Healthy Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
These rich, fudgy truffles are full of peppermint flavor! Roll them in extra cocoa powder or confectioners' sugar for a pretty finishing touch. They'll keep for up to one week (if not longer!) if stored in the refridgerator in an airtight container.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (80g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- ½ cup (127g) unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tbsp (45mL) honey (see Notes!)
- ¼ tsp peppermint extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together all 4 ingredients. Chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days. (If chilling longer than 30 minutes, cover the bowl with foil, plastic wrap, or a lid.) Working with about a tablespoon at a time, roll the chocolate mixture into a ball, and place on wax paper or in individual mini muffin paper liners. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Be very careful and measure the cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Do NOT scoop it directly from the container. Too much cocoa powder will make your truffles taste bitter, rather than rich and chocolaty. It’ll also make the mixture too dry to roll into balls.
IMPORTANT MIXING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It takes some effort and patience to get all of the cocoa powder incorporated. Partway through, it’s going to look like there’s way too much cocoa powder and not enough liquid. Just keep stirring and mashing the mixture together with your fork. You can also switch to a spatula towards the end to get the last of the cocoa powder incorporated.
If at all possible, try to avoid adding extra honey. If the mixture is too wet or sticky, it’ll be really hard to roll it into balls, even after chilling.
However, if you still can’t incorporate all of the cocoa powder after a few minutes of mashing everything together with a fork and spatula, then add extra honey or milk (any type!) ½ teaspoon at a time, thoroughly mixing after each addition, until all of the cocoa powder can be incorporated.
COCOA POWDER NOTES: For the best results, use natural unsweetened cocoa powder (also called natural cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder) that’s made from 100% cacao (nothing else!). I use Hershey’s the most.
I don’t recommend substituting Dutched cocoa powder (also called “special dark” cocoa powder) because it has a different acidity level. It also has a different flavor that’s much more mild and muted, so your truffles won’t taste as rich or chocolaty if you substitute it.
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Pure maple syrup or agave may be substituted for the honey.
SUGAR FREE VERSION: I tried using this sugar free maple-flavored syrup, and it worked perfectly as a 1-for-1 substitute for the honey.
Alternatively, use ½ teaspoon of this liquid stevia + 3 tablespoons of milk in place of the honey. Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so you may need to add a different amount to achieve the same sweetness level, if you use something other than the liquid stevia that I recommend. However, cocoa powder masks some of stevia’s sweetness, so your truffles will taste darker and not as sweet if using stevia.
I haven’t yet tried other sugar free alternatives (such as monk fruit, monk fruit-based maple-flavored syrup, other sugar free syrups, erythritol, sucralose, etc). However, I’ll update this section when I do!
GLUTEN FREE VERSION: No modifications necessary.
DAIRY FREE, EGG FRE + VEGAN VERSION: Use pure maple syrup or agave in place of the honey.
HOW TO STORE: Store the truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to eat. They’ll keep for at least 1 week (if not longer — some of their shelf life depends on how fresh your applesauce is!).
{gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan, low fat, paleo, sugar free option, nut free option}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.