As soon as I picked up the the most recent issue of Whole Living Magazine I knew I had to make some version of the mouthwatering chocolate truffles on the cover. With coconut oil replacing any butter or cream, these rich chocolate treats are (relatively) healthy. They are rolled in an assortment of toppings, from crushed candy canes to chopped pistachios, and the truffles look almost as good as they taste. I added a little cinnamon to the chocolate batter, but would also highly recommend a pinch of ground coffee to bring out the rich, chocolatey flavor. This recipe makes quite a few truffles so feel free to box up any leftovers for holiday presents, or of course, eat them all yourself.

Medium

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Wait time: 30 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

Servings: 20-25 truffles

Ingredients:
8 0z. semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of chopped pistachios
3 candy canes, crushed

Directions:
1. Melt chocolate, coconut oil, and 2-3 tablespoons of water over double boiler (or directly in pot — but be careful not to burn the chocolate) and stir until melted and smooth.
2. Off the heat add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
3. Pour chocolate into a heatproof container, cover, and place in fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour until set but still pliable.

Photo by Julia Maguire

4. Meanwhile chop pistachios and crush candy canes and place into two separate shallow bowls.
5. With a small spoon, form 1/2 inch-1 inch balls of chocolate (feel free to use your hands).
6. Roll truffles into candy canes, pistachios, or dust with additional cinnamon to taste.

Photo by Julia Maguire

Photo by Julia Maguire

7.  Place onto aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and let set for 10-15 minutes.
Enjoy!

Photo by Julia Maguire