Raw vegan peppermint chocolate truffle recipe packed with protein powder and sweetened with dates and creamy cashews! No-bake and super easy!
No bake, chocolate flavors, easy and super healthy! What more could a gal ask for?! And if you like peppermint and chocolate, be sure to also try out our Frozen Peppermint Hot Chocolate Smoothie and my dairy-free chocolate ganache.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 150 minutes on the card, which includes the 1 hour soak, 30 minute chill and 1 hour freeze
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 1 minute to melt the chocolate coating
- ⏳ Total Time: 151 minutes, mostly hands-off
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 truffles
- ⚡ Calories: 207kcal per truffle, with 7 grams of protein
- 🥣 Ingredients: 7 for the truffles (dates, cashews, water, peppermint extract, coconut flour, vegan protein powder, cocoa) plus a 4 ingredient coating
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, fudgy chocolate with cool peppermint, half rolled in cocoa and half dipped in chocolate
- ✋ Difficulty: Soak, blend, chill, roll, freeze, coat. No baking at all
Quick Answer
Soak 1 cup pitted dates and 1 cup raw cashews in 1 cup of filtered water for 1 hour, then drain and puree until smooth. Combine 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (or vanilla), ¼ cup coconut flour, ½ cup vegan vanilla protein powder and ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, add the date and cashew mixture, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Roll into 12 balls, set them on parchment, and freeze for 1 hour to harden. Coat half in a mix of cocoa powder and Stevia or confectioners sugar, and dip the other half in 1 cup of melted dairy-free chocolate chips with a few coarse salt crystals on top. Store in the refrigerator.
Jump to:
It is that moment when a sense of guilt rushes deep in your skin but the sensation overpowers it. When you know you shouldn't have "just one more" but you do anyway. And then it happens: you realize you have just eaten the entire tray of chocolates! That is exactly what happened after I made this batch of healthy chocolate truffles. The boys and I ate the entire tray in a day, ooops!
A few years ago when Chase was almost one we were attending a wedding in San Diego and the tables had the most gorgeous decadent little pieces of chocolate at each of the guests seats. They were in the shapes of flowers, presents, roses with lots of colors and details embellished on them. At the venue there was even a chocolate bar next to the wine bar!!!
My friend Meredith and I were both still nursing our littles at the time so we were in a phase where we could eat anything and burn it off with nursing! She had me laughing because she was going around to all the tables eating the chocolate to try every filling that was served. It became a guessing game of who gets the truffle filled ones... my favorite!
I'm not nursing anymore so surely eating a box of chocolates in one sitting will not come off my hips quite as quickly. The ingredients in this chocolate truffle recipe are totally guilt free and easy to prepare!
Why These Truffles Work
Click to see why it works
- Dates are the only sugar. The only sugar is from dates and the chocolate coating, if you use that.
- Soaking makes them creamy. Soak the dates and cashews in water for about an hour to soften them before blending them into a creamy mixture.
- Protein and healthy fats. They are packed with protein and healthy fats from coconut flour, vegan protein powder and cashews.
- Chilling makes them rollable. Refrigerate the mixture in a closed container for about 30 minutes to set before rolling into balls.
- Freezing keeps them together. Freeze the truffles for about 1 hour before coating, as this will help them stay together when they are dipped in melted chocolate.
- Two coatings, two moods. Half rolled in cocoa powder mix and half dipped in melted chocolate gives you a box with variety.
Why You'll Love These Truffles
- No bake and super easy, with no oven at all.
- Guilt free: sweetened with dates, packed with protein and healthy fats.
- 7 grams of protein in each 207 calorie truffle.
- Kid friendly. These are great to have on hand for healthy snacks in the kids' lunches.
- Holiday ready next to my pumpkin pie truffles and sugar cookie truffles.
Key Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates - the only sweetener in the truffle itself.
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews - soaked with the dates for a creamy base.
- 1 cup filtered water - for soaking.
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract - or vanilla extract. Chase does not prefer the peppermint flavor so I make these with vanilla extract for him.
- ¼ cup coconut flour - binds the mixture.
- ½ cup vegan vanilla protein powder - or whey or egg protein powder if not vegan.
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder - the rich chocolate flavor.
- For the coating - 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon Stevia or confectioners powder, 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips, and coarse salt crystals.
See recipe card for quantities.
Coating and Flavor Options
Usually when I make this chocolate truffle recipe I coat half of the truffles with cocoa powder mix and the other half dipped in melted chocolate. They are seriously so delicious and easy to make you won't even know they are good for you!
- Cocoa dusted - roll in 1 tablespoon cocoa powder mixed with 1 tablespoon Stevia or confectioners sugar.
- Chocolate dipped - dip in melted dairy-free chocolate chips and top with a few coarse salt crystals.
- Vanilla instead of peppermint - this peppermint chocolate truffle recipe can be made with vanilla extract in place of peppermint extract. We have made them both ways and both are amazing!
- Ganache dip - for an extra glossy coat, try my dairy-free chocolate ganache.
How to Make Chocolate Truffles
1Soak. Soak the dates and cashews in 1 cup of filtered water for 1 hour. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2Puree. After the cashews and dates have set for 1 hour, drain the water. Puree them until they are smooth.
3Mix and chill. In a large mixing bowl combine the peppermint extract (or vanilla extract), coconut flour, protein powder and ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder. Add the cashew and date mixture. Mix until combined. Cover and set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
4Roll and freeze. Roll into 12 balls using the palm of your hand and place on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Set the pan in the freezer for 1 hour to harden.
5Coat. Combine 1 tablespoon of Stevia powder or confectioners sugar and 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and coat 6 of the truffles. Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring to melt completely. Coat the other 6 truffles and add a few coarse salt crystals to the top to decorate.
6Store. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Do not skip the soak. An hour in water softens the dates and cashews so they blend creamy.
- Freeze before dipping. An hour in the freezer helps the truffles stay together in the melted chocolate.
- Melt chocolate in short bursts, 30 seconds to 1 minute, and stir to finish melting so it does not scorch.
- Roll with the palm of your hand into 1-inch balls for even, bite-size truffles.
- Keep them cold. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Healthy Truffles for the Holidays
These peppermint chocolate truffles are great to have on hand for healthy snacks in the kids' lunches, and they make a sweet homemade gift box for the holidays.
Also try these other truffle and candy recipes: Pumpkin Pie Truffles, Sugar Cookie Truffles, Irish Potato Candy and Coconut Mounds Balls.
For more no-bake snacks, see my no-bake protein balls and 5 minute protein energy bites.
Chocolate Truffle FAQs
The ingredients are totally guilt free. The only sugar is from dates and the chocolate coating, if you use that, and they are packed with protein and healthy fats from coconut flour, vegan protein powder and cashews.
No. This truffle recipe is completely no-bake. The mixture is chilled to set, rolled into balls, and frozen before coating.
Freezing the truffles for about 1 hour before coating helps them stay together when they are dipped in melted chocolate.
Yes. This peppermint chocolate truffle recipe can be made with vanilla extract in place of peppermint extract, and both ways are amazing.
A vegan vanilla protein powder keeps them vegan, or use whey or egg protein powder if you are not vegan.
Store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
More Truffles and Candy
Also try these other truffle and candy recipes: Pumpkin Pie Truffles, Sugar Cookie Truffles, Irish Potato Candy and Coconut Mounds Balls. I hope you enjoy these healthy peppermint chocolate truffles! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Chocolate Truffle Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract or can use vanilla extract
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup vegan vanilla protein powder whey or egg protein powder if not vegan
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate Coating
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon Stevia powder or confectioners powder
- 1 cup chocolate chip morsels dairy-free
- coarse salt crystals
Instructions
- Soak the dates and cashews in 1 cup of filtered water for 1 hour. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- After the cashews and dates have set for 1 hour, drain the water. Puree them until they are smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the peppermint extract (or vanilla extract), coconut flour, protein powder and ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder. Add the cashew and date mixture. Mix until combined. Cover and set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Roll into 12 balls using the palm of your hand and place on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Set the pan in the freezer for 1 hour to harden.
- For the coating: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon of Stevia powder or confectioners sugar and 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder. Coat 6 of the truffles in the cocoa powder and set back on the pan. In a small heat proof bowl heat in the microwave 1 cup of chocolate chips for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Mix to melt completely. Coat the other 6 truffles with the melted chocolate and set on the pan to cool. Add a few coarse salt crystals to the top to decorate.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
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