None of your favorite foods are safe from being turned into balls. Be warned. Dates, toasted pecans, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt get blended up to form a sticky, crunchy caramel-like filling for these simple, nutrient-dense truffles. Roll them into balls, let them harden in the fridge, and dunk each one in dark chocolate for a bite of pecan pie, anytime. 
When Kevin saw me making these little pecan pie truffles, he assumed I was making more energy balls. “You sure do love balls…”, he said as he walked through the kitchen. But wait! These aren’t just any old snack ball. Oh, no. These are little gems of pecan pie rolled up into a ball and dunked in chocolate. Sure, they’re nutritious enough to eat as a snack anytime, but I really love them as dessert. 
Full disclosure: I actually did set out to make a pecan energy ball. I was going to add protein powder and dates and call it a pecan praline energy ball. When I started to make them, I just couldn’t get pecan pie out of my mind. I love the toasty pecans, the sticky, caramel-like layer of goo (official term, yes?), and the flaky, crispy crust. Pecan pie (that’s pee-can, if you’re wondering. Not puh-caaaaaaahn) is one of my favorites, but it’s so so so sweet I can barely eat more than a sliver. Pesky corn syrup messing with everything. 
If you’re a die-hard pecan pie lover, it might seem unlikely that 5 ingredients can be blended together to make a poppable version of your beloved dessert, but it’ true. They really, truly taste like pecan pie. I spent enough time sniffing the filling with my eyes closed to know that it smells just like a pecan pie (don’t tell me I’m a weirdo. You sniff all your recipes to make sure they’re good enough, right?). I also sampled a scientific amount of these (8 and counting) to know they are just as sticky, crunchy, and nutty as the original, albeit less messy and a little chocolatey. 
In fact, I might like these more than actual pecan pie. Is that blasphemous? I know Thanksgiving is all about tradition, but everyone needs to update their classics now and then, right? Pecan pie is great, but that layer of goo always was a little suspicious; when faced with 12 other Thanksgiving desserts that need sampling and limited stomach space, a little ball of pecan pie is just what I need. Add in the fact that it won’t put me straight into a sugar coma and I’m sold. Pecan pie truffles for president! 
I think you’re going to love these truffles as much as I do. They’re easier to make than a pecan pie, requiring just 5 nutrient-dense ingredients and about 30 minutes total to make (including chill time). My favorite part about these, other than sitting around sniffing eating them, is how impressive they are. Bring them in to work, wrap them up as a housewarming gift, bring them to a potluck or Friendsgiving gathering- people ooh and aah over these. I know I sure did. 
If you make this recipe, let me know. Leave a comment here or on Facebook, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram with #bakedgreens. Happy truffle-ing, friends!
Healthy Pecan Pie Truffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans
- 6 large Medjool dates pitted*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- 1. Line a pan with parchment paper and set aside. It's helpful to check to see if this pan will fit in your freezer, since that's where you'll be sticking it to harden the truffles.
- 2. Place a skillet over medium heat, and add pecans. Toast for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pecans are starting to darken and smell toasty.
- 3. Place all truffle ingredients, including warm pecans (except chocolate and coconut oil) into the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until just combined. There should still be small chunks of pecans visible.
- 4. Scoop pecan mixture into 16 teaspoon-sided balls, and roll between your palms to make tight circles. Put each ball onto the pan, and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- 5. Meanwhile, melt chocolate. Put chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl (I used a glass measuring cup) and microwave in 30-second intervals until melted.
- 6. Remove balls from freezer, and drop into chocolate one by one. Use a spoon to coat each ball in chocolate, and a fork to lift the balls out and let excess chocolate drip. Transfer back to the pan, and when all the truffles have been dipped, put the pan back in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden the chocolate.
- 7. Transfer the truffles into an airtight container, and store in the fridge. The pecans are crunchiest on the first 2 days, but these are still great up to a week after making. For longer storage, keep in the freezer for up to a month.
Notes
Those crunchy pieces of toasted pecans swirled throughout sticky, sweet dates are Thanksgiving heaven.