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Cranberry Pecan Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles (Vegan)

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Chocolate truffles are one of those simple desserts that always remind me of the holiday season. The combinations are endless, and who doesn’t want to bite into a big ball of chocolate on Thanksgiving or Christmas? They’re simple to put together (though the chocolate does take some time to firm up), and they’re also a fun treat to make with kids. My toddler loved helping me roll the truffles and dip them in chocolate sprinkles! But I did have to keep her from licking a couple of the truffles – ha!

For these truffles, you’ll make a simple chocolate ganache with your favorite chopped chocolate, coconut cream, and olive oil. The coconut cream helps give the ganache that thick and creamy texture – perfect for making truffles (and you can’t taste it in the final product). Then you’ll stir in some dried cranberries and chopped pecans, refrigerate the chocolate until firm, and then roll the truffles! This recipe is super customizable so you can leave out what you don’t like and add what you do. And you can roll your truffles in any topping you’d like or dip them in tempered chocolate for even more decadence!

Yield: 16 Truffles

Cranberry Pecan Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles

Cranberry Pecan Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles

Simple and decadent olive oil chocolate truffles filled with dried cranberries and chopped pecans! These vegan-friendly truffles are ultra-creamy and so delicious!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8oz chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate
  • 1/2 cup canned coconut cream
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • 6 Tbsp chopped pecan pieces
  • Cocoa powder, sprinkles, or extra chopped pecans to roll truffles

Instructions

  1. Add the chopped chocolate to a heat proof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of about 1" of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir the chocolate until totally melted; remove from heat.
  2. Whisk in the coconut cream and olive oil until totally combined - mixture will thicken up. Stir in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Allow mixture to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
  3. Cover and refrigerate chocolate mixture for 3-4 hours or until firm enough to scoop.
  4. Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop truffles 1.5 Tbsp in size. Freeze for 5 minutes before rolling the truffles into smooth balls.
  5. If the truffles are sticky, put them in the refrigerator for a few minutes before rolling them in the topping(s) of your choice (sprinkles, chopped pecans, cocoa powder, etc). If your truffles needed to be chilled again, gently roll them in your hands to heat up the surface before rolling them in the topping - this helps the topping stick.
  6. Store truffles in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in an airtight container.

Notes

  • Shake your can of coconut cream prior to opening. If the cream has hardened, scoop out all of the contents and heat them up until melted and combined. Then measure out 1/2 cup.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 232Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 17mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Candy

Did you make this recipe?

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Other recipes you might like:

Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies (DF)
Orange Cranberry Swirl Bread (Vegan)
Dark Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter Cups (Vegan)

Vegan Olive Oil Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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A delicious, plant-based cookie loaded with dark chocolate chunks? I’m so in. These cookies are undetectably vegan, which means they’re good. It took me a few attempts to nail a vegan cookie that is thick, soft, and delicious. I found vegan butter to lend too much of a flavor I wasn’t fond of, and a cookie with all coconut oil was a little crispier than I wanted. But with a mix of olive oil and a bit of coconut oil, the texture of these cookies is perfect!

This recipe calls for two kinds of sugar to make them a little on the healthier side (as coconut sugar is less likely to spike your blood sugar as high as white sugar, honey, or maple syrup). I added a bit of brown sugar to add moisture and flavor to these cookies. The molasses in the brown sugar adds so much to these cookies!

The dough requires no refrigeration (hello, quick cookies!!), but I found that it was best to let the dough balls rest for a few minutes after hand rolling them. This allowed the coconut oil (which melts in our hands) to re-solidify a bit before baking, creating a more even bake amongst all the cookies. But if you’re using a cookie scoop instead of the scoop and roll method, you can bake these babies right away! Just preheat your oven at the start of your mixing.

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is my favorite, go-to sweetener. It’s unrefined and low glycemic index. It tastes nothing like coconut and makes for a great 1:1 substitute for white sugar.

Brown sugar brings moisture (through the molasses) and flavor to these cookies. I highly recommend using light or dark brown sugar. Brown sugar has more molasses, which means more moisture.

Flaxseed meal mixed with water creates a great egg substitute.

Olive oil adds moisture and softness to these cookies. For a lighter taste, feel free to use light olive oil.

Coconut oil adds moisture and a bit of crunch to the outside of the baked cookies. Since there is so little in this recipe, the taste is unnoticeable, but you can use refined coconut oil to make sure there is absolutely no coconut taste.

Arrowroot starch adds to the chew factor in these cookies. Feel free to use corn starch instead.

Yield: 12 Cookies

Vegan Olive Oil Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Vegan Olive Oil Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Classic Chocolate Chunk Cookies made vegan using a blend of olive and coconut oil and flaxseed meal. Delicious and packed with lots of chocolate, these cookies will please both vegans and non vegans alike!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Prepare your flax egg using lukewarm water and allow to thicken for around 5 minutes.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the liquid coconut oil and olive oil. Whisk in the coconut sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Finally, whisk in the flax egg until all ingredients are totally combined - it may take a minute for the oil and water to mix together; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, arrowroot starch, and salt. Add in the liquid ingredients and use a large wooden spoon or spatula to mix until nearly combined. Add 1/2 cup of the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and mix. The dough will be oily, so it's normal for the chocolate to fall away from the dough.
  4. Scoop dough balls 2 Tbsp in size. Press and roll each dough ball smooth, placing pieces of extra chocolate into the tops of each one and reshaping as necessary. Place all of the dough balls onto one parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to rest at room temperature while you preheat your oven to 350°F. This gives the coconut oil a chance to solidify a bit (evenly) across all dough balls.
  5. Bake dough balls 6 at a time at 350°F for 7 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake them! Remove from the oven, sprinkle with sea salt flakes, and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Let your baking sheet cool to room temperature before baking another batch.
  6. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

If you prefer to use only a cookie scoop instead of the scoop and roll method, your cookie dough balls won't need to rest as long. Feel free to bake them right away!

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© Rachael Ng | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

Other vegan dessert recipes you might like:

Vegan Chocolate Flax Cookies
Chocolate Chip Muffins (vegan option)
Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake Donuts
Vegan Tahini No-Bake Cookies

Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes (dairy-free!)

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Is there anything better than a classic, ultra fluffy chocolate cake? A buttercream slathered cake is something I cannot resist – even since I’ve gone diary-free. I will totally cheat (and risk a break out) for a slice of buttercream-topped cake, especially when the cake itself is dairy-free and the buttercream is milk free! Basically, I love cake. And this Chocolate Cake is moist, delicious, and super customizable – I’ve baked this recipe as a layer cake, as a banana chocolate sheet cake, and even as a banana bourbon cake without cocoa powder. Seriously, use this is a base and go wild.

These mini bundt cakes are perfectly cute one or two-serving cakes. I covered them with a simple chocolate ganache (made with coconut milk) to keep them on the better-for-you side – I wanted to avoid adding refined white sugar. But if you’d prefer a chocolate glaze (a simple mix of cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and nut milk) then do that! I’m telling you, make these cakes your own and enjoy this dairy-free version of classic chocolate cake! Happy baking!

Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes
Makes three 4″ bundt cakes or one 6″ cake

Cake
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 large egg
2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Heaping 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Chocolate Ganache
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
1/4-1/2 cup full fat coconut milk

1.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare your mini bundt pans – spray them with olive oil or other non-stick spray + lightly dust them with cocoa powder. I sprinkled a small spoonful of cocoa powder into each pan, covered it with a plate, and shook it around.

2.) In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar and egg. Add in the almond milk, olive oil, and vanilla extract and mix. Stir in the applesauce; set aside.

3.) In a medium/large bowl, sift the flours and cocoa powder. Whisk in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt until all ingredients are well combined. Add the wet ingredients and mix until no flour pockets remain.

4.) Evenly distribute the batter into your mini bundt pans until they’re nearly full (mine were somewhere between 75% and 100% full). Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes*.

5.) Allow cakes to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Flip over each bundt pan and gently shake the cake out. Allow cakes to cool completely. Set cooled cakes on a cooling rack over a piece of parchment paper (I like to sit mine in a baking sheet) before preparing the chocolate ganache.

6.) Place a medium pot with about an inch of water over medium heat. Add the chopped chocolate and 1/4 cup of the coconut milk to a heatproof bowl that can sit on top of your medium pot (without touching the water). Stir frequently until chocolate has melted, adding more coconut milk until the mixture is thin enough to pour/drizzle. I tested mine by seeing if it would easily run off of the spoon in a steady stream. You want it to be thin enough to pour over your cakes but thick enough to hold onto your cakes.

8.) Spoon or pour chocolate ganache over each bundt until the cakes are totally covered. If desired, sprinkle with toppings – cocoa powder, powdered sugar, cacao nibs, sprinkles, rose petals, etc. Ganache will solidify at room temperature, depending on your current climate. Store cakes in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator if ganache doesn’t set. Enjoy!

*if baking a 6″ cake, bake for 20-30 minutes


Soft & Chewy Coconut Sugar Cookies (dairy-free!)

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If you’ve been following me and my recipes for any length of time, then you know I’m a huge fan of coconut sugar. I actually prefer it over white or brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup. It’s tasty, has a low glycemic index (unlike honey and maple syrup), and it’s an easy 1:1 replacement for white, refined sugar.

Now, when I think of a sugar cookie, I have something very light in color, sweet, and simple in mind. But since coconut sugar is brown in color, it produces darker colored baked goods. These Coconut Sugar Cookies may be slightly different than you’re used to, but the flavor and texture will not disappoint. They’re seriously soft and chewy, and they’re the kind of cookie that will be even softer the day after they’re baked!

The recipe for these cookies is super simple. Aside from the coconut sugar (which you can now find at most stores that carry groceries) all of the items are easily already in your cabinet. The mixing process is quick and easy, but refrigerating the dough is super important since you’ll use olive oil instead of a solid fat for these cookies. Keep in mind that the dough will be very soft and, once rolled, will spread a bit before baking. Your cookies will take less time to bake than you think, so keep an eye on them, and remember that they should look puffy when you take them out of the oven. As they cool, the cookies will settle and look more like what I have pictured. As always, happy baking!

Soft & Chewy Coconut Sugar Cookies (dairy-free!)
Makes 12 cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or other vegetable oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp

1.) Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2.) In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, olive oil, and vanilla. Whisk in the egg + egg yolk until mixture is completely combined and smooth. Add liquid ingredients to dry and use a large spatula or wooden spoon to gently mix until no flour streaks remain. Cover and chill for at least two hours.

3.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop cookies 1.5 Tbsp in size, rolling the dough into smooth balls (the cookies spread more evenly when rolled). Place six dough balls on your baking sheet. Your dough will be quite soft, so It’s normal for the dough balls to spread before you bake them. Top with sugar if desired.

4.) Bake cookies, six at a time, at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or until cookies have spread and puffed. Be careful not to overbake them. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Cookies will deflate and soften as they sit. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Chewy Black Sesame Olive Oil Cookies (dairy-free!)

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Okay, so I’ve been meaning to create some kind of sesame cookie for the longest time. I mean, who can resist all the cute, sesame-covered cookies on Instagram? I can’t. They’re beautiful, I love sesame, and I love cookies. When I set out to create my own black sesame cookie, I quickly ditched the idea of rolling my dough balls in sesame seeds. It was just too much for me. Instead, I whipped up a quick black sesame powder by toasting and then blending my black sesame seeds. And OMG. The powder is amazing. I added it to the dough and then sprinkled the dough balls with sesame seeds, and these cookies are the perfect, chewy black sesame cookie. Like, three days later these cookies are still chewy and delicious.

I added olive oil to this dough, because I really wanted these cookies to be chewy. And I love olive oil. I like the taste, and we use it for everything at our house. But if you’re only here for the black sesame, that’s cool, too. You can use any kind of neutral, vegetable in these cookies. I don’t recommend any other replacements as I haven’t tried them, and cookies in general are usually pretty finicky. You’ll definitely need to chill your dough, and even then, the dough will be quite sticky and wet when you go to make your dough balls. With this recipe, the final, cooled cookie will look totally different than what you pull out of the oven, so keep that in mind (and don’t worry when you pull puffy cookies out of the oven) and happy baking!

Chewy Black Sesame Olive Oil Cookies (dairy-free!)
Makes 12 cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup black sesame seed powder*
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp black sesame seeds to sprinkle (optional)

1.) Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for 10 minutes.

2.) Meanwhile, make your black sesame seed powder by toasting at least 1/2 cup of black sesame seeds in a dry pan set on medium heat. Stir sesame seeds frequently until the nutty aroma fills the air and the pan begins to smoke a bit. This step took me between 5 and 8 minutes, and it was very obvious when the seeds began to release their aroma. Next, you’ll blend the toasted seeds in a blender or food processor until you have fine crumbs.

3.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, black sesame powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

4.) In a large bowl, mix together the coconut sugar and olive oil. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until totally combined. Add liquid ingredients to dry and use a large spatula or spoon to gently mix the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

5.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1.5 Tbsp balls of dough, 6 at a time, onto a small plate or cutting board. Your dough will be very soft, so you’ll want to put the rest back in the refrigerator. Roll each dough ball smooth and place on your baking sheet, using your fingers to gently shape the dough into a neat ball. The dough balls will begin to spread and flatten a bit while you’re working – this is normal. Sprinkle the tops with whole black sesame seeds (toasted or untoasted).

6.) Bake the cookies at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or until cookies are puffy and the centers no longer look wet. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. After the first minute, you can use your fingers to gently push the edges of each cookie into a neater circle, if desired (I did this). Transfer to a cooling rack. Your cookies will deflate and soften up the longer they sit. I actually found them to be softer the next day! Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy!

*I highly recommend making your own – it’s super easy! Plus, there may be a difference in moisture content in homemade vs store bought black sesame powder.