Life at times calls for a little bite of something special. Chocolate Sweet Potato Truffles are made with nature’s goodness. Rich and decadent, they hit the spot when the sweet tooth calls. Freeze to enjoy one at a time or share with friends.
Makes 24 small truffles
1/3 cup (720 ml) of Okinawa sweet potato (purple) purée
15 pitted Medjool dates
1½ cups raw walnuts
½ cup of raw cacao
½ cup of raw, unsweetened, shredded coconut (optional)
- To make purée: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place Okinawa sweet potato on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour or until easily pierced with a fork. Cool, scoop out flesh from skin. Discard skin. Purée flesh in food processor. (Mash can be made days ahead, refrigerated until ready to use.)
- Remove pits from dates, set aside. Chop ¼ cup walnuts, set aside.
- In a food processor, place remaining 1¼ cup of walnuts. Grind until fine. Add medjool dates and mashed sweet potato. Blend until walnuts and dates stick together. Add raw cacao. Blend until incorporated.
- Remove mixture from food processor. Fold in chopped walnuts until incorporated evenly. Take a teaspoon-size amount and roll gently between palms into a ball. Roll balls in coconut shavings.
- Place on a tray. Refrigerate until set, at least an hour. Enjoy immediately or freeze.
More Recipes You'll Love
Chocolate sweet potato truffles are a no-bake, date-sweetened candy with a hidden layer of purple Okinawa sweet potato. Walnuts grind into the base with Medjool dates and raw cacao, and chopped walnuts fold through for crunch. Rolled in shredded coconut and chilled, they taste far more indulgent than their ingredient list suggests.
Pro Tips
- Grind the walnuts fine before adding the dates. Evenly ground nuts give the truffles a fudgy base; large pieces make the balls crumble when you roll them.
- Pit the dates carefully and use soft, sticky ones. Dry dates will not bind the mixture, and you will be chasing crumbs around the food processor.
- Fold the chopped walnuts in by hand after blending. Keeping those pieces whole is what gives the truffles their satisfying crunch.
- Chill the truffles a full hour before serving. The cold sets the cacao and date mixture so they hold their shape instead of squishing when you bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these truffles vegan?
Yes — dates, walnuts, cacao, sweet potato, and coconut. No dairy, no refined sugar, and no baking required.
Can I freeze chocolate sweet potato truffles?
Absolutely. Freeze them on a tray before bagging so they do not stick together, then eat them straight from the freezer for a chewy, ice-cream-like bite.
Can I use orange sweet potato instead of purple?
Yes. The purple Okinawa variety is milder and less sweet, but regular sweet potato works in the same quantity and simply makes the truffles a little sweeter.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Remove pits from dates, set aside.
- Chop ¼ cup walnuts, set aside.
- In a food processor, place remaining 1¼ cup of walnuts. Grind until fine.
- Add medjool dates and mashed sweet potato.
- Blend until walnuts and dates stick together.
- Add raw cacao.
- Blend until incorporated.
- Remove mixture from food processor.
- Fold in chopped walnuts until incorporated evenly. Take a teaspoon-size amount and roll gently between palms into a ball.
- Roll balls in coconut shavings.
- Place on a tray.
- Refrigerate until set, at least an hour.
- Enjoy immediately or freeze.
