4 Simple Truffle Recipes That Are Surprisingly Healthy

Truffles may just be the most perfect dessert on the planet. They’re the right size to satisfy your sweet-tooth, there are infinite delicious varieties, and they just happen to be super easy to make. Plus, when using simple ingredients and natural sugars, they can be as healthy as they are decadent.

Photo by Emily Daniel

All four types of these truffles are variations on the same base, which is just oats, dried dates, and banana. This vegan, gluten free, totally clean base dough is delicious on its own, but is also the start of more decadent truffles, especially when chocolate is involved.

Almond Joy Truffles

• Prep Time:10 minutes
• Cook Time:20 minutes
• Total Time:30 minutes plus refrigeration
• Servings:about 10
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup instant oats
• 8 dried dates, pitted
• 1/4 banana
• 1/2 cup roasted & salted almonds
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

• Step 1

  Add oats, dates, banana, almonds, and coconut flakes to food processor and blend until a sticky and mold-able dough forms. If dough is too dry or crumbly, add more banana.

• Step 2

  Roll dough into balls with an almond on the inside, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

  

• Step 3

  Melt vegan chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double-boiler. Roll balls in chocolate using two forks and top with coconut flakes and almonds. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.

  #Spoontip: For chocolate coating that won’t melt on your fingers, temper the chocolate by heating it to 125°F in a double boiler, then cooling to 85°F by adding more chocolate chips and stirring. 

  

Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles

• Prep Time:10 minutes
• Cook Time:10 minutes
• Total Time:20 minutes plus refrigeration
• Servings:about 10
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup instant oats
• 8 dried dates, pitted
• 1/4 banana
• 3 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 cup salted pretzels
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

• Step 1

  Blend all ingredients in a food processor until well-combined and moldable. Add more banana if necessary.

  

• Step 2

  Roll dough into balls with a piece of pretzel and peanut butter on the inside. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

  

• Step 3

  Warm peanut butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds and either drip or drizzle it on the truffles. Top with pretzel pieces.

  

Cake Batter Truffles

• Prep Time:10 minutes
• Cook Time:10 minutes
• Total Time:20 minutes plus refrigeration
• Servings:about 10
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup instant oats
• 8 dried dates, pitted
• 1/4 banana
• 4 tablespoon sprinkles
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar

• Step 1

  Blend all ingredients in food processor until a dough forms. Add more banana if necessary.

  

• Step 2

  In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar with 1 tablespoon water or vanilla almond milk and stir until icing forms. Add more sugar until icing is thick.

  

• Step 3

  Form dough into balls and roll in a bowl of sprinkles. Drizzle the icing over the truffles and refrigerate until icing hardens.

  

S'mores Truffles

• Prep Time:10 minutes
• Cook Time:20 minutes
• Total Time:30 minutes plus refrigeration
• Servings:about 10
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup instant oats
• 8 dried dates, pitted
• 1/4 banana
• 3 graham cracker sheets
• 1/4 cup mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

• Step 1

  Combine oats, dates, banana, and graham crackers in a food processor until a moldable dough forms. Add more banana if necessary.

  

• Step 2

  Form dough into balls with a mini marshmallow at the center. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

  

• Step 3

  In a microwave or double-boiler, melt chocolate chips. For best results, temper chocolate. Use two forks to coat truffles, then top with graham cracker crumbs and a mini marshmallow. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.