salted pumpkin chocolate truffles

trust us, you're going to want to have more than one of these naturally sweetened + vegan salted pumpkin chocolate truffles

Salted Pumpkin Chocolate Truffles

recipe by: Melanie Trottier

prep time: 30 minutes | freeze time: 1 hour | makes approximately 20 truffles 

ingredients: (we encourage you to use organic ingredients when possible!)

truffles:

1/2 cup soaked raw cashews (overnight or at least 4 hours) 

3/4 cup dates (we recommend medjool dates, but any dates will work)

1 tbsp unsalted almond butter

1/2 cup pumpkin puree 

1/4 tsp organic pure vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp maca lab essential by The Gut Lab

1 tsp love potion by The Gut Lab 

pinch of himalayan salt

chocolate coating: 

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup raw cacao powder or The Gut Lab cosmic hot cacao*

1-2 tbsp maple syrup (sweeten to your taste!)

pinch of himalayan salt 

*The Gut Lab products (find yours at www.thegutlab.ca)

directions:

truffles:

1. blend soaked cashews in food processor for approximately a minute or until creamy

2. add almond butter and dates, and process until a thick sticky mixture forms

3. add in the rest of the ingredients: pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, maca powder, love potion, and salt. process until smooth + creamy

tip: this may take a few minutes for it to come together, but it will be worth it!

4. remove mixture from food processor and put in freezer to chill for at least 1 hour, or until mixture firms up (+ you are able to form into a ball)

5. in the meantime, make chocolate coating

chocolate coating: 

1. add coconut oil to a sauce pan + heat until just melted

2. remove from heat + add cacao powder or The Gut Lab cosmic hot cacao* and maple syrup 

3. stir until combined, and no lumps of cacao powder remain 

4. remove truffle mixture from freezer + roll into 1 inch balls using wet hands 

tip: you'll want to work quickly so that you can coat the truffles and get them back in the freezer to set 

5. dip balls in chocolate mixture using a spoon + a fork (to allow excess chocolate to drain off), and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 

6. sprinkle truffles with salt and pop back in freezer for at least another 30 minutes to firm up before devouring 

tip: i used himalayan salt in the truffles themselves, but topped them with coarse kosher salt for extra saltiness! 

store in the freezer + pop one out whenever you feel like a sweet treat

{post pictures of your salted pumpkin chocolate truffles + tag us in them on instagram!}