Raw Almond-Chocolate Truffles (with a Secret Ingredient!)
These raw almond-chocolate truffles come together in about 15 minutes from just five ingredients, no baking and no refined sugar. You blend leftover almond pulp with dates, carob, and a touch of rum extract into a sticky paste, then wrap it around a whole grape and roll it in carob powder. The grape is the secret ingredient, and it is what makes every bite moist and juicy inside.
I am simply in love with raw desserts! Every time I enjoy a raw vegan delicacy, I don’t feel guilty at all. Yes, I know they have a fairly high caloric content, but let’s be serious: does that really matter when you know you’re feeding your body with so many essential nutrients? I usually make raw truffles out of leftover almond pulp, and this time I decided to combine them with carob to get an appearance similar to chocolate truffles. And I added a secret ingredient. It may seem like a strange combination, but I guarantee you that it is absolutely delicious!
The five ingredients, and why each one matters
This is a short list, so each ingredient is doing real work. Here is what to look for and why it belongs in the bowl:
- Almond pulp is the base. It is the leftover from making almond milk at home, so this recipe is a perfect way to use it instead of throwing it out. The pulp still holds plenty of almond flavour and fibre, and it gives the truffles their tender, slightly grainy body.
- Pitted dates are the only sweetener and also the glue. Soft, sticky varieties like Medjool blend into a smoother paste; if your dates are dry, soak them in warm water for a few minutes and drain before blending.
- Carob powder stands in for cocoa. It is naturally sweet, caffeine-free, and gives that chocolate-like colour and aroma. One spoon goes into the paste and the rest is used for coating.
- Rum extract is a small amount that deepens the flavour and gives these the grown-up, truffle-shop taste.
- Whole grapes are the secret ingredient hidden in the centre. As you bite in, the grape bursts with juice, so the truffle is moist and refreshing rather than dense.
Starting with leftover almond pulp
Since this recipe uses the pulp left over from homemade almond milk, here is how to get it: soak raw almonds in water for 8 to 12 hours or overnight, drain and rinse them, then blend with fresh water and strain. The liquid is your almond milk, and the pulp caught in the strainer is exactly what you need here. If you also make plant milks from other ingredients, the same use-the-pulp idea applies, so it is worth saving. While you are experimenting with homemade plant milks, check out my oat milk recipe and rice milk recipe too.
Tips for perfect truffles every time
- Blend the paste until it is smooth and sticky enough to hold together when pressed. If it feels too crumbly, add one more date; if it is too wet to roll, add a little extra carob powder.
- Pat the grapes dry before wrapping them so the paste sticks to them instead of sliding off.
- Use small grapes for a one-bite truffle and seedless ones so there is nothing to spit out.
- Roll the coated balls firmly in your palms to seal any cracks, then finish with a generous coat of carob powder so the outside reads as chocolate.
Storing them and more raw treats to try
Because there is a fresh grape tucked inside, these are best eaten the day you make them, or within a day or two. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge; the cold firms up the paste and keeps the grape crisp. I would not freeze these, since the grape goes watery once it thaws. If you fall for the no-bake truffle habit the way I have, try my creamiest raw chocolate truffles, these carob and hemp protein truffles, or the fruity raw avocado truffles. And when you want a bigger chocolate fix, my roundup of the most decadent chocolate desserts has plenty of ideas.
If you make these little grape-centred truffles, I would love to know whether you guessed the secret ingredient before you bit in. Leave a star rating and a comment below to tell me how they turned out, and share any twist you tried on the coating.
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Raw Almond-Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond pulp leftover from making almond milk
- 6 dates pitted
- ½ tsp rum extract
- 15 grapes this is the secret ingredient! You'll love how moist and juicy these truffles will be!
- 3 tbsp carob powder
Instructions
- Add the following ingredients in the food processor: almond pulp, dates, rum extract, 1 tbsp carob powder.
- Blend well until you get a smooth, sticky paste.
- Add the mix in a medium bowl.
- In a separate plate, add the remaining 2 tbsp of carob powder. You’ll use this as coating.
- Start making the bonbons! Take 1 grape and cover it with the sticky paste. Roll it in your hands to form small, round balls. Coat the candy with carob powder and set aside. Repeat process.
- See how simple it was? Just place them in the fridge or eat them right away! YUM!
Frequently Asked Questions
The secret ingredient is a whole grape hidden in the center of each truffle. As you bite in, the grape bursts with juice, which keeps the truffles moist and refreshing instead of dense. Use small, seedless grapes for the best one-bite result.
Yes. Every ingredient is plant-based: almond pulp, pitted dates, rum extract, grapes, and carob powder. There is no dairy, egg, or honey, and the dates are the only sweetener, so they are naturally refined-sugar-free as well.
You can, but it changes the recipe in two ways. Cocoa is more bitter and not raw, so it will taste more like dark chocolate and you may want to add an extra date to balance it. Carob keeps the truffles caffeine-free, naturally sweeter, and fully raw.
These truffles are one of the best uses, since the pulp is the main base. Almond pulp still holds flavour and fibre, so it also works in raw cookies, energy balls, and crusts. Save it in the fridge for a day or two, or freeze it if you are not using it right away.
Because there is a fresh grape inside, they are best eaten the same day or within a day or two. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, which firms up the paste and keeps the grape crisp. Freezing is not recommended, as the grape turns watery once it thaws.
If the paste is too crumbly to hold together, blend in one more date for stickiness. If it is too wet to roll, add a little extra carob powder until it shapes easily. Aim for a smooth, sticky paste that presses cleanly around the grape.
Yummy and great idea with the grapes!
I loved the “secret ingredient”! Makes them so fresh and delicious. Keep up the good job! 😉
Glad you liked the recipe! 🙂
Le-am incercat si eu acu vreo 2 luni. Doar ca eu am pus si ceva fulgi de ovaz si merisoare. Sunt geniale.
Ma bucur mult ca ti-au placut! Cu merisoare intradevar sunt delicioase! 🙂
hello
i would love to make those yumiii balls but i’m not sure, what that nuts pulp is?! can you help me? is this just shredded nuts? i have no clue.
thank you for answering and sharing your great recipes.
valeria
Hi Valeria! I’m glad you like them. I used almonds pulp – you can make this by putting the almonds in your food processor and shred them. Hope this helps! 😉
Oooh I really want to make these but i haven’t got into making milks yet – is there anything i could use instead of almond pulp?
I think you can use any type of nuts pulp like coconut, cashews, macadamia, walnuts etc. anything you like 🙂
Oh my, this is brilliant! Abia astept sa incerc 🙂
Mersi! Ieri am facut iar lapte de migdale asa ca o sa mai fac inca o varianta de bombonele raw in curand 🙂