Our new favorite fudgy, not-too-sweet truffles are inspired by a similar treat from Margalaxy in Portland, Oregon. They’re creamy and complex thanks to the inclusion of tahini, bitter and chocolaty because of cocoa powder, and dates lend the perfect texture and sweetness.
These seriously snack-able truffles disappeared quickly in the test kitchen. And they’re SO easy to make — just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes required! Let’s do this!
These incredibly delicious, incredibly EASY chocolate tahini truffles come together with just 5 wholesome ingredients: dates, tahini, cocoa powder, vanilla, and sea salt.
First, we break up the dates in a food processor, ensuring no chunks of dates end up in these smooth, creamy truffles. Then we add the remaining ingredients and process again until well combined.
Truffles are then mere minutes away! Simply roll into balls and enjoyment awaits! For a pretty appearance, you can coat them in optional sesame seeds.
We can’t wait for you to try these chocolate tahini truffles! They’re:
Rich
Fudgy
Chocolaty
Date-sweetened
Balanced yet decadent
& SO delicious!
These truffles are the perfect healthier dessert or quick snack to make ahead and enjoy throughout the week. They would also keep well in the freezer if you decide you want to have them around at all times (and the odds of that are high!).
More Simple Date-Sweetened Treats
- 5-Ingredient No-Bake Cookie Energy Bites
- No-Bake Carrot Cake Bites
- 3-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
- 5-Ingredient Vegan Gluten-Free Cookies
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
5-Ingredient Chocolate Tahini Truffles
Ingredients
TRUFFLES
- 1 cup lightly packed medjool dates*, pitted (measured after pitting)
- 1/2 cup tahini, unsalted and smooth (see our tahini review for our favorite brands)
- 3 Tbsp cocoa powder (or sub cacao powder)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
COATING optional
- 3 Tbsp black and/or white sesame seeds*
Instructions
- If your dates are especially hard/dry, soak them in warm water for 5 minutes, then drain well and proceed with the recipe.
- To a food processor, add pitted dates and process until broken down and the dates have formed a “date ball” — about 1 minute. Break the “date ball” up into smaller pieces, then add the tahini, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Process until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed to incorporate the cocoa powder, about 30 seconds total. Be careful not to over-process, or it will get very oily.
- Taste and adjust as needed, adding more cocoa powder for chocolate flavor or tahini for richness — we added a little more of each.
- Place a small plate or dish nearby for your truffles and, if desired, add sesame seeds (we used a mix of black and white) to a small mixing bowl. Then, using a 1 – 1 ½ Tbsp scoop (we like this one), form the mixture into balls and drop them into the sesame seeds. Roll them around to fully coat, then shake off any loose seeds.
- Enjoy right away or place finished truffles on your plate or dish and transfer to the refrigerator to firm up (aim for at least 30 minutes for best texture). Enjoy! Leftover truffles keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 1 month (or longer).
Video
Notes
*Inspired by Margalaxy’s Halva Balls in Portland, OR.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Andrea says
Utterly simple to make, but so decadent and nutritious! Tahini and dates are a match made in heaven. Only annoying part for me was taking pits out of dates, but just make it a mini meditation.
Love it! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Andrea!
I.Lima says
Amazing!!! I’m a HUGE fan of tahini and especially halvah and haven’t always been able to find healthy trans fat free versions where I live….
OMG I made these and are with fresh strawberries as a power snack for my 12 hour shift- satisfied my sweet tooth and definitely curbed my hunger. I’ve shared with friends and family and everyone wants the recipe.
These are an especially nourishing and decadent snack for my moontime…. Sesame is so healthy and the cocoa just tastes so right ;)
We’re so glad you enjoy these truffles! Thank you for sharing! xo
Arvis says
Delicious! What an easy yummy treat to make. I will make these for the holidays! I rolled a few in rainbow nonpareils to jazz them up. Works well. Maybe try gold for the holidays.
Thank you for for this recipe! Oh! And they’re good for you too! Yay!
Fun! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Arvis. Thank you for sharing! xo
Lydia says
Can any type of dates be used for this. I’m trying to use up a bag of deglet noor.
Hi Lydia, we prefer medjool, but deglet noor would also work!
Corelia says
This is amazing!! I have made this ~6-7 times already, and while the tahini flavor was something I was unused to at the beginning, I have really come to love it! :) My favourite version of this I have made so far has been to reduce the salt by a little & to roll the balls in sesame seeds. I also always use blended cacao nibs instead of cocoa powder, and I never seem to have vanilla on hand, so I’ve never used it for this recipe & it’s always been delicious. :) A tip I have found for anyone who’s interested: instead of spending so much time rolling out all the balls, I discovered that you can press the mixture into a dish (a double recipe fits nice into an 8×8″ glass container) and sprinkle a bunch of sesame seeds over top. As long as you press it firmly down and wait a few hours until it sets, it cuts really cleanly without any crumbling edges whatsoever. Anywho, thanks MB for this simple recipe- I will be making it lots I’m sure! ;)
Amazing! Love your creative modification for making it even simpler. Thank you for sharing, Corelia! xo
Jessica says
Delicious!! I added a few Tbs of almond flour after reading the comments and they were wonderful. Even better after a couple hours in the fridge. Coated some with sesame seeds and some with coconut. Yum!!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Jessica. Thank you for sharing! xo
M says
I love this recipe! I made mine with black tahini and wholemeal sesame seeds because that’s all I had in the house. Delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thank you for sharing! xo
Aisha says
So delicious! Best date based balls I’ve made for sure. I used dutch processed cocoa powder which I think really put them over the top. And make sure not to skip the pinch of salt, it really makes a difference!
Whoop! We’re so glad this one is a favorite for you, Aisha. Thank you for sharing! xo
Scott Himmel says
These are delicious! Dana, any suggestions for how to make them less oily? I thought maybe oat flour? Thanks!
We’re glad you enjoy them, Scott! We think almond flour would be the best option, though oat flour might also work.
Scott says
Thank you! If it’s helpful for others, I ended up reducing the tahini and adding a small amount of GF flour blend. This made it a lot less oily.
Great! Thank you for sharing, Scott!
Sue Cox says
So easy to make and delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sue! xoxo
Kathy says
These were so easy and taste even better than I expected! I’ll definitely make them again!
Yay! We’re so glad they exceeded your expectations, Kathy. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Rachel says
These are tasty! I am excited to have them in my lunchbox as a sweet treat this week. Don’t over process! Mine were a little greasy at first but I think it was blending too long. Still delicious though!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Rachel! We’re glad you enjoy the truffles. Have a great week! xo
Danika says
These are quick, easy and so delicious. They turned out perfectly (dont over process!) I added extra vanilla extract and salt.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Danika. Thanks so much for sharing your experience! xo
Siglinde says
Hi, great recipe. However, I’ve over-mixed it, very oily 🙈. Any suggestion if and/or how I can rescue the mixture? Thx ☺️
Sorry that happened, Siglinde! You could try adding almond flour to soak up some of the moisture. Hope that helps!
Siglinde says
Thank you, will try that. My fault, didn’t read the recipe properly.
Cheers
Caryl Neufeld says
I do not have a food processor. Can I use a blender?
Hi Caryl, we find dates struggle in a blender. If you try it, we’d suggest going slowly and taking breaks to stir. Hope that helps!
Littal says
Made the recipe as described they came out great! I got 11 truffle balls out of the this recipe. I love dates the and flavor combo w the tachini and cocoa were so go with it! I tried one right after making it but I have a feeling they’ll taste better cold going to stick it in the fridge.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy the truffles, Littal. Thank you for sharing! xo