Raw Coconut & Berry Truffles.

raw & baked truffles.

I’ll admit I’m a sucker for anything coconut…or pink…or truffle shaped…so combine the three and you’ve got my perfect treat.

These truffles are really simple and I love them for that. Being so simple but having complex layers of flavor.

When I first made these they reminded me of those pink coconut twinkie kind of things that were in the checkout isle of the grocery store. I remember being fascinated by them when I was in there with my mom. Of course she never let me buy them but I think I conned my dad or nana into letting me get them once or twice. Sickeningly sweet, soft and fluffy. But it was the coconut that reeled me in. I loved it. So a chance to replicate that memory in a healthy way was welcomed, in my mind as well as my stomach.

You can also go in two directions with this recipe: raw or baked.

I love these raw but I love them equally baked. So try both ways and decide for yourself!

This recipe calls for freeze dried fruit, which I realize may not be available for everyone. I haven’t tried it yet with fresh fruit but I will soon, and I’ll post about it. Don’t be afraid to try! I buy just tomatoes for my daughter and they have much more than tomatoes; blueberries, cherries, banana, grapes (my personal favorite), raspberries, etc…they seem to be a good snack for the car (freeze dried = no juicy berries smushed into the floor mats) and seeing that we do a decent amount of road tripping, these are great to have on hand. Check the store locator on their website to find where you can buy them!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c unsweetened coconut flakes
3/4 c freeze dried fruit, I normally use cranberries and/or raspberries
3/4 c almond flour (make your own if you can’t find it; ground almonds in a food processor until very fine and flour like)
1/4 c raw agave syrup
1/4 c coconut oil
1/4 t vanilla bean seeds or 2 t vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

If baking, preheat oven to 190.
Add coconut and almond flour to a food processor. Process until very finely ground and evenly mixed, at least a full minute.
Add freeze dried fruit and pulse a few times to combine. You can leave the fruit as chunky as you like or process until it’s all finely ground.
Add your mixture to a mixing bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well with your hands.
When your dough is evenly combined, form balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. You should have 8-10 balls.

For raw truffles:
Roll in coconut and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For baking:
Bake for 45 minutes.
Let cookies cool. They are delicate to the touch until completely cooled so I would let them cool on the counter rather than a cooling rack.

Enjoy!