These delicious chocolate chickpea truffles are the perfect treat to make ahead of any occasion! Feature a creamy and fudgy chickpea chocolate interior coated by a rich dark chocolate layer. 100% vegan, gluten-free and rich in protein!
Healthier chickpea truffles packed with fiber and plant-based protein, gluten-free, and ultra-fudgy? Yes, it’s possible! We enjoy these chocolate-covered chickpeas, but these homemade truffles are even more fun and decadent!
We also LOVE making oat flour cookies with chocolate chips or these 4-ingredient banana oat cookies for quick snacks and healthy desserts, or these 4-ingredient peanut butter cups when craving PB + chocolate together, but these vegan chocolate truffles feel ultra special and make for a great recipe for when you are looking for something unique yet still very easy.
Made with just 4 simple ingredients, these rich and creamy protein snack bites have a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth texture—no one will guess they’re vegan and made with chickpeas! Perfect for holidays like Christmas or Easter, but it is so easy and quick to whip up a batch of these chocolate truffles that they also make for a great everyday sweet treat.
Let me know if you give them a try! ❤️
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❤️ Why you will love this recipe
- Easy and quick to make
- Amazing make-ahead treat for your family
- Healthier dessert packed with fiber and plant protein
- Irresistible dark chocolate flavor and an unbelievably creamy interior
- 100% vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free
🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
- Chocolate: dark chocolate works best for making truffles with a rich flavor. I used the dark chocolate chunks from Enjoy Life, which are vegan and allergen-free. You can use chocolate chips or a high-quality chocolate bar.
- Almond butter: I recommend using a natural kind of almond butter with a smooth, creamy and pourable consistency. Do not use sweetened almond butter with added oil. I used the almond butter from the brand 365.
- Coconut oil: refined coconut oil is best to avoid a coconut flavor, although both will work. Coconut oil helps create a softer chocolate crust, but you can skip it if you don't have any.
⭐️ Full ingredient list with quantities down below in the recipe card!
📝 Variations
You can add some extra flavor to the truffle batter in the food processor depending on the occasion and your preference, such as:
- Almond extract
- Orange zest
- Coconut extract
- Ground cinnamon or ginger
- Peppermint extract
- Instant coffee powder
- Freeze-dried strawberries (check out these strawberry bliss balls for tips)
You can also swap the almond butter for peanut butter to give the vegan truffles a delicious flavor profile and a boost in protein. In this case, be sure to use pourable natural peanut butter. I haven't tried it yet, but I think that tahini or pumpkin seed butter would also work well for a nut-free recipe.
For a crunchy bite, then you can also toss in a small handful of chopped walnuts or almonds (use a spatula to manually incorporate them in the truffle batter), or some quinoa puffs (check out these chocolate quinoa bites for inspiration!)
🍽 How to make vegan chickpea truffles
Step 1: Add the chocolate chips to a small bowl (¾ cups) and warm up using the microwave (30 seconds at a time). Let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then stir until completely melted.
Step 2: Add the melted chocolate, chickpeas and almond butter to a food processor.
Step 3: Process until smooth and uniform.
Step 4: Use a small ice cream scoop to divide the batter into 14-15 balls and place them over a parchment paper-covered plate. Transfer to the freezer for 15-30 minutes.
Step 5: Melt more chocolate chips (¾ cups) with the coconut oil, then dip the balls in the melted chocolate using forks. Transfer the balls back onto the parchment paper. If you want to garnish them (see below), then do it right after covering with melted chocolate.
Step 6: Let the chocolate chickpea truffles set for about 20 minutes in the fridge before enjoying.
⭐️ Detailed recipe down below in the recipe card!
➡️ Garnishing ideas
You can keep the truffles plain as seen in the pictures or have fun and garnish them with personalized toppings. Here are a few ideas:
- Chia seeds
- Shredded coconut
- Finely crushed nuts
- Drizzle extra of melted dark chocolate or vegan white chocolate (just wait for a few minutes for the chocolate layer surrounding the truffles to set first)
- Coarse salt
- Rainbow sprinkles
- Crushed candy cane (perfect for the holiday season)
💡 Helpful tips
- Make sure to rinse and then drain well the chickpeas before transferring them to the food processor. You want to make sure you are not adding more moisture to the truffle batter.
- Do not warm the chocolate chips too much or it can cook and harden instead of melting. It is best to warm up for about 45-60 seconds, then check on them and keep warming up about 10-15 seconds at a time until soft. Let the chocolate chips rest for about 30-60 seconds and then stir until completely melted.
- The truffle dough is very soft and sticky, which is why you need to use an ice cream scoop to portion into small balls. Then, feel free to adjust their shape using your fingers once they are scooped on the parchment paper.
- Remove the excess melted chocolate before transferring it over the parchment paper (you can knock against the side of the bowl).
- If adding a topping over the melted chocolate layer, then do it quickly so it can stick to it. The chickpea truffle batter is very cold when dipping in chocolate so the chocolate crust sets fast!
❗️Storage tips
These chickpea truffles are fine kept at room temperature as long as the temperature isn't too warm, although I recommend keeping them in the fridge so they stay nice and cold. Also, keep them in an airtight container so they don't dry out.
For longer storage, you can also store them in the freezer and pop a few out when you crave something sweet yet a little heartier. They will thaw quickly at room temperature.
❓ FAQs
Truffles are pretty much a ball of chocolate ganache covered with more chocolate or simply a dust of cocoa powder. They feature a soft, creamy and rich dark chocolate interior that melts in your mouth.
No! You need cooked chickpeas to make this recipe. I like using canned chickpeas for convenience.
Although the oil provides a nice softer chocolate crust, you can omit it and it still will work fine.
More vegan healthy dessert recipes you might like!
I hope you enjoyed these chocolate chickpea truffles! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below. Your feedback is so helpful!
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📖 Recipe
4-Ingredient Chickpea Chocolate Truffles (Easy Vegan Recipe)
Equipment
- Small bowls
- Parchment paper
- Plate
- Spoons
- Small ice cream scoop
Ingredients
- 15 oz canned chickpeas - rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips - I used the vegan chocolate chunks from Enjoy Life
- ⅓ cup almond or peanut butter - choose a natural and pourable nut butter
For the chocolate coating
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ tbsp coconut oil - refined is best
Instructions
- Transfer the chocolate chips/chunks (¾ cups) to a small bowl and warm up until melted using the microwave or double boiler. If using the microwave, start with about 45 seconds, then keep warming up for 15 seconds at a time until soft. Then, let them sit for 30-60 and stir to help them melt.
- To a food processor, add the chickpeas, almond butter and melted chocolate. Process until very smooth and uniform.
- Divide the truffle batter into about 15 balls using a small ice cream scoop and transfer over a parchment paper covered plate. Place the balls in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the chocolate coating: transfer the chocolate chips/chunks (¾ cup) to a small bowl and add the coconut oil. Melt until soft and smooth (see instructions above).
- One at a time, dip and cover the truffle with the melted chocolate using 2 forks and transfer back onto the parchment paper. When done with all the truffles, then transfer to the fridge until the chocolate coating is set. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Storage tips: these chickpea truffles are fine kept at room temperature as long as the temperature isn't too warm, although I recommend keeping them in the fridge so they stay nice and cold. Also, keep them in an airtight container so they don't dry out. For longer storage, you can also store them in the freezer and pop a few out when you crave something sweet yet a little heartier. They will thaw quickly at room temperature.
- Make sure to rinse and then drain well the chickpeas before transferring them to the food processor. You want to make sure you are not adding more moisture to the truffle batter.
- Do not warm the chocolate chips too much or it can cook and harden instead of melting. It is best to warm up for about 45-60 seconds, then check on them and keep warming up about 10-15 seconds at a time until soft. Let the chocolate chips rest for about 30-60 seconds and then stir until completely melted.
- The truffle dough is very soft and sticky, which is why you need to use an ice cream scoop to portion into small balls. Then, feel free to adjust their shape using your fingers once they are scooped on the parchment paper.
- Remove the excess melted chocolate before transferring it over the parchment paper (you can knock against the side of the bowl).
- If adding a topping over the melted chocolate layer, then do it quickly so it can stick to it. The chickpea truffle batter is very cold when dipping in chocolate so the chocolate crust sets fast!
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
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