I make these treats every year for parties during the Christmas holidays. It is a family favorite that I have changed over the years to make healthier. My mom made these with confectioner’s sugar, cocoa, and walnuts. She would add bourbon or brandy and they were always placed next to the eggnog or mulled cider for guests to nibble on.
My family has been following a Whole Food Plant Based way of eating for the past five years. I have adapted many family favorite recipes due to this change but have maintained their delicious flavor. I call this a basic chocolate date ball recipe, because depending on your guests you may wish to exclude the alcohol.
You can store these treats in the freezer and pull them out when guest arrive. They taste good cold and keep for a longer time in the freezer.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 3 dozen
Ingredients:
2 cups of organic dates, pitted
3 cups of organic walnuts or almonds
2 organic bananas
2 tsp. vanilla or peppermint extract
1 cup organic cacao nibs
1/2 cup organic cacao powder
pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp ground cinnamon (consider omitting if using peppermint extract)
1 cup dried shredded organic coconut
1/4 cup bourbon or brandy (optional)
Directions
Gather together all your ingredients.
Soak the dates in hot water for a about 15 minutes if you are using dried dates. Once softened, pit them and remove the remnants of the stem.
While dates are soaking, pulse the walnuts or almonds until they are quite fine using a food processor.
Next add the nibs and pulse a few more times. Remove the mixture from the food processor.
Place the dates into the food processor and pulse several times until the mixture becomes a paste. Add the bananas, extract of choice, cacao powder, cinnamon, and sea salt and continue to pulse a few times.
Add 1/4 cup of brandy or bourbon if so desired. [Note: if you’re adding alcohol you’ll only need one banana.]
Add the date mixture to the nut mixture and stir to combine.
Using a heaping tablespoon, measure out equal amounts of the dough mixture and roll into balls the size of walnuts.
Have a cereal bowl ready with the coconut to roll each ball in coconut flakes until covered.
Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet and store in the freezer until you are ready to serve. These are fairly soft out of the freezer so they don’t need to defrost.
Notes: These chocolate date truffles are also great to have in the freezer for a quick source of energy after exercise.
Credit: Maryellen Stamos, Whole Food Plant Based Chef
Buon Appetito!
Dr. Vikki Petersen DC, CCN
IFM Certified Practitioner
Founder of HealthNOW Medical Center
Author of “The Gluten Effect”
Author of eBook: “Gluten Intolerance – What You Don’t Know May Be Killing You!”