Veganism is no longer the niche diet that it was during your parents’ generation. The proportion of the population living on a plant-based diet is rapidly increasing, with as many as 7% of Americans identifying as vegan. Veganism is also increasingly visible through social media, with a 90% increase in google searches for vegan and veganism. This article will provide you with a delicious recipe for making your own vegan candy treats.
If you listen to the doubters, you’ll hear that vegan diets are restrictive and no “fun”. You might also expect to miss out on fudge, cookies, and caramel. However, if you listen to the hype on social media and follow this recipe, you’ll see that there are fantastic options for delicious, sweet vegan treats that keep you powered up with plant products. With all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals found in a good vegan diet, you deserve to treat yourself occasionally with these fantastic chocolate pecan balls.
Vegan Chocolate Pecan Balls Recipe
Not only are these vegan candies completely free of animal products, but they are low-carb and gluten free, while still providing loads of fiber and amazing fruit- and nut-based nutrients to fuel your body and keep you looking and feeling your best. With a number of high-quality Omega-3 sources and other healthy fats, these may be your healthiest new treats, as well as being delicious.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dates (pitted)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Dairy-free chocolate chips, or cacao nibs
- 2 tablespoons coconut (shredded, powder or desiccated)
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ½ cup pecans
- ½ tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- A pinch of salt
- ¼ to ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
Optionally, you can also add ¼ cup of your favorite nuts or seeds (we recommend walnuts or brazil nuts for a fantastic boost of Omega-3 healthy fats).
Instructions
This recipe is as simple as it gets: put the ingredients into a blender and blitz until you achieve a doughy texture. Once you have a consistent dough texture, form the dough into balls and leave to chill for 5 to 10 minutes in the fridge. Now you have your pecan balls, you can squish them into cookie shapes, roll them out flat, or pop them in the oven for a few minutes to melt the chocolate chips and create a decadent snack.
Whether you’re vegan or not, these rich chocolate treats provide an amazing nutritional profile, are totally gluten-free, vegan, and low-carb, making them perfect for any diet.
What Makes These Vegan Treats So Special?
Variety, choice, and creativity can make or break a vegan diet. There are only so many times you can be confronted with sorbet at a restaurant or struggle to find dairy-free replacements for the desserts you love. A fantastic vegan treat should be designed from the ground-up using amazing plant-based products, not as an after-thought. Our chocolate pecan balls are an amazing substitute for common desserts and have a rich, chocolatey taste without any of the hassle associated with long bakes.
