A (Very!) Small-Batch Charoset Recipe

so who else out there is rationing out the contents of their fridges and pantries like they won’t be visiting a grocery store again for 84 years?

*whooshing sound as everyone in the entire world raises their hands at once*

…OKAY THEN.

enter this tiny bowl of charoset.

this just might be the most wonderful, springy, cinnamon-y thing you will ever eat, if i do say so myself. it’s my family’s charoset recipe—the one my dad’s been making for the last 40 years or so. except it’s been halved and halved again and then halved, like, twelve more times. i’ll admit that i was pretty heartbroken when i realized i wouldn’t be able to make it with him by my side this year, but i’m heartened when i remember that we’re doing the right thing and that we will be able to (g-d willing) make it together again in future years—which is what matters most.

for starters, as discussed above, i figured many of you out there just wouldn’t have the necessary ingredients for a larger batch. (personally, after using two apples to make this batch for the blog, i’m down to just three—and you better believe i’m guarding them with my life.)

but i also know that if your upcoming seder situation is anything like mine, you might not even need more than one, two, or three servings.

and that is how the tiny-batch version of this classic charoset recipe was born. let’s get to it.

oh! but! in the meantime, if you haven’t already checked out the “next year in person” campaign, there’s a full explainer of the campaign itself here and you can find all of the virtual seder resources here. i hope they’re truly helpful and that they make this uncertain time just a little more joyful for you and your family.

ok, recipe time:

small-batch charoset

makes 2-3 small servings

what you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup walnut halves
• 1 large, firm apple (fuji or gala work well!); peeled or un-peeled, cored and diced in 1/4-inch cubes
• 6-10 tablespoons grape juice (or sweet wine), depending on how sweet you want the mixture to be
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more to taste

what you’ll do:

1. using a food processor or knife, chop the nuts into slightly smaller pieces. they should still be pretty “chunky”; you don’t want to pulverize them. place in a large bowl.
2. add the remaining ingredients; toss with a large spoon. let sit for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) before serving. taste and add more cinnamon or grape juice, depending on how sweet (and/or spiced) you want it to be.
3. serve and enjoy!