Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Recipe

Extra special, and made with love, these luscious chocolate raspberry truffles are so easy to make and so much healthier than store-bought chocolates!

Did you know that February is National Chocolate Lovers Month?!!

Not that you need an excuse to enjoy some chocolate, but it’s certainly a great reason to indulge in some delicious, homemade, chocolaty goodness.

Plus Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! It’s the perfect time for you to make some special treats for yourself or for your loved ones. You can even drop some homemade truffles off at your neighbor’s house and surprise them. A small “random act of kindness” like that always puts a smile on someone’s face.

These healthier chocolate raspberry truffles are super easy to make and don’t take a lot of hands-on prep time.

You’ll only need 4 to 5 ingredients to make these sweet truffles that are made with no sugar! Yes, no sugar! And you won’t be able to tell.

One of the star ingredients that makes these truffles so special and sweet is Medjool dates. The dates help make the perfect, heavenly texture for the truffles, plus they act as the natural sweetener.

The other star is raspberries – both fresh and freeze-dried. You have an option here. I like to add half of a fresh raspberry (or one whole one if it’s small) to the inside of the truffle so you get a nice little surprise on the inside, but this is totally optional.

Crushed freeze-dried raspberries coat the outside of the truffles and add the perfect, sweet yet tart flavor when you take a bite. The flavor is incredible! If raspberries are not your thing, you could substitute with freeze-dried strawberries or simply just roll the truffles in cocoa powder instead.

So grab some ingredients and make a batch or two of these little bites of bliss for your loved ones … and don’t forget to treat yourself too!

Ingredients:

• 13 Medjool dates, pitted and halved

• 1 T ghee, grass-fed butter or coconut oil

• ¾ cup Stevia-sweetened chocolate chips or allergy-friendly chocolate chips

• 13 fresh organic raspberries or 7 medium raspberries cut in half – optional

• 0.65 oz. freeze-dried organic raspberries (about half of a 1.3 oz. bag)

Instructions:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Melt healthy fat of choice in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the halved dates to the melted fat, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes (don’t skip this process, the heat softens the dates and the fat helps bring out their natural caramel flavor). Remove from heat.

3. Place heated dates in a food processor fitted with a “S” blade or in a high-powered blender and pulse for about 30 seconds until the dates turn into a pureed paste. Scrape the sticky date paste into a medium-size mixing bowl, set aside.

4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (if you don’t have one, use a heat-proof glass bowl over a small saucepan filled with about 1 inch of water – place the pan over medium heat and the glass bowl with the chocolate chips on top of the pan) stirring occasionally until the chocolate is fully melted and glossy). Remove from heat and immediately pour the melted chocolate over the date paste, quickly stirring until well combined. Place the truffle mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up a bit (the mixture shouldn’t be sticky when ready to roll into balls).

5. While the truffle mixture is chilling, wash and dry the fresh raspberries (if using) and set aside. Crush the freeze-dried raspberries on a plate or in a zipped bag, until finely crushed. Pour the finely crushed raspberries into a small bowl in preparation for truffle dusting, set aside.

6. Without Fresh Raspberries: Roll truffle mixture into 13 balls, about ¾” each, then roll in the crushed raspberries and place on the lined baking sheet.

7. With Fresh Raspberries: Roll truffle mixture into 13 balls, about ¾” each. In your hands, flatten each rolled ball into a disc-shape, place the fresh raspberry in the center and carefully shape the truffle mixture around it so the raspberry is covered. Gently roll into a ball again, then roll in the crushed raspberries and place on the lined baking sheet.

8. Place in the chocolate raspberry truffles in the refrigerator to set for about 1 hour or more, then serve immediately or store in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. [See Notes]

Notes:

• Yield: 13 truffles // Prep Time: 25 minutes // Cook Time: 3 minutes // Inactive Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

• Storage: Keep truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Once truffles have set, they can sit at room temperature, but for *best truffle texture* should be served cold.

• If using coconut oil, note that it slightly changes the flavor by adding a bit of a coconut flavor.

About Emily:

Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri is a water kefir- and chocolate-loving, holistic-minded wife and mom of two little loves. She’s the author of the cookbook The Art of Great Cooking With Your Instant Pot and the founder of Recipes to Nourish, a gluten free blog focusing on real food and natural living. Emily is a contributing writer at Traditional Cooking School and her work has been featured on feedfeed, foodandwine, foodgawker, Nourished Kitchen, Delicious Obsessions, Homemade Mommy and in the cookbooks Beautiful Smoothie Bowls and 30 Minute Clean Eats on a Budget. She’s a real foodie, passionate about nourishing home cooking, lover of seasonal food and an advocate of "green" living, essential oils and a mindful lifestyle. Her passion is to make healthy, natural living as uncomplicated and enjoyable as possible. Find Emily’s latest recipes and natural living tips at Recipes to Nourish.