Cinnamon Chocolate Date Truffles – Gluten-Free & Vegan
November 10, 2016
Date palm trees were first cultivated in the Middle East about 8,000 years ago. They require 100 days in 100F heat and lots of water to produce the softest, sweetest dates. The rich fruit from the “Tree of Life” provide enough fiber and complex nutrients to energize you. These no-bake Date Truffles offer you the virtues of a gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan dessert. Rich and spicy with cocoa and cinnamon, they’re perfect after a holiday dinner. Use medjool dates for a sweeter truffle. Leave me your comments below.
I came across this recipe on Shayma Saadat’s luxurious website The Spice Spoon. Her guest, Kulsum of The Journey Kitchen (a site worth reading BTW) posted these Chocolate Cinnamon Truffles. I’ve adapted it slightly. Thank you Shayma and Kulsum.
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Ingredients
- 5 cups 750 grams 26.50 pitted dates
- 1/2 cup 50 grams 2 ounces butter or coconut oil
- 1.5 teaspoons 1.5 teaspoons 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon powder
- 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons cocoa powder + more for dusting
- 1 1 1 large pinch of salt
- ½ cup 60 grams 2.25 ounces ground pistachio
Other Dusting Ingredients
- shredded unsweetened coconut
- Oreo crumbs
Instructions
Mise en Place the Date Truffles
- Melt the butter in a pan.
- Measure and pick through the dates to ensure there aren’t any pits.
- Measure cinnamon, cocoa powder and salt and set aside. Read The Finer Cookie’s post on how to measure and weigh.
- Prepare your dusting ingredients.
Directions for Finishing the Date Truffles
- Add the pitted dates (no chopping required) to the melted butter.
- Cover the dates to keep in the moisture and let them cook in the butter until they’re pulpy and sticky. This should take 10-20 minutes.
- If after 10-20 minutes, the dates aren’t softened, add a splash of water and cook another 10 minutes. Repeat until the dates are very pulpy and dissolved.
- Turn off the heat and mix in the cinnamon and cocoa powder.
- If the skins refuse to dissolve, run the mixture through a food processor until smooth.
- Set aside to cool.
Finishing the Date Truffles
- Once cool, the mixture should be remain pliable.
- Pick out any pits you might have missed initially and roll the mixture into 1 inch balls.
- Spread out the dusting ingredients on a flat surface, then roll the truffles to coat.
- Serve immediately or store in an air tight container.
