Chocolate date truffles for Christmas

This holiday treat is simple, delicious, and safe for those with gluten or lactose issues

Photo: Whitney Love
Truffles, freshly sprinkled in cocoa, are decadent (and gorgeous) without being unhealthy.

Whitney Love
Stavanger, Norway

The Christmas season is in full swing here in Norway, and for most of us that means lots of baking to help us get in the Christmas spirit. For many, however, Christmas season in Norway can be tough—especially when you are gluten sensitive or lactose intolerant.

The good news is that you don’t have to exclude yourself from all of the julestemning just because flour and dairy products are off limits.

My recipe for chocolate date truffles offers a budget-friendly way to enjoy the Christmas season with glee, while maintaining your dietary requirements. Dates are commonly eaten in Norway during this time of year and high-quality cocoa powder is available in just about every supermarket. Coconut oil is a newer cooking oil for many, but its health benefits and delightfully tropical taste make this a recipe you and your guests won’t forget. These truffles are fun to make with children and make a great gift.

Chocolate Date Truffles
15 good quality Medjool dates
2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tbsps coconut oil
additional unsweetened cocoa to coat the truffles

Remove the seeds from all the dates and pulse them in a food processor until almost smooth. Add in the cocoa powder and coconut oil, then pulse again until the mixture is smooth.

Add the mixture to a bowl, and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until the coconut oil gets stiff.

Using a teaspoon, scoop out a portion of the date mixture and roll it in the palm of your hands to form a ball. Continue this until all of the date mixture has been rolled into balls.

Dust each ball in additional cocoa powder and store in an airtight container. Makes 30 truffles.

Whitney Love is a cookbook author and blogger. She hails from Tucson, Arizona and is currently living in Stavanger, Norway. She runs the English language blog Thanks For The Food where she documents her love affair with Norway through the lens of traditional and modern Norwegian gastronomy. Find her online at thanksforthefood.com.

This article originally appeared in the Dec. 19, 2014, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (800) 305-0271.