Date Truffles

There’s something indulgent about truffles, but these treats are far from sinful. Just about any type of nuts will work in this recipe. I occasionally make them with pecans or almonds in place of the walnuts. To make them nut-free, use sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Sesame seeds and chocolate complement each other nicely, but you can roll your finished truffles in unsweetened shredded coconut, crushed almonds, or cacao nibs.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: vegan

Servings: truffles

Ingredients

½ cup walnuts
1½ cup medjool dates pitted
⅓ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅓ cup sesame seeds

Instructions

Line a baking sheet or platter with parchment paper.
Place the walnuts in a food processor and process until they’re crumbly.
Add the dates, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Process until everything is well combined and smooth.
The mixture should stick together easily. If it’s too dry, add some water, a tablespoon at a time.
Scoop out the mixture by the tablespoonful and roll into small balls, about 1½-inch in diameter.
Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the sesame seeds in shallow dishes and roll the truffles in them until well coated.
Refrigerate the truffles in an air-tight container until ready to serve.

Notes

Ingredient Tip: Medjool dates are softer than deglet noor, so they lend themselves nicely to truffles. They’re usually good to go right out of the package, but if they’re on the tough side, soak them in water for 15 to 30 minutes. If medjools aren’t available, deglet noors can be used, but they should be soaked for an hour or two before making your truffles. Pat them dry before using them to make the truffles.

Recipe from The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook: 90 Whole-Food Recipes with Deliciously Simple Ingredients by Dianne Wenz. Published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2019 by Callisto Media. All rights reserved.