Vegan Chocolate Pretzel Truffles
on Dec 17, 2019, Updated Jul 24, 2024
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These chocolate pretzel truffles are sweet, salty, rich, decadent and perfect for the holidays. This recipe is vegan, oil-free and can be gluten-free.
These decadent but wholesome bites are made with just a handful of everyday ingredients. They’re lightly sweet, rich and soft with a hint of sea salt and once coated in chocolate and topped with crushed pretzels they make the most wonderful treat!
They’re also very easy to make. You’ll need about 15 minutes from start to finish. Despite their simplicity, they’re always a hit during the holidays and other special occasions.
For more simple treats like this, we love these No-Bake Hazelnut Truffles, Homemade Vegan Ferrero Rocher Recipe and No-Bake Brownie Bites.
Truffle Ingredients Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make these sweet, little treats:
- Dates. Medjool, sayer or deglect noor dates are best for this recipe. It’s important to use soft, moist dates. If they’re too dry the truffle dough will not hold together.
- Walnuts. You’ll need 1/2 cup of raw walnuts for this recipe. They add a bit of crunch to the truffles and work well with the chocolate and dates. They can however, be substituted with pecans, almonds or peanuts.
- Cocoa powder. You you can use regular processed cocoa powder or raw cacao powder for an extra boost in nutrition.
- Sea salt. I use a little sea salt in the truffle dough to enhance the chocolate flavour. And I just love chocolate and sea salt together.
- Chocolate. I used 70% cocoa dark chocolate for my truffles so they’re weren’t very sweet. For sweeter truffles, use dairy-free chocolate chips or dark chocolate with a lower cocoa content.
- Pretzels. Any kind of pretzel works! You’ll only need a small handful for the recipe so feel free to just buy a snack-sized bag or purchase a small amount from a bulk foods section, if you can find them. Use gluten-free if needed.
How to Make these Truffles
These really couldn’t be easier to make but despite how simple they are, they always impress and seem like something much fancier!
Step 1. Make the chocolate truffles.
These aren’t traditional truffles made from chocolate and cream. They’re more like a no-bake energy or bliss ball but they’re still rich, delicious and decadent.
To make the truffle bites, add the dates, walnuts, cocoa powder and sea salt to a food processor and mix into a thick dough. Roll the dough into 16 truffles and place on a baking tray you can fit in your fridge or freezer.
I like to add a few pretzels to the truffle mixture as well for a bit of crunch!
Step 2. Coat in chocolate and pretzels.
Next, melt the chocolate and crush up some pretzels. Roll each truffle in the melted chocolate until coated, place back on the baking tray and sprinkle with crushed pretzels.
Pretzel tips: I crushed the pretzels in a bowl with the bottom of a measuring cup. You won’t need many, a small handful is plenty.
Step 2. Set then enjoy!
Finally, pop the baking tray into the fridge or freezer until the chocolate has hardened. They’re now ready to enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Don’t have any pretzels on hand? Ritz crackers or graham crackers work too! Just be sure to use vegan graham crackers if that’s a concern.
- Throw a few pretzels into the truffle mixture for a crunchy twist!
- Skip the pretzels and add a few drops of peppermint extract to the melted chocolate. Top with crushed candy canes.
- Add 2 tbsp of finely ground coffee to the truffle mixture to make them mocha truffles.
- Throw a handful of pretzels into the food processor with the dates and walnuts to add some salty, pretzel crunch to the inside of the balls too!
More Dessert Recipes
Here are some more yummy treats you’ll love:
- Chocolate Tahini Date Balls
- Peanut Butter Mousse Parfaits
- Vegan Rum Balls
- Easy Vegan Turtles
- Vegan Nanaimo Bars
Leftover pretzels? Use them in these sweet and salty energy bars!
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Chocolate Pretzel Truffles
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups packed soft pitted dates
- 4 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or walnut pieces
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 6-8 pretzels, crushed, or more as needed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped dark chocolate or dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place the medjool dates in a food processor with the cocoa, sea salt and walnuts and mix until it forms a thick dough (I like to pulse a few pretzels to the truffle mixture too!). Roll into 16 balls and place on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking tray that will fit in your fridge or freezer. Place in the freeze while you prepare the chocolate and pretzels.
- Crush the pretzels in a bowl with the bottom of a small dish or measuring cup.
- Place the chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave or melt using a double boiler, then roll each truffle in the melted chocolate until coated and place back on the baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with crushed pretzels.
- Place the baking sheet in the fridge or freezer until the chocolate has hardened.
- Enjoy! Store in the fridge or freezer. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published October 25, 2015. It was updated with new photos and text December 2019.
These look so delicious!
They look so yummy .Make me hungry to grab it .I love it want to eat and take them out from the picture after that will ate all of them with no time .
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand save!
That looks like the perfect treat … I’m making this next weekend!