Chickpea Chocolate Truffles

Yield: about 60 truffles/nuggets

Ingredients

  • 1 regular size can unsalted chickpeas, well drained
  • 1 ½ cups oat bran (170 g/6 oz)
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • ½ cup maple syrup OR about 10 Medjools dates, pitted
  • ½ cup cocoa powder OR carob powder (about carob and where to purchase)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract 
  • ½ – ¾ cup chocolate chips, optional (about 85 g/3 oz)
  • 1 ½ cups chopped dry toasted pecans, optional (200 g/7 oz)
  • 1 ½ cups shredded coconut, optional (200 g/7 oz)
  • Crushed candy canes

Instructions

  1. Add to a food processor, chickpeas, nut butter, syrup, and vanilla. Process until well combined and creamy. If necessary, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  2. Add oat bran and cocoa powder. Process until all the dry ingredients are well incorporated, then if using add the chocolate chips. The dough is going to get very thick. 
  3. Use a tablespoon or a small cookie dough scooper, scoop a spoonful of dough and use your hands to roll into a ball. 
  4. Leave nuggets plain or if desired, roll into crushed nuts or shredded coconut. Freeze on a baking sheet. After frozen transfer nuggets to an airtight container and keep stored in the freezer. These can be enjoyed frozen. 

Notes – have fun with this

  • Chickpeas: ¾ cup dried chickpeas cooks up to about 10 oz cooked. This is about the same as a can of chickpeas after they are drained.
  • Oat bran: If you prefer you can use quick cooking rolled oats.
  • Nut butter: Have fun with this. Change the flavor by using different nut butters. Try peanut butter, almond, or a nut and seed butter. Tahini is also very nice.
  • Maple syrup substitute: If you prefer a natural sweetener use dates.  Use about 10-12 Medjool dates or about 20-25 Deglet Noor. This is about (250 g/8 to 9 oz) of dates. Make sure to remove the pits.
  • Toasted Pecans: AirFryer 3-5 minutes. Oven 350°F 5 – 10 minutes. Stir or shake pan occasionally. Be careful to not burn. Allow to cool before using. Use the time as a guideline as time will vary depending on how much you are toasting as well as the method you will be using.
  • Flavors and Textures: Experiment with peanuts, pecans, hazelnuts and coconut. Substitute vanilla with 1 tsp of chocolate, maple, hazelnut or peppermint extract. Bulk Barn has several flavors or find a Watkins dealer.