Vegan Truffles
Treat yourself (or someone special) to heavenly vegan chocolate truffles! Made with only 4 simple ingredients, plus your favorite toppings, these indulgent treats are perfect for any occasion — from holidays to a simple chocolate craving fix.
As a vegan food enthusiast, I adore this recipe for its seamless blend of rich chocolate and natural sweetness from Medjool dates.
Looking for guilt-free treats? This one satisfies chocolate cravings and your commitment to plant-based eating.
If you love vegan chocolate sweets, you’ll want to make these Peanut Butter Balls Dipped in Chocolate!
What are Vegan Truffles?
At the very core, these truffles offer a ganache center (chocolate melted with cream). I’ve shared an assortment of vegan ganache recipes, including this vegan chocolate pie.
Of course, we’ll roll this “ganache” into balls and various toppings, like nuts, sprinkles, and more. That’s what makes chocolate truffles so unique!
Reader Reviews
★★★★★
Deanna
These truffles are so smooth and chocolatey! I made a double batch for the holidays!
Ingredients & Substitutes
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Let’s talk about the ingredients for chocolate truffles.
- Unsweetened Chocolate Squares: Look for unsweetened chocolate bars in the baking aisle of your grocery store. Substitution: Vegan chocolate chips.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk: Opt for canned full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest texture. Substitution: I’ve seen some oat milks described as “creamy” that have a higher fat content. I believe these would work. Or dairy-free creamers might work too.
- Medjool Dates: Choose soft and moist Medjool dates from the produce section. Substitution: Maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Extract: Find coconut extract in the baking aisle. Substitution: Vanilla extract. Another delicious flavoring is to add a teaspoon (or a tablespoon if it’s your thing) of rum (or rum extract) to make rum-flavored truffles.
- Toppings: We’ll roll these vegan truffles in a variety of toppings, from cocoa powder to chopped nuts, and even sprinkles.
Buying Guide: When purchasing unsweetened chocolate squares, ensure they are free from dairy products, as some brands may contain milk solids.
How to Make Vegan Truffles
- Chop the unsweetened chocolate squares into small pieces.
- Heat the full-fat coconut milk and pitted Medjool dates in a blender until smooth.
- Combine the chocolate and coconut date mixture, then refrigerate until firm.
- Scoop and roll the chilled mixture into truffle balls.
- Roll the truffles in your favorite toppings and refrigerate until set.
Discover more about the health benefits of dark chocolate and why it’s a fantastic ingredient for vegan desserts in this informative article on Healthline.
Marly’s Tips
- Use a serrated knife for easier chopping of the chocolate squares.
- For a smoother texture, heat the coconut milk and dates in the microwave or on the stove before blending.
- If your dates are older and/or dried out, heat them in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds. Or let them sit in hot water for 10 minutes.
- Rolling Tip – If the chocolate is too soft to roll, transfer the pan to the fridge for 30 minutes. Then re-roll the balls after they’re chilled.
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- Flavor Explosion: These vegan chocolate truffles deliver a flavor explosion with every bite, making them an instant crowd favorite.
- Easy Peasy: Whip up these delectable treats effortlessly, thanks to minimal ingredients.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a holiday celebration or a simple indulgence, these vegan truffles are the perfect sweet addition to any occasion.
Truffle Toppings
Roll those truffle balls in your favorite toppings.
Here are some of the best toppings for vegan truffles:
- Cocoa powder — Take a more natural look with simple cocoa powder.
- Nuts — Use finely chopped nuts, like walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, etc.
- Himalayan Salt — Combining chopped almonds with Himalayan salt is so good!
- Coconut flakes — Pulse coconut flakes in a food processor to make them smaller.
- Cookie crumbs — Crumble Oreos to add a sweet touch and crunchy texture.
- Sprinkles — Get festive by making colorful truffles dipped in sprinkles. It can be a lot of fun!
- Chocolate — Dip ganache balls in melted dark chocolate and set them on a waxed paper-lined pan to dry.
Storage Tips
Store the truffles in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
Frequently-Asked Questions
Why are they called Truffles?
These small chocolate confections are often unevenly shaped and, when dipped in cocoa powder, resemble the expensive delicacy truffles (a fungus) that grow near the base of trees.
Are truffles vegan?
Most typical truffles are not vegan because they’re made with dairy. However, it’s very easy to make your own truffles without dairy!
Can vegans eat dark chocolate?
Vegans can eat any chocolate as long as it’s made without dairy or other animal products. High-quality dark chocolate with more than 50% chocolate is a great option. Always read the labels to ensure it’s made without dairy.
Vegan Chocolate Balls
If you love these vegan cocoa truffles, here are even more vegan truffle recipes to enjoy:
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Chocolate Vegan Truffles
Ingredients
For the Ganache:
- 8 ounces Unsweetened chocolate squares (see note)
- 1 ¼ cups full fat coconut milk (see note)
- 1 cup Medjool dates (8 – 12 dates, pitted)
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract (or vanilla)
- Topping ideas: cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, shredded coconut, sprinkles. (see note)
Instructions
- Chop unsweetened chocolate squares into small pieces. Transfer to a heat-resistant bowl.
- Shake a can of room-temperature coconut milk to distribute the fat equally. Measure 1 ¼ cups. Add to a blender.
- Remove the pits from the dates and add them to the blender. Note: If your dates are older and thus dried, heat them in the microwave for a few seconds. Or let them sit in hot water for 10 minutes.
- Pulse the coconut milk and dates together, scraping the sides of the blender jar as needed. Continue this process until the mixture is relatively smooth.
- Heat coconut date mixture for 1 minute, then pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1-3 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Refrigerate mixture for 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Scoop chilled mixture, shape into balls, and place onto a parchment paper-lined pan.
- Roll balls in desired toppings like cocoa powder or chopped nuts.
- Store truffles in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Recommended Equipment
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Video
Notes
- Unsweetened chocolate: Opt for high-quality, 100% dark chocolate, available in the baking aisle. Chop for faster melting.
- Coconut milk: Use canned coconut milk with at least 12g of fat or more, also known as coconut cream.
- Flavorings: Experiment with raspberry, hazelnut, vanilla, coffee, mint, orange extracts, or liquor for variety.
- Topping options: Choose from cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, Himalayan salt, cookie crumbs, sprinkles, or melted chocolate for coating. See post for dipping truffles in chocolate.
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2009 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2020.
These truffles are so smooth and chocolatey! I made a double batch for the holidays!
Okay, these sound delicious and I don’t really even care for truffles! Maybe I should try the vegan version…although I don’t really need any additional food addictions! =)
Mindy
So glad you like these! I agree with you, life’s too short, we should enjoy good food!