So, Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays filled with sweets. Chocolate seems to be everywhere lately: I can’t avoid it as hard as I want to try doing so. It’s time to take action: today I have some healthy peanut butter and jelly chocolate truffles that are satisfying my sweet tooth without adding the extra guilt afterwards.
Here’s the thing: I’m not against chocolate. I eat it every day pretty much. I LOVE a delicious chocolate truffle. But the reality is I can’t eat them every single day. Every night after dinner I tend to get a hankering for some sort of sweet dessert treat, and these healthier chocolate truffles are the perfect solution for me. They are so easy to put together, they taste delicious, and if you’re not careful your husband will end up eating all of them before you really have a chance. Yep. That’s the way it goes in our household.
I love that these truffles are made from all natural ingredients: oats, dried fruit, peanut butter…what’s not to like right off the bat? The ingredients are pulsed together, rolled into balls, and then gently rolled in cocoa powder. It’s quite simple, and the end result is really a great trick for your eyes. I mean: would you know that these aren’t traditional chocolate truffles at first glance? The dusting of cocoa powder on the outside just adds an extra touch of fanciness to them.
You can make a big batch of these truffles and freeze half of them for later if desired…or just keep them in the refrigerator for a few days if you plan on consuming them all quickly. And they don’t just have to be for dessert: I actually grab one or two after a workout as a little energy booster. Yum!
So, I won’t be completely swearing off the REAL chocolate truffles any time in the future, but these little bites are seriously satisfying. Healthy chocolate truffles? Yes, please!
- 2½ cups rolled oats
- 2 cups dried currants
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- Additional cocoa powder, for dusting/rollilng
- Add oats, currants, dried cranberries, peanut butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons cocoa powder into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. You may need to add about ¼ - ½ cup of warm water (gradually) to the mixture in order for it to turn to the proper texture for rolling.
- Cover the bottom of a pie plate (or other dish) with cocoa powder.
- Use a small cookie scoop (or teaspoon) to scoop a ball of the mixture. Roll the ball lightly between your hands, then gently roll it in the cocoa powder to coat.
- Place on a plate or tray lined with wax paper. Continue scooping until all of the mixture is in ball shapes and are coated with cocoa powder.
- Chill bites in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then, place into an airtight container until ready to serve. Keep chilled, or freeze for up to one week - enjoy!
I love making energy balls! I really like that you didn’t use dates to sweeten and bind these together, the currants and cranberries sound great!