Easy cocoa date truffles require only four ingredients and are ready in under 30 minutes. These decadent vegan truffles are a perfect after-dinner treat or a snack when you are craving something sweet!
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I generally don't have a huge sweet tooth, but I do have a weakness for dark chocolate. Hence my aquafaba chocolate mousse, chickpea brownies, and pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipes.
And, in my opinion, these cocoa date truffles top all of these desserts.
They are pure, delicious deep dark chocolates. I have these whole food plant-based truffles on hand at all times, and have been known to indulge in one with my cup of coffee from time to time (ahem...every morning).
For more decadent bite-sized snacks, try chickpea cookie dough truffles and vegan pumpkin protein balls!
Ingredients
These date truffles, at their most basic, have just 4 simple ingredients:
- Dates - Use whole pitted dates such as Medjool or deglet noor. You'll want to soak these in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften them up and get a smoother truffle.
- Cocoa Powder - You can use regular or dutch-processed cocoa powder here. You can also roll the truffles in cocoa powder rather than coating them in dark chocolate if you prefer.
- Dark Chocolate - The chocolate is melted and used to coat the truffles. These truffles are still wonderful without the chocolate coating if you'd like to avoid any refined sugar from the dark chocolate.
- Coconut Oil (Optional) - I use coconut oil in the chocolate coating to make it thinner and easier to coat the truffles. If you are avoiding oil, you can still coat the truffles with melted chocolate, but the chocolate will be thicker and a little harder to coat.
The recipe card below includes the full list of ingredients + instructions.
Date Truffle Variations
Here are a few ways you can customize your truffles:
- Chocolate Coating - Instead of dipping your truffles in dark chocolate you could use a vegan white chocolate or milk chocolate.
- Extracts - You can dramatically change the flavor of these cocoa date truffles by adding ½ teaspoon of an extract such as orange, raspberry, coconut, or my favorite: peppermint. There aren't many things more fabulous than a chocolate peppermint date truffle!
- Toppings - I like to sprinkle these with a little flaky sea salt when I coat them with chocolate. If I am preparing them without the chocolate coating, I like to roll them in coconut, almonds, peanuts, or freeze-dried raspberries.
Equipment
You will need a food processor or blender to make these truffles! The key to an extra smooth truffle is processing the dates into a paste.
A tablespoon-sized cookie scoop helps in forming the truffles but isn't necessary.
How to Make Cocoa Date Truffles
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making the best chocolate date truffles:
- Step 1: Soak the dates in boiling water for five minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking water.
- Step 2: Add the dates, cocoa powder, and 2 tablespoons of the date soaking water to the bowl of a food processor. If you are using any extracts, add them here too.
- Step 3: Process for 4 to 5 minutes, until very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Step 4: Scoop the truffle batter and freeze them for about 10 minutes.
- Step 5: Once the truffles have firmed up slightly, roll each truffle between the palms of your hands into balls. Dip the balls into melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.
Top Tips
To ensure a perfect chocolate coating that isn't too thick, follow these tips:
- Make sure the date balls are firm before dipping them in chocolate.
- Use a fork to dunk the balls into the melted chocolate.
- Allow the excess chocolate to drip off through the fork. You can also tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to help remove excess chocolate.
- If you are topping the truffles with sea salt or anything else, sprinkle it on top right after coating because the chocolate will set quickly.
- Place the truffles back in the freezer for 5 minutes for the chocolate to harden completely and then enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
These vegan cocoa date truffles are best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 2 weeks, but I bet they won't last that long!
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Easy Cocoa Date Truffles
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Ingredients
- 1 cup dates, pitted
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, optional
Optional Add-Ins
- ½ teaspoon flavored extract, such as raspberry, orange, coconut or peppermint
- ¼ cup flaky sea salt, shredded coconut, chopped nuts or freeze dried fruit, for topping or rolling
Instructions
- Soak the dates in boiling water for five minutes in order to soften them and make them easier to blend. Drain and reserve the soaking water.
- Add the dates, cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of the date soaking water to the bowl of a food processor. If you are using any extracts, add them in here too. Process for 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times, until very smooth. Add more water a teaspoon at a time as needed to aid in blending. You want this to be a bit thinner than the texture of cookie dough.
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the truffle batter onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Don’t worry about making them look nice and round right now because the batter will be too soft to roll into balls. Place the truffles in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until they are firm enough to roll between your palms into balls.
- While the truffles are chilling: Add the dark chocolate and optional coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds, remove and stir. You will likely be able to get all the chocolate to finish melting just by stirring it. If lumps remain, microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted. Set aside
- Once the truffles have firmed up slightly, roll each truffle between the palms of your hands into balls. Using a fork, put one truffle ball into the melted chocolate and roll around to coat completely. Place the fork under the truffle and tap on the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Gently nudge the truffle off the fork and back onto the parchment paper. Repeat with remaining truffles and chocolate. If you are topping the truffles with sea salt or anything else, sprinkle it on top right after coating because the chocolate will set quickly. Place back in the freezer for 5 minutes for the chocolate to harden completely and then enjoy!
Notes
* The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy will vary on specific ingredients and brands used.
Liza says
These are amazing! I added peppermint extract like you suggested and they were such a hit at Christmas. I can't wait to try other flavorings. Thanks for the recipe.
Marjory Pilley says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Samantha says
This was so good!! Do you think you could add peanut butter, if so how?
Sarah Pilley says
Hi Samantha, I think you might be able to but I have not tested it! I would reduce the amount of dates by half and replace them with the same amount of peanut butter. I think they would still hold, but if not you could add some oat flour or coconut flour.
Abby says
Hi can you substitute other kinds of oil or does it have to be coconut oil? I like when the coating is thin but don’t have coconut oil
Sarah Pilley says
Hi Abby! Yes! I would recommend another neutral tasting oil like canola oil. It's possible to do it without the oil but like you said the coating is usually a bit thicker that way.
Holly Ann says
These are delicious! I added about 2 tbsp of maple syrup to my food processor and a tsp of vanilla extract- will definitely make them again and recommend this recipe to friends and family. Thank you!!