Once again I’ve taken inspiration from the free foodie magazine, Edible OKC (Chocolate Rose Truffles) for these ridiculously easy and happily healthy chocolate orange truffles. I went with bright orange flavor instead of rose and swapped out the tahini for black beans. Scout’s honor, you won’t taste the black beans. The beans give these treats an incredibly soft and creamy texture. Best thing to love about this recipe, though – it comes together in minutes for near instantaneous sweet-craving gratification.
I use Boyajian orange oil and NuNaturals Cocoa Dutch Process powder. I’ve made these with raw cacao powder as well and they’re delicious, but I think the Dutch process cocoa dials up the rich chocolate flavor to number 11. I’ve included a mint version, too – you’ll find it in the Notes section of the recipe.
And – – if you love tea as much as I do, please check out my new e-book, TEAse Me: 15 Tempting Plant-based Recipes Inspired By the World’s Favorite Beverage. You can get it absolutely FREE by subscribing to An Unrefined Vegan (see the form on the left side bar) or you can purchase it here for $5.99. Yummy recipes, lots of photos, tea quotes, and some thoughts on tea.
- 10 Medjool dates, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
- 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup salt-free canned black beans, rinsed well and drained
- 1/8 tsp. orange oil
- zest from one medium-sized orange
- 2 Tbsp. cacao powder
- 1/8 tsp. powdered cardamom
- 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. powdered ginger
- Place the chopped dates, orange juice and maple syrup in the bowl of a food processor. Process until dates are broken down and the mixture is mostly smooth.
- Add the cocoa powder through the orange oil and process again, stopping the machine and stirring a few times to make sure the ingredients are fully incorporated. The mixture will be thick and very sticky. Add the orange zest and pulse a few times. Scrape the truffle mixture into a small bowl.
- In another small bowl or small plate, whisk together the 2 tablespoons cacao powder and spices.
- Working w/ damp/wet hands, form small balls - about 18 - and roll them into the cacao powder/spices mixture. Place truffles on parchment paper in an air-tight container. Keep refrigerated.
- MAKE THEM MINTY!
- - replace the orange juice with non-dairy milk
- - replace the orange oil with 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract + 5 drops peppermint-flavored stevia liquid (if you don't have peppermint stevia, just omit)
- - for dusting, just use cacao powder; don't add the spices
- This is a very sticky dough. I find that chilling the dough for a few hours helps reduce the stickiness a tad.
- You can use cacao or regular cocoa powder in place of the Dutch process, but I think the chocolate flavor is much richer.
- If you use another type of date, you may need to increase the number. Medjools are particularly large and sweet.
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Bet these didn’t last long past your photos
And the beans are such a great base with the dates, I have to try these out just to try the ginger added to the dusting, love that idea. I’ve gone the oil free route as well so these really have my chocolate y orange name on them !!
So easy to switch up the flavors, too!
These are stunning Annie and I’m dying over the addition of the ginger on the coating. I LOVE ginger and that is such an amazing idea!
These look unreal! Never thought about making energy balls/truffles with black beans, but I certainly will now!
Thanks, Kelly! You can really get creative – so many flavor options!
I’ve been seeing more and more dessert recipes with black beans as an ingredient! I’m very curious if you can taste the bean flavor. BTW: I subscribed, but don’t know how I get the book?!
Hi Nora! You absolutely do not taste the beans – I promise! As for the e-book, you’ll get an email asking if you are sure that you want to subscribe to the site and then another email with a download link. If you DON’T get the email(s) please let me know and I’ll get it to you another way. THANKS for subscribing!
Well now I’m excited to try them!! I subscribed some time ago. Maybe I accidentally deleted the email with the download link because I don’t see it.. : /
Sounds so good and easy to make, but one Q bother me: why does it matter to choose Dutch (or dutched) cacao powder?
Regular cocoa powder or raw cacao powder both work beautifully in this recipe. I just found that the Dutch process makes for a deeper chocolate flavor.
Ah, you’re right, it makes sense, since raw and untreated cacao doesn’t have that “chocolate” taste we got used too. I love the raw cacao but it can indeed have too nutty a flavour for the expected result. Thank you 🙂
A very unique recipe using beans in here to make it more healthy! They look irresistible too!
fab photos! xxxx MMMMMM!
Chocolate and orange are a DIVINE flavor combo…I can’t believe I never thought to pair them up for a truffle! This is going on my Halloween Bash menu for sure. Thank you!
Yay! Thanks, Melissa!