Any chocolate junkie knows… not all chocolate is created equal. There can be a huge difference in quality depending on the brand and the ingredients. There may not be sweets around my house too often, but when we do have dessert, I want it to be amazing!
Like my homemade chocolate recipe, it took some time to perfect these chocolate truffles. In fact it took several botched batches to get it right (of chocolate… that I had to eat… oh darn).
My kids will be sad that the truffle experimentation has now come to an end, but the recipe is now ready for its blog reveal!
What Is a Chocolate Truffle Made Of?
So how do they make chocolate truffles so deliciously smooth and silky? Despite the name it doesn’t involve actual truffles (although I do like chocolate and mushrooms together, surprisingly!). Unfortunately, it takes a few “mystery” ingredients I’d rather not eat.
The ingredient list of a popular store-bought truffle brand reads:
Dark Sweet Chocolate [sugar, chocolate,cocoa butter, skim milk, milkfat, soya lecithin (emulsifier), vanillin (artificial flavoring)], vegetable oil (coconut, palm kernel), sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milk, soya lecithin(emulsifier), barley malt, powder, artificial flavors
This brand actually isn’t as bad as it at least has sugar instead of corn syrup, but we avoid soy as much as possible and definitely avoid vegetable oil, processed sugar, and artificial flavors at all costs.
Thankfully there are plenty of ways to make your favorite recipes, even desserts, without all the junk. (Find all of my favorites in my cookbook.) Shockingly, pure cocoa powder, silky coconut oil, and fresh whipping cream from grass-fed cows make chocolate truffles that are much more delicious than the store-bought kind, and so much better for you.
Good Things Come in Small (Homemade) Packages
I was pretty happy serving my homemade chocolate recipe, but when Valentine’s Day rolled around I wanted to make something special for my husband. We tend to stay in and cook a special menu for this holiday and I thought it would be a nice nod to the whole chocolates-and-flowers thing. (I didn’t think he’d be much interested in the flowers!)
We don’t buy a lot of physical gifts, but when we do we buy quality items that really last and mean something. Making a “box” of chocolate just for him seemed like an economical way to add a thoughtful touch to any store-bought gifts we give. It was a hit… and now chocolate truffles are a tradition at many special holidays.
They are also really easy to package up to give as gifts. They can be made well ahead of time, just pop them in a pretty box and keep them in the fridge.
Bonus: the quality time I had making this recipe with the kids!
Decadent Chocolate Truffles (in Minutes)
To make these simple, but delicious truffles, I whisk warmed coconut oil and whipping cream into chocolate chips until they’re all melted. I chill the mixture for two hours until it’s firm, then scoop out spoonfuls with a melon baller and roll it into a ball. I sometimes add a couple drops of essential oil to flavor my truffles, especially if I’m making more than one batch and want a variety.
The classic coating for truffles is to simply roll them in cocoa powder. I shake them gently in a little sieve to remove the excess cocoa powder. Sometimes I roll them in shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or dip them in melted chocolate. If you choose to coat them in melted chocolate, return the balls to the fridge to chill before dipping, or they’ll melt.
These truffles are at least on the healthier end of the dessert scale. They are perfect for date nights, formal parties, or any time you want to make chocolate a little healthier.
Did I mention they are also super easy? Here’s how to make decadent chocolate truffles full of healthy fats:
Chocolate Truffles Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut oil (or butter)
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1¼ cups 70% or higher dark chocolate chips
- 2 drops essential oils (such as orange, mint, or lavender, optional)
Optional Coatings
- cocoa powder, chopped nuts, coconut, melted chocolate
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil or butter and heavy cream and bring to a strong simmer.
- Pour the chocolate chips into a medium-sized bowl and pour the hot oil/cream mixture over the chocolate.
- Whisk slowly to incorporate until chocolate is completely melted.
- Add 2-3 drops of mint, lavender, or orange essential oil if desired. (Mint is my favorite.)
- Put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- When the chocolate mixture has gotten firm, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out small amounts of the chocolate mixture.
- Roll into 1 inch balls using your hands and then roll in the desired topping. If coating in melted chocolate, return the rolled balls to the refrigerator until well chilled before dipping.
- Give to a special someone... or enjoy on your own!
Notes
Nutrition
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Have you ever tried to make your own chocolate truffles? How did it go? Let me know your favorite way to eat chocolate!
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Wow! These sound absolutely delish! I was looking for a simple Valentine’s day treat to prepare for my husband, and I think this is the one 🙂 Thanks so much!
Just made these fora coworkers B-day. The mix tastes delicious can’t wait for mine tomorrow. But, how do I keep from getting so much chocalte stuck to my hands and the scooper. There’s gotta be a cleaner way. I’m definitely making them again.
I would say instead of using a scoop use a tablespoon to scoop, then roll into a ball, then roll in topping of choice.
I made these the other night and was amazed at how easy they are. Not to mention delicious! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe for a healthy treat.
What do you recommend storing them in, and how long in advance can you make them?
Airtight in the fridge, they last about a week.
Looks delicious. So delicious that I,m afraid I would end up eating the lot and bingeing.
These look delicious! Thanks for sharing!
These look great – a healthy spin on one of my favorites, I love it!
Absolutely! I’m thinking Christmas present for family members. I’m going to try the coconut milk cream instead since I have family members with dairy allergies.
You think 1/2 coconut oil & 1/2 butter would taste good in this recipe?
I’ve used a mix and it still tastes great!
We can’t do dairy because it gives us nasal congestion. Do you think coconut milk would work?
Also there is no need for any sweetener? Thanks for the info Katie!
Unless you are using pure baking chocolate with no sweenener, the little sweeness from the coconut and the chocolate makes it just
sweet enough… in my opinion.
Instead of the heavy cream, just skim the thick part of the coconut milk off of a can of coconut milk (did that even make sense? when you open a can and it is separated, scoop off the top part). I’ve made them this way also and they seem just as good to me. Just make sure
to get the cream only, since the liquid part doesn’t incorporate as well.
Thanks Katie!
if you don’t do dairy (I don’t) the coconut milk works just great. This recipe looks good. If you don’t feel like trying to guess how to do it with coconut, go to NomNomPaleo and look in the recipes under NomNomTruffles. She uses coconut oil and coconut milk. delicious.