Healthy Raspberry, Apricot, and Ginger Truffles

(Note: this post was originally published on June 2, 2019. It has since been updated with a few tweaks.)

Fruit and Nut Truffles: Decadent AND Healthy

Do you love the idea of truffles (with their crisp chocolate coating and their flavorful centers, yum!) but not the nutrition? Same. Most truffles, whether they're store-bought, come from an artisan chocolate shop, or are homemade, are primarily butter and sugar. But there's no reason why truffles need to be bad for you, and no reason not to enjoy them whenever the craving strikes. I can't wait to introduce you to these decadent-seeming (yet actually healthy) fruit and nut truffles.

In these healthy raspberry truffles, we'll be ditching all the dairy, most of the sugar, and all the heaviness. Instead, these beauties use just a few simple, whole-food ingredients like cashews, dried apricots, freeze-dried raspberries, crystallized ginger, and of course antioxidant-rich dark chocolate. That's why I call them "fruit and nut truffles"; they're basically just fruit and nuts!

Whether you're looking for a healthy dessert, a satisfying post-workout treat, or a memorable homemade gift, these vegan raspberry truffles are easy, delicious, and beautiful.

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How to Make Healthy Raspberry Truffles

For these easy fruit and nut truffles, there are no complicated ingredients or fussing over temperatures. You'll just process all of the filling ingredients (dried apricots, cashews, crystallized ginger, and freeze-dried raspberries) in a food processor until they form a tasty, colorful, chewy filling. Next you'll roll the filling into small balls and dip them into melted dark chocolate, then let them set.

Interested in the nutrition of these vegan raspberry truffles? They're actually an energy bar in disguise. The filling is based off these homemade Larabars; it's basically just fruit and nuts, with a thin dark chocolate shell. That means these fruit and nut truffles are vegan, grain-free, and minimally-sweetened, with the option to omit all refined sugars if you use fresh ginger and unsweetened chocolate.

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Variation: Healthy Raspberry Truffles Without Chocolate

Looking to minimize sugar? You can easily omit the chocolate coating from these vegan raspberry truffles and make "naked" truffles. Instead of dipping them in chocolate, try rolling them in unsweetened shredded coconut. The coconut goes nicely with the other flavors and they look beautiful too.

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Variation: Healthy Raspberry Truffles With Vanilla

Are you a vanilla lover? If so, you can add some fragrant vanilla to this flavor profile. Try adding scraping the inner material from one or two vanilla beans into the filling mixture before processing. If you don't have access to vanilla beans, a small amount of vanilla extract (start with half a teaspoon, then adjust to your own tastes) will also work. Since vanilla goes beautifully with ginger and many different fruits, it's a nice addition to these vegan raspberry truffles.

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Ingredients and Substitutions

Here's what you'll need for these vegan raspberry truffles, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

• Dried apricots. Make sure they're unsweetened. If possible, try to find an option with a vibrant orange color (rather than brown) so that the truffle interiors are visually-pleasing.
• Raw cashews. Cashews work well because they have a neutral flavor, a light color, and a creamy texture. I don't suggest using peanuts, almonds, etc., in these fruit and nut truffles because their more assertive taste and color will overtake the other ingredients. If you can't eat cashews but can do other nuts, macadamias or walnuts are probably the next best option.
• Crystallized ginger. Most artisan grocery stores will have crystallized ginger cubes or medallions in the bulk food section. If you need to avoid added sugar entirely, use 1-2 tbsp freshly-grated ginger instead and increase the amount of apricots by about a quarter cup.
• Freeze-dried raspberries. Most specialty markets and health food stores will have these; look for small bags in the snack section. They're the flavor powerhouse in these healthy raspberry truffles and also make for an eye-catching garnish on top.
• Dark chocolate chips. Remember to choose vegan chocolate if needed. You can also use an unsweetened chocolate to keep sugar in check.
• Coconut oil

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Closing Thoughts

If you're a truffle lover at heart but are looking to make healthier choices, then these whole-food fruit and nut truffles are for you. You'll love the fact that they're flavorful and feel decadent, yet are made from nourishing whole-food ingredients like cashews, dried fruit, and dark chocolate. The combination of sweet apricots, tart raspberries, zingy ginger, and bitter dark chocolate is perfect. You'll never believe that these healthy raspberry truffles are plant-based and low in sugar.

Whether you enjoy them as a nourishing dessert, gift them to someone special, or keep a stash in the freezer for when you really need a treat, I'm confident you'll love these vegan raspberry truffles as much as I do.

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Share It!

It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.