Our Date Chocolate Fudge Truffles with Sea Salt have a deep chocolate flavor with a fudge-like texture to satisfy chocolate cravings every time.
We’re talking healthy dessert truffles you can feel good about eating and also make your eyes roll back in your head with sheer delight.
We start with whole food ingredients like dates, shredded coconut, and cocoa, then add few chocolate chips so you’ll need a food processor to get a smooth texture.
Don’t worry, the small amount of coconut doesn’t flavor the truffles, but it does provide a boost of fiber and structure that make these truffles dense and delicious.
The Date Truffle Story
I was on the lookout to make a healthy, yet fabulous dessert.
It would have to involve chocolate because that’s where I live when it comes to dessert so it felt like I struck gold with these Date Chocolate Fudge Truffles with Sea Salt.
In my search, I landed on two promising chocolate desserts—German-Chocolate Fudge Bites and Sweet Potato Brownies, which included avocado in the ingredient list.
I decided it was time to see what the avocado-in-chocolate-dessert thing was all about. It was a no-go for me. I love avocado and enjoy it often, but it will never land in a chocolate dessert for me again.
For all those who claim “you can’t even taste the avocado” or “you’d never guess there was avocado in there,” I would say, “Oh yes I can, and I don’t care for it, thanks.
But these no-bake chocolate fudge balls were a hit! Technically, that’s what they are, but when coated in chocolate they deserve the truffle title.
A Decadent, Chocolate Fudge Truffle Dessert that Satisfies
You’ll love having these healthy date fudge truffles around to satisfy cravings without the guilt.
The only refined sugar in these bite-size treats is the small amount in the chocolate chips you choose. We prefer a dark chocolate flavor so bittersweet is called for in the recipe.
Dates provide all the sweetness you’ll need, as well as a host of other goodies like fiber, potassium, copper, manganese, magnesium, Vitamin B6, and iron. A touch of coarse sea salt is the perfect finish to balance the sweet richness of dates and chocolate, though you will enjoy them salted or not.
TIP: While fruit sweeteners are a better choice than refined sugar, it is still best to enjoy these chocolate fudge truffles in moderation.
Healthy Date Chocolate Fudge Truffles Step by Step
- Process dates, pecans, coconut, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, vanilla, and sea salt in food processor 2-3 minutes.
- Roll small amounts of the mixture into 1-inch balls.
- Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
- Melt chocolate and roll truffle balls in the chocolate to coat.
- Transfer to a parchment-lined tray and sprinkle a small amount of salt on top.
- Refrigerate until chocolate sets.
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Recipe TIPS & Variations
- Medjool dates are our go-to for our date fudge truffles as they are slightly sweeter and softer than Deglet Noor dates. Their soft texture makes them easy to pit and quick to process in this application. Medjool dates are fresh fruit so you’ll most often find them in the produce section of the store.
- A food processor is important to accomplish a smooth texture.
- Nuts and coconut help to provide structure as well as a little bit of fat for superior texture.
- A melon baller is a handy tool to keep the truffles all about the same size.
- Use chocolate chips based on your own preference. Semi-sweet chips will yield a sweeter milk chocolate flavor, bittersweet chips will yield a dark chocolate flavor.
Date Chocolate Fudge Truffles with Sea Salt
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dates , pitted (8-10 dates, packed)
- 1/2 cup walnuts , or pecans
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut , unsweetened
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips , semi-sweet or bittersweet
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (no need to be exact here)
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate , melted for dipping
- Coarse sea salt , for finishing
Instructions
- Place 3/4 cup dates, 1/2 cup walnuts, 1/3 cup coconut, 1/4 cup chocolate chips, 2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt in a food processor and pulse to incorporate the ingredients. If the cocoa powder clings to the sides of the processor bowl, after 8 or 9 pulses, stop processing and scrape down sides. Sprinkle the vanilla extract over the mixture and process on high for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture forms a consistent texture that will stick together when pressed. There is no worry of over-mixing, so allowing the processor to continue to run a little longer is okay.
- Using a melon baller or a tablespoon, scoop small amounts of the truffle mix into the palm of your hand and roll or press into 1-inch size balls and place on a parchment paper-lined rimmed pan with a space between each. Recipe yields 18-22 bite-size truffles.
- Once all the mix is formed, place the pan of truffles in the freezer and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. The truffles need to be firm enough to not fall apart when dipped in chocolate.
- When ready to cover the truffles in chocolate, melt 1 cup of melting chocolate or chocolate chips in a double boiler. Remove truffles from the freezer and one-by-one, roll in the melted chocolate with a spoon until covered. Try to cover as thinly as possible, then transfer coated truffle back to the parchment paper-lined pan about 1-inch apart.
- Sprinkle a small amount of coarse sea salt on top of each one just before the chocolate hardens. Repeat until all the truffles are covered in chocolate and salted.
- Place pan in the refrigerator to allow chocolate to set, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer truffles to a storage bag or container and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Depending on the exact size, this recipe should yield 18-22 bite-size truffles.
Recipe TIPS & Variations
- Medjool dates are our go-to for our date fudge truffles as they are slightly sweeter and softer than Deglet Noor dates. Their soft texture makes them easy to pit and quick to process in this application. Medjool dates are fresh fruit so you’ll most often find them in the produce section of the store.
- You’ll need a food processor to accomplish a smooth texture.
- Pecans and coconut help to provide structure as well as a little bit of fat for superior texture.
- A melon baller is a handy tool to keep the truffles all about the same size.
- Use chocolate chips based on your own preference. Semi-sweet chips will yield a sweeter milk chocolate flavor, bittersweet chips will yield a dark chocolate flavor.
- Add 6 drops of essential oils for additional flavors like orange, mint, or cinnamon.
