5-Ingredient Healthy Chocolate, Date, & Tahini Truffles

I haven’t flipped from “ehhh I’m not sure” to OBSESSED on a recipe in a while.  I’m not into chocolate truffles normally (too rich and sickly-sweet), so it’s not like finding the perfect healthy chocolate truffle recipe was high on my list. 

But I was intrigued by this recipe when I saw it, and decided to give it a try.  And after five times making them (and counting!), I submit to you that these date, tahini, and dark chocolate truffles are actually BETTER than regular ones!

Check out my whole suite of super healthy recipes!

The first time I made them, I was impressed by how easy they were, but a little underwhelmed at first with the flavor of the mixture as I blitzed it.  The only real change I’ve made to the original is to up the salt amount quite a bit…these are fairly bittersweet and rich, and the salt provides the perfect balance.

But once I chilled them and then tried them again, I was blown away by how delicious they were.  

These healthy chocolate truffles have become the perfect sweet treat to keep in my fridge at all times.  They only use three main ingredients (I don’t count the salt, cinnamon, and vanilla), and the dates in particular are packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals (so the glycemic index is lower).

After making these several times, I have a few tips and tricks to get them perfect (which I’ve included in the recipe card below).  But even when I’ve screwed them up—like the time I doubled the recipe but forgot to double the cocoa powder—they still turned out yummy.

I also got lazy at one point and made half into truffle balls and pressed half into bars, and that also works great.

If your dates are especially hard/dry, soak them in hot water for 5 minutes beforehand, then drain well (squeeze a bit) and proceed with the recipe.  I always buy mine already-pitted, and get organic dates from either Sam’s Club or these ones from Amazon.

In your food processor, add the pitted dates and process until broken down and the dates have formed a paste and then a “date ball”…this may take up to 1 minute and you may have to stop it a few times to scrape the mixture.

Break the “date ball” up into smaller pieces, then add the tahini, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salts. 

Process until *just* well combined, scraping down the sides as needed to incorporate the cocoa powder, about 30 seconds total. Be careful not to over-process, or it will get very oily.

Taste and adjust as needed, adding more of any of the ingredients as needed, including salt (but realize that the chocolate flavor will punch through more once chilled). 

Note, sometimes it’s a fully combined sticky mixture, and occasionally it’s this weird crumbly oily mixture like you see below in the first pic…don’t panic if you get the latter, it still forms the balls just fine and tastes amazing. 

Put your sesame seeds in a small dish, then using a tiny scoop (or just pulling pieces with your hands), begin forming the mixture into balls, squeezing the mixture together then rolling into a ball. 

Drop into the sesame seeds and then roll them around to fully coat, shaking off any loose seeds. 

If you’re feeling lazy, you can also just press it into a dish lined with parchment to make “bars” instead of balls if you prefer, and press the sesame seeds on top.

I definitely recommend you chill for at least 30 minutes before eating.  It helps them hold their shape well and gives a better texture and flavor in my opinion. 

These keep in the fridge for 5 to 7 days (though I challenge you to keep them around that long!).

Adapted slightly from Minimalist Baker

5-Ingredient Healthy Date, Chocolate, & Tahini Truffles (GF, DF, vegan)

Yield: 15-18 truffles

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

These healthy chocolate truffles are made of dates, tahini, and cocoa powder...they're super easy to make, rich and delicious, and have no refined sugars! They're a great sweet treat and perfect for most people with dietary restrictions.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup of lightly packed pitted medjool dates (measured after pitting)
• 1/2 cup of tahini (smooth, runny, & unsalted)
• 3 slightly heaping tablespoons of a good dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of bigger crystal sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• (Optional coating: Black and/or white sesame seeds

Instructions

1. If your dates are especially hard/dry, soak them in hot water for 5 minutes beforehand, then drain well (squeeze a bit) and proceed with the recipe.
2. In your food processor, add the pitted dates and process until broken down and the dates have formed a paste and then a “date ball”...this may take up to 1 minute and you may have to stop it a few times to scrape the mixture.
3. Break the “date ball” up into smaller pieces, then add the tahini, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salts. 
4. Process until *just* well combined, scraping down the sides as needed to incorporate the cocoa powder, about 30 seconds total. Be careful not to over-process, or it will get very oily.
5. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more of any of the ingredients as needed, including salt (but realize that the chocolate flavor will punch through more once chilled). 
6. Put your sesame seeds in a small dish, then using a tiny scoop (or just pulling pieces with your hands), begin forming the mixture into balls, squeezing the mixture together then rolling into a ball.  Drop into the sesame seeds and then roll them around to fully coat, shaking off any loose seeds. 
7. As shown above, you can also just press it into a dish lined with parchment to make "bars" instead of balls if you prefer.
8. Chill for at least 30 minutes before eating.  These keep in the fridge for 5 to 7 days (though I challenge you to keep them around that long!).

Notes

1. My food processor is pretty huge, I've had better luck getting my dates to really process smoothly when I make a double batch of these (and...then I have double!).
2. My tahini brand is quite runny so I go the tiniest bit scant on the 1/2 cup, and also don't feel bad adding a bit more cocoa powder.
3. Don't be scared to use enough salt!  This is fairly bittersweet and rich, and the salt is the perfect balance.
4. You don't have to use the sesame seed coating, though I think it adds a nice texture. But using a more traditional cocoa powder coating doesn't work as the oiliness of the mixture soaks it in.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Cuisinart Food Processor 14-Cup
• 
  Rodelle Organic Baking Cocoa Powder - Dutch Processed
• 
  Baron's USDA Organic Tahini
• 
  Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Pitted Medjool Dates