I used to think truffles were complicated. I used to think they required candy thermometers and careful attention and Maldon sea salt and only the finest and most expensive ingredients available. I thought they simply weren’t for me.
I was wrong.
It all starts with date caramel. Have you tried the stuff? If not, YOU HAVEN’T LIVED.
Sticky medjool dates pitted and processed then spiked with sea salt for flavor balance. Raw salted vegan caramel. Yes, please.
Up next? Use a melon baller or a measuring spoon to scoop out truffle shapes (or roll them with your hands!). Then freeze before drizzling with creamy, salted peanut butter. Now we’re getting somewhere.
Last but not least? Dunk those babies in dairy-free dark chocolate and sprinkle with a touch more sea salt. A quick trip to the fridge or freezer and these gems are ready for fast and immediate consumption.
Watch yourself, they’re dangerously good.
You guys are going to FLIP over these truffles. They’re:
Crunchy on the outside
Creamy on the inside
Chocolate-y
Caramel-y
Peanut butter-y
Perfectly salty-sweet
Simple
Decadent
& Intensely satisfying
After sampling my first two I promptly hauled these down to the office staff in our apartment building. Otherwise? These would’ve been gone in an hour. So tasty!
If you give these truffles a go, be sure to snap a pic and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see how yours came out! We love seeing which recipes you try and love. Cheers, friends!
5-Ingredient Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles
5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Salted Caramel Truffles made with raw vegan caramel, salted peanut butter, and melted dark chocolate. Crunchy on the outside, perfectly creamy and salty-sweet on the inside. Print SAVE SAVED
from votes Prep Time 2 hours Cook Time 3 minutes Total Time 2 hours 3 minutes Servings 20 (truffles)Course DessertCuisine Gluten-Free, VeganFreezer Friendly 2-3 WeeksDoes it keep? 1 Week
Prevent your screen from going dark
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric1 pound medjool dates* (pitted)1/2 tsp sea salt (more for topping)1/4 cup natural salted peanut butter (creamy is best, but crunchy works, too)1 heaping cup dairy-free bittersweet or dark chocolate (chopped)1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
Instructions
If your dates aren’t sticky and super moist when squeezed, soak in hot water for 10-15 minutes to soften. Then drain thoroughly and pit. Otherwise, just pit and add to food processor.Blend/pulse your dates until they form a loose “dough.” Mine usually turns into a ball, which is what you’re going for.If it’s not quite combining, drizzle in a tiny bit of warm water – 1 tsp at a time – scraping down sides as needed, and mix until a rough paste or ball forms. If you add too much water it will be difficult to handle them later as they won’t freeze up well.Lastly, add sea salt and mix once more to incorporate. Taste and adjust saltiness level if desired.Using a small melon baller or a Tablespoon and finger, scoop out small balls and roll/form them into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 20-30 minutes to set.In the meantime, drizzle on peanut butter until the top is coated. If your peanut butter is super firm and not spreadable (meaning it’s either dry or not the natural variety), add it to a small mixing bowl with 1/2 TBSP coconut oil (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and microwave to melt (or heat in a small saucepan). Stir to combine, then proceed as instructed.Freeze again for another 15-20 minutes, or until the peanut butter has formed a semi-firm “shell.”Warm the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments with coconut oil.Remove truffles from freezer and, using a fork, scoop truffles up and quickly immerse in chocolate, using a small spoon to drizzle chocolate evenly on top. Then gently shake off excess chocolate and place back on parchment-lined baking sheet. Alternatively, you could place the truffles on a fork and drizzle the tops with chocolate. Freeze to set again, then dip the bottoms in chocolate and place on parchment to cool. This achieves less of a “shell” and more of a drizzled effect.Top truffles with a small sprinkle of sea salt (optional), and repeat until all truffles are coated.Place back in freezer or fridge to set – about 30 minutes. Set out from the the freezer or fridge to serve. For softer truffles, let come to room temperature.Store in a freezer-safe container in the fridge or freezer to keep fresh. Makes about 20 truffles as original recipe is written.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Date caramel inspiration from SideSaddle Kitchen (<- love that lady)
*1 ½ cups packed, pitted dates yields ~1 pound.
Nutrition (1 of 20 servings)
Serving: 1 truffle Calories: 156 Carbohydrates: 25 g Protein: 2.1 g Fat: 6.1 g Saturated Fat: 3.3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 98 mg Fiber: 2.9 g Sugar: 20.5 g