For someone who likes to indulge in chocolatey treats, the past couple weeks are maybe the most tempting of the entire year. Cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar have been everywhere and the consumption of baked Christmas cookies has reached an all-time high.

To balance out all the sugar you probably have inhaled this month, why not try a simple but delicious sugar and gluten free vegan treat? These chocolate balls are super easy to whip up and also make the perfect home-made gift. Of course you can also keep them to yourself, but Christmas is the time to share with others, right?

You basically only need dates and raw cacao powder. I would recommend getting semi-dry organic dates, since they are aromatic, soft, chewy and sweet. There are more than a thousand varieties of dates out there so selecting the right kind can be overwhelming. Try Deglet Noor dates or Honey dates. Both work great for this recipe and are a melt-in-your-mouth treat.
Dates are a great source for instant energy and also contain potassium, which can help to balance the fluids within your body. Additionally they will give you a ton of iron, an essential mineral, and protein, which your body uses to build and repair tissue.

Cacao is rich in antioxidants, which help you to remove free radicals from your bloodstream, and magnesium, which can reduce muscle tension and even improve sleep. This makes it a great addition to your daily bedtime routine. Make sure to use organic raw cacao powder and try to stay away from any instant hot chocolate cacao-mixes.

Raw Vegan Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients

2 cups of organic, soft dates
2-3 tablespoons raw cacao powder and additional cocoa powder for coating the truffles

Method

1.  Add your dates and cacao powder to a high power blender or food processor and blend them until you reach a smooth consistency. Make sure that everything is well mixed together and not sticking to the sides of your blender.
2. With a spoon, take the mixture out of the blender and roll them into small balls and place them on a baking sheet. Your hands will be sticky so if you don’t like that feeling, wear some one-time gloves or coat your hands with coconut oil.
3. Coat the balls in cacao powder and roll them around until they are all evenly covered
4.  Put the balls inside your refrigerator and let them firm up for at least an hour
5.  Store them in an airtight container

Since these truffles are so fast and easy to make, feel free to add any other ingredients you enjoy with your chocolate! You can try coconut oil, mint essence, orange zest, chilli powder or even a tiny bit of mulled wine. As long as you make sure to keep the consistency sticky but not to wet, you can be extremely creative! Try coating them with chai powder, chopped nuts, coconut flakes, a pinch of vanilla sugar or sea salt for extra flavor.

Have fun with these!