Dark chocolate cashew truffles are rich in chocolate flavor, and just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy your after dinner {or lunch, or breakfast} sweet tooth.
Do you ever find yourself with extra ingredients in your pantry that you know you should use? But just not sure what to make with them? I was definitely in this predicament when it came to a can of cashews. Burken had received them as part of a grab bag gift for Christmas. I knew he wasn’t going to eat them, so they were allll for me.
The question was: what do I use these healthy fat nuts for? I could make cashew butter {which is beyond amazing btw, but a recipe for another day}. Or a silky cashew cream {another good one}, or I could use them with the mounds of extra dates I have lying around.
The last sounded like the best idea.
Dark Chocolate Cashew Truffles are Born
I knew I wanted to make this recipe super simple. Mainly because I had just spent time testing three different recipes that day and my will to keep baking was dwindling. I love to bake, so the fact that I was hitting this wall was a sign it was time to stop for the day. But that can of cashews were just staring at me. Saying, “you know you want to make a healthy treat out of me!” So I listened to the cashews. And boy am I glad I did!
With all of the dates I had on hand, I thought the two would pair really well together. Plus the bags of dark chocolate chips hiding in my pantry needed a home. What better way to combine all of these ingredients than in a truffle?
Truffles are usually made from some sort of blended ingredients, rolled into balls, chilled to harden, and then dipped in melted chocolate. Here was the simple recipe I needed!
Cashew Blitz
This recipe is so simple, you might not believe it. Just five ingredients are placed in a food processor. They include cashews {obviously}, dates {for natural sweetness}, cocoa powder {for chocolate-y goodness}, vanilla and salt. Blitz them until the dates and cashews are broken down.
They’ll look kind of crumbly at this point, but because of the fats and oils that are released from both the cashews and dates, they’ll still be easy to roll into balls. This whole part of the process takes 15 minutes.
Time Out
Now this is where you get 10 minutes to yourself. Stick the rolled balls into the freezer so that they’ll be easier to dip in the melted chocolate {clearly the best part}. At this time you can read for 10 minutes, scroll through your phone, or prep this super creamy vegan chocolate pudding.
Once the truffles are chilled, dip them in melted dark chocolate. I like to do this with a fork and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. They’ll come off the parchment paper a lot easier, and by using a fork, you shouldn’t end up with those odd looking truffles that have the pool of chocolate at the bottom {it’s happened to me a lot}.
Now you can enjoy a healthy after dinner snack that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Dark chocolate cashew truffles are rich in chocolate flavor, and just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy your after dinner {or lunch, or breakfast} sweet tooth.
- 1 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped*
- 1 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
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In the bowl of a food processor, add all ingredients except the dark chocolate chips.
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Blend on high speed until dates and cashews are completely broken down.**
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Roll the mixture into 20 balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
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Place the chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl and microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each, until completely melted.
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Dip the truffles in the melted dark chocolate and remove with a fork. Lightly shake off any excess chocolate and place back on the parchment paper lined baking sheet to harden.
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Place in an air tight container.
*If your dates are a bit dry, soak them in very hot water for 10-15 minutes until soft.
**The mixture will be a bit crumbly, not smooth, this is okay. The fats and oils that are released from the dates and cashews will make it easier to roll into balls.
