Easy Chickpea Chocolate Truffles recipe made with garbanzo beans, almond butter, pure maple syrup, and cocoa powder. This healthier truffle recipe is packed with rich chocolate flavor, and some health benefits too!
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Chocolate truffles made out of chickpeas? She’s lost her marbles.
Well, follow me into the trust tree, because I assure you, these sultry love lumps are better than good, they’re great (said like Tony the Tiger)!
When blended up, garbanzo beans generate a creamy texture, which is the perfect consistency for luscious chocolate truffles.
In addition, we use all wholesome ingredients like almond butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, and pure maple syrup for a superfood approach to this classic treat.
Naturally dairy-free, refined sugar-free and vegan, these tasty truffles are ideal for those who have dietary restrictions or simply enjoy packing nutrition into every bite!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for these easy chocolate truffles!
Ingredients for Chickpea Chocolate Truffles:
Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): The base of this easy truffle recipe! Classic truffles are made using heavy cream, but we replace it with good old fashioned beans. This secret ingredient brings plant based protein and fiber in addition to fudgy texture.
Unsweetened Almond Butter or Peanut Butter: We need some form of fat in order to make the truffles taste rich, and I employ almond butter for the job. Almond butter brings protein, healthy fat and fiber, and also ensures the flavor of the truffles is top notch.
If you enjoy the flavor of peanut butter, feel free to use it instead, and cashew butter works too.
Pure Maple Syrup: The sweetener here. I like using pure maple syrup because it also serves as a liquid to help blend the ingredients.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: The majority of the dark chocolate flavor comes from unsweetened cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder). This is how we get a rich chocolate flavor. Bonus: chocolate is packed with antioxidants and iron, so we’re getting some nutrition here!
Mini Chocolate Chips: Because one form of chocolate is never enough, I like adding chocolate chips in order to boost the chocolate flavor and add a little extra sweetness.
Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla brings warm flavor to complement the rich chocolate.
Sea Salt: Major flavor enhancer! Don’t skip it.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s make truffles out of chickpeas!
How to Make Chickpea Chocolate Truffles:
Drain the can of chickpeas into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Give the beans a good shake in the strainer to remove any excess water.
Transfer all of the ingredients for the truffles to a food processor and blend for 1-3 minutes, until a thick smooth consistency forms.
You may need to stop the food processor several times to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula in order to help the mixture blend. I do this 3-4 times.
Refrigerate the truffle mixture for at least 20 minutes.
Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop balls of the truffle mixture. Use your hands to help shape the dough into balls.
If you’d like, roll the truffles in cocoa powder, shredded coconut, or chopped nuts. I like doing a combination of all three!
You can also roll the truffle balls in melted chocolate for a hard outer shell.
Serve, and enjoy!
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: While the truffles stay solid at room temperature, they soften up quite a bit at warm temps. For this reason, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator the majority of the time, and leaving them at room temperature for no longer than 6 hours to prevent them from getting too soft.
- Refrigerator: Store the truffles in a large zip lock bag or an airtight container for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze truffles in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
And that’s it! Whether you’re making holiday treats to share with friends and family during the holiday season or you love honoring your sweet tooth with a bite of chocolate no matter the time of year, these fun little truffle nuggets make the perfect gift for the taste buds!
Because they are made with better-for-you ingredients, I’m comfortable recommending these healthy treats for meal prep to keep on constant rotation.
If you enjoy making homemade truffles, try out my Cardamom Fig Chocolate Truffles, and my Easy 3-Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Truffles.
You may also love my Chocolate Covered Almond Butter Stuffed Dates, too!
Enjoy these delicious chocolate chickpea truffles as your next sweet treat!
Chickpea Chocolate Truffles Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- ⅔ cup mini chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup unsweetened almond butter
- 6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Drain the can of chickpeas into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Give the beans a good shake in the strainer to remove any excess water.
- Transfer all of the ingredients for the truffles to a food processor and blend for 1-3 minutes, until a thick smooth consistency forms. You may need to stop the food processor several times to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula in order to help the mixture blend. I do this 3-4 times.
- Refrigerate the truffle mixture for at least 20 minutes.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop balls of the truffle mixture. Use your hands to help form ball shapes. If desired, roll the truffles in cocoa powder, shredded coconut, or chopped nuts. I like doing a combination of all three!
- You can also roll the truffle balls in melted chocolate for a hard outer shell.
- Serve, and enjoy!
I made these today but because I didn’t have Almond Butter I used Peanut Butter & Tahini instead. I omitted the salt because of my husbands diet restrictions. I didn’t top them with anything because they really didn’t need it. I weighted them out to about 17 grams each. They are absolutely decadent. I ate 2, hubby had 3. These are so good and I’m going to make up a big batch for the family this Christmas. My daughter will go bonkers! Thanks for the wonderful share! Happy Safe Holidays to you & your Beloved.
Aww I’m so happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed them, Sheri! Thanks so much for sharing your experience and your changes – this is super helpful to others who want to try the recipe! Happy holidays to you and your family too!
Julia, can I make this recipe without a food processor?
Hi Deb! Unfortunately, I think it would be tough to prepare the recipe without a food processor. If you have a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix or a blend tec that comes with a tamper, you may be able to use it – still, you would need to stop the blender many times to scrape the sides and/or stir everything around. Chickpeas need quite a bit of blending in order to become smooth and all of the other ingredients produce a very thick mixture, which is why a food processor is the tool for the job. I’m sorry about that!
Yum!
Thanks, Sheri!
Allergic to nuts. Can almond butter be subbed with sunbutter?
Hi Lois! As long as you like the flavor of sunbutter, you can definitely use it as a substitute! If you make the recipe, let me know what you think once you’ve tried the truffles!