Vegan and gluten free, this rich, chocolatey and boozy date nut truffle makes a fabulous holiday gift, after dinner indulgence or a dinner party treat. You know, to balance out the naughty!
I was thinking about more cookies for the blog this week. Then I started thinking….
…about something decadent, rich and chocolatey without feeling naughty… perhaps something….
Nice.
Why yes, that’s chocolate. And there, that caramely liquid… that’s the booze. It’s the holiday season, after all. My favorite confectionary booze… bourbon; it pairs perfectly with chocolate. I went with it.
Date nut truffles whip up super quick, hold well in the fridge for several weeks and arrive all in one piece to your second cousin twice removed half way across the country. In other words, they make great gifts! I usually end up making a double or triple batch so I can have some stocked away in the fridge because I adore having these simple treats on hand.
Date nut truffles will also sooth a sweet tooth and chocolate cravings.
They are: no bake, sweet without added sugar, crunchy, chewy, boozy, rich and chocolatey.
Pure bliss!
A Few Recipe Notes
- Dates tend to dry out over time. If the dates you’re using are stiff and dry, soak them in very hot water for about 10 minutes. Drain, remove the pits and press out the water before processing.
- Using a small cookie scoop like this one or a #50 scoop makes portioning a snap!
- These little treat bags show off your hand made truffles. Baker’s twine in red makes for a festive finish!
- Prefer a booze-less date truffle? Leave out the Bourbon and add 1/4 C of strong coffee or espresso instead!
More Edible Gifts From the Kitchen
- Dark Chocolate Cocoa Nib Shortbread Cookies
- Vegan Dark Chocolate Short Bread
- Cocoa Nibby Pecan Shortbread Cookies
- Hazelnut Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
- Bourbon Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies
Bourbon Date Nut Truffles
Ingredients
- 1/2 C Walnuts 56 g
- 3/4 C Almonds 106 g
- 12 Medjool Dates 280g unpitted, pitt before processing
- 1/4 C Whiskey Bourbon optional, see notes
- 3 Tbs Unsweetened Cocoa I use Rodelle, 26 g
- 1/2 tsp Pink Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
- 1 1/2 C Unsweetened Shredded Coconut divided 141 g
- 3 Tbs Cocoa Nibs 24 g
- 3-4 Tbs Maple Syrup* - optional see note
Instructions
- Place the nuts on a sheet pan and toast at 350F for 8-9 minutes. Also, toast 1/2 C shredded coconut (for rolling the truffle in) on a separate sheet pan and toast at same temperature for about 6 minutes. Set aside.
- Add toasted nuts to a food processor bowl (this can be done while the nuts are still warm) and process until the nuts are finely chopped. There will be some that are finely chopped and others that are a bit larger. This is ok. Empty nuts into a large bowl and set aside.
- Remove the pits from the dates. Add the dates, bourbon, cocoa, sea salt and vanilla bean paste or extract into the same food processor bowl (no need to wash it). Process the date mixture until a paste forms. You may need to scrape the bowl down several times as the dates tend to clump into a ball.
- Add the toasted, finely chopped nuts to the food processor along with 1 C untoasted coconut. Pulse mixture together until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Dump mixture into a large bowl and pour in the cocoa nibs. Mix together with hands, squeezing and mashing until the cooca nibs are evenly distributed. Add maple syrup if desired and to taste.
- Use a #50 scoop or 1 1/4 Tbs to portion individual balls. Roll each portion between you hands to make a ball. Then roll the truffle in the toasted coconut.
- Serve at room temperature. Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Notes
Nutrition is provided as an estimate (per serving) and courtesy. If this information is important to you, please verify it independently.
Hi there. These look great. Is the coconut sweetened or not? Seems like it’s not, but not sure. Thanks!
Hey Jeff, I’m sorry for that omission… you’re right! Unsweetened coconut!
These were incredible! Tomorrow we are going to make them with coffee. Thanks!
I love hearing this, Jackie! Thank you for your note! The espresso is fabulous too :D
Yumm! I did taste before rolling and thought the candy could use more date flavor (just my preference since my husband loves dates) so added another 12 dates. Did not change the consistency, but dropped the chocolate favor just a note. Made more candies as well. Ended up with 28 candies. Every year I make about 3o plates of candy to give to neighbors and friends, so am glad to have another option. Thanks a bunch for posting this recipe.
Hi Heather! Hooray! Thank you for sharing your success with us! You said it.. this is exactly why I love these so much because they are still festive, yet healthy. I love how you adjusted them to, to your taste! Thank you again! Have a fabulous holiday! :D
Hi Traci, I just discovered your blog! Such stunning photography and wonderfully inspiring recipes! Wow. I am going to be browsing for a good, long, while. Thank you very much for sharing all these amazing ideas! Have a great weekend!
So glad you stopped by Nathalie, thank you!
These sound like the perfect healthy (but yummy) snack. Must make and soon and I happen to have all the ingredients to hand – yay!
Ooooh, I love it when that happens! No trip to the store! :D Thanks for stopping by Lucy! :D
I made these to nibble on over Christmas & New Year as a healthier snack than endless chocolates etc. They were fantastic and so easy to make. Got high praise from other half which is good as I wasn’t sure he’d like the hint of bourbon. Will definitely be making them again.
Sue, this is great! So you put the glug of bourbon in anyway?! It does make them a bit more festive and your other half enjoyed them too! Fabulous! Thank you for sharing your success!
I love this- using dates with truffles totally makes me feel less guilty about indulging :)
I agree Kelsey… that’s what I love about these most. And they’re not just for the holidays! Thanks for stopping by!