Classic Grape Churchkhela

Chella’s churchkhela is made from ONLY 3 simple ingredients: 100% natural fruit juice, fresh walnuts, and a touch of flour.

The main ingredient in our Churchkhela is 100% natural fruit juice, which is the primary source and determinant of the flavor of the final product. The core of Churchkhela consists of fresh walnuts giving it a rich flavour with a crunchy texture. The various fruit flavors will have their own sweetness and sourness profiles.

The string is not edible and not tasty!

For the walnuts to be coated with fruit juice, they must first be hand threaded onto a string. That string of walnuts is then dipped into the fruit juice. After dipping, the churchkhela is hung by the string so the fruit juice can dry enough to turn into the fresh chewy outer coating.

The presence of the string in our churchkhela serves as proof of the authentic Georgian method that we use to craft this traditional snack.

The string is also used to cut the churchkhela into pieces without a knife or cutting board.

Churchkhela is a string of walnuts dipped in fruit juice thickened with a touch of flour and then hung to dry until it cures into a rich and chewy coating.

Churchkhela is a snack that can be eaten at anytime 😉, but here are some of our favorite use cases:

• Sliced up on a charcuterie/cheese board as a sweet and nutty addition
• Taken as a nutrient and calorie-dense snack on a hike
• As a convenient meal replacement during your lunch break
• As a portable and complete breakfast on busy mornings

Churchkhela originated 3000 years ago in the region that is now the country of Georgia. Georgia has been a winemaking country since the Bronze Age, where each autumn brought a rich harvest of grapes, various fruits, and nuts. Churchkhela was invented as a way to preserve the surplus grape and nut harvest for consumption during the harsh Georgian winter.

Due to its high nutrient density and naturally long shelf, churchkhela was used as a way of sustaining energy and fueling endurance among warriors and travelers in the Caucasus region.

In modern times, churchkhela is the most popular sweet snack in the Caucasus region. Unfortunately, due to its popularity and demand, most of the churchkhela you will find today is not prepared using the traditional Georgian method.

Store in a dry, ventilated place, at a temperature not exceeding 22°C/71.6°F, like in your pantry!

In these conditions, Churchkhela is good for up to 6 months. However, fresh Churchkhela always tastes better. If stored for a long period, a white coating may appear, don't be alarmed! This is the natural sugar coming to the surface as it dries. This is how Churchkhela stays fresh for so long without any added preservatives (natural sugar from fruit juice acts as a preservative).