Traditional Charoset is made with a mortar and pestle, which I totally respect if that’s your journey, but I prefer to pulse my ingredients in a food processor to save myself some time. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also chop the ingredients and blend them in a large bowl.
- Easily interchangeable – Need to omit nuts? No kosher wine? I’ve got you covered!
Ingredients of Traditional Charoset
- apple – I find that Fuji or Gala apples taste best in this recipe.
- lemon juice – This helps prevent the apples from browning, although some browning will occur anyway.
- raisins or chopped dates – Raisins or chopped dates work best. Golden raisins can also be used to get a little creative.
- Walnut – Different nuts can be used instead of walnuts. Pecans are a great substitute.
- Cinnamon – Almost every Ashkenazi charcoal recipe uses cinnamon. It’s a given!
- sweet red wine – Manischewitz is usually the wine of choice, but if you’d rather go non-alcoholic, or if kosher wine is hard to find, you can always use grape juice.
Recipe changes
My Charoset recipe uses a pinch of nutmeg and some orange zest to add a little extra flavor. Feel free to omit if you wish to keep it traditional.
How to Make Charlotte
Traditional Charoset is made with a mortar and pestle, but to be honest, it’s a lot of work, so I recommend either chopping everything with a knife, or better yet, using a food processor! This is how I do it:
In a food processor:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture forms a thick paste.
In the bowl:
Chop all the ingredients and break up any large pieces. Mix everything together in a large bowl.
Can I provide this Charoset nut for free?
Absolutely. Feel free to omit the walnuts from this recipe. It will be more like a thick paste, but if you pulse it a little less, it’ll be fine.
Can I make this Charoset without wine?
Yes! Use grape juice instead of wine. Depending on where you live, Manischewitz wine or other kosher cordials are not readily available. Or, if you want to keep things alcohol-free, you can always use grape juice.
How to serve
Charlotte is traditionally served on a seder plate, but also served in small bowls or plates at the table. It is usually eaten on a piece of unleavened bread after prayers.
If you’re not eating this Passover challah recipe, you can eat it on regular crackers or toast. You can also add it to celery stalks (kind of like ants on a log!) or to a sweet breakfast like pancakes or waffles.
Storage instructions
If you want to get a head start on your seder, this Charoset recipe can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Overall, I recommend not storing leftover challese for more than 5 days to get the freshest blend of flavors, but it will probably keep for up to a week (if it lasts that long).
More Passover-friendly recipes:
traditional challese recipe
Charoset (also called Haroset) is a traditional fruit and nut mixture served on matzah during the Passover Seder. It represents the mortar the Israelites used to lay bricks when they were slaves in Egypt. This is a delicious recipe that everyone can enjoy, Jewish or not!
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 0 minutes
- total time: 10 minutes
- yield: 8 number of copies 1X
- category: appetizer
- method: mix
- gourmet food: Jewish
- diet: gluten free
- 5 big red apple, Peel + chop*
- 1 cup Walnut, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup date, Remove the pit + chop (or raisins)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
- Optional: Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon orange peel
- 1/4 cup Sweet red wine (or grape juice)
In a food processor (my preference):
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture forms a thick paste.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
In the bowl:
- Chop apples, walnuts and dates into larger pieces.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
notes
* Peeling is a personal preference. You can leave it unpeeled if desired.
