When I was a kid, I read a children's book about how all moms love eating breakfast in bed and how the perfect thing to make moms for Mother's Day was toast with butter, cinnamon, and sugar. I soon learned this was all lies, because my own Mom didn't like eating breakfast in bed and also didn't really like toast all that much. #fail
Unlike the cinnamon sugar toast from my youth, this Chocolate Date Truffles recipe has all elements required for the perfect Mother's Day DIY gift idea:
Homemade by the kiddos (with grown-up help)
Chocolate
Healthy and delicious
Flowers (okay that's not part of the recipe but definitely wins you extra brownie points. Or should I say truffle points?)
What's not to love? This recipe was shared with us by our friends at Bauman College, a non-profit, holistic nutrition and culinary arts vocational school located in Northern California. And while I am typically skeptical of dessert recipes that make this claim, despite being vegan, dairy-free, gluten free, and with no sugar added, it is truly a delicious dessert! #nomnomnom
There are two secret ingredients that make this dessert delicious and healthy. First, it uses sunflower seeds, which have the highest protein content of any seed. Second, the sweetness comes from dates, an all-natural and whole food sweetener. While they do contain naturally occurring sucrose, they also contain soluble fiber which slows the absorption of sugar in the small intestine, helps to keep blood sugar levels even, increases feelings of satiety, and aids digestion. Win-win!
But enough nutrition nerdery, back to Mom. This recipe is the perfect Mother's Day DIY gift idea that kids can actually help make their moms for Mother's Day. Serve it up with a bouquet of flowers and a homemade card, and it's sure to warm mom's heart.
P.S. If you make this for a mom in your life, pretty please with a cherry on top: take a pic and tag us on Instagram or Facebook (@nomsterchef).
Mother's Day Chocolate Date Truffles
Time: 30 minutes hands-on time + 20 minutes in the fridge = 50 minutes total
Serving: Makes about 25-30 small truffles
Special Diets: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Recipe from our friends at Bauman College
COLLECT INGREDIENTS
Raw Unsalted Sunflower Seeds without shells (you'll need 1/2 cup)
Medjool Dates (you'll need 8 dates)
Coconut butter
Raw cacao powder or 100% unsweetened cocoa powder (see pro tip below)
Vanilla extract
Salt
COLLECT TOOLS
Food processor (with regular S-shaped blade)
Kid Chef Knife or butter knife
Cutting board
Medium mixing Bowl
Mixing spoon
Plate or if feeling fancy, serving platter
1/2 cup measure
Tablespoon measure
Teaspoon measure
1/4 teaspoon measure
PREP
**Grown-up**: Set up food processor with regular S-shaped blade. Open the chute.
Measure 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds. Pour down the chute of the food processor.
Put the protector back in the chute. Pulse until the seeds are finely ground. Open the chute.
Count 8 medjool dates. With a kid chef knife or a butter knife, cut each date in half. Remove the pit, throw them out. Put all 8 dates down the chute of the food processor.
Wash your hands (they'll be sticky!). Put the protector back in the food processor. Pulse until the seeds and dates are well combined. Open the chute.
Measure 3 Tablespoons of coconut butter, and pour down the chute. (Note: if the butter is hard, you might have to use your muscles to scrape the coconut butter with the Tablespoon)
Measure 4 Tablespoons of cacao/cocoa powder, and pour down the chute. (hint: scoop first, then level off with butter knife)
Measure 1/4 teaspoon of salt, pour down the chute.
Measure 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, pour down the chute.
Put the protector back. Pulse the mixture until it's well combined. Open the chute.
Add one tablespoon of water. Put the protector back. Pulse until combined.
**Grown-up**: Take off the lid and scoop a small part of the mixture to test. Try rolling some of the mixture into a ball. It should stick together when pressed but not be wet. If it won't stick together, add one tablespoon of water at a time until it's the right consistency.
**Grown-up**: Scoop the finished mixture into a mixing bowl.
Pinch off a little of the mixture and roll it into a meatball shape. The truffle should be about the size of a quarter. Put the finished truffle on a plate/serving platter.
Repeat until all of the mixture has been rolled into truffles. The recipe should make 25-30 truffles.
Put the truffles in the fridge. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
Make a Mother's Day card while you're waiting!
Nom! Or give to Mom first and then secretly nom when she's not looking!
PRO TIPS
For this recipe, you can use either raw cacao powder or 100% unsweetened cocoa powder. Cocoa powder was easier to find in our local grocery store, but cacao may have more health-boosting properties. Both are delicious!
These should be stored in the fridge before and after gifting to Mom. The cold helps them stay stuck together.
Did you know that dates can be used as a natural sweetener in most other recipes? Make a simple date paste with a 1:1 ratio of pitted Medjool dates and water, pureed in a blender. Date puree can substitute 1 cup of sugar in any recipe.
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