Once I find a food I like, I go a bit nuts with it.
Lately, that food is dates. I have been buying them whenever I see them because some weird, neurotic part of me is terrified that the date supply will run out! I had this problem with peanut butter a while back. I would buy and hoard jars, even though I had 10 at home.
On top of all of this madness, I am incredibly selfish with food. Just ask my husband. I will buy or make things and then tuck them away in the vegetable drawer of our fridge (somewhere he'd never look). Yes, I am a joy to live with.
Aside from all of this, the reason behind my date obsession lies with treats like these. Raw treats are my passion lately, the biggest reason being that I honestly feel so good eating them! Initially, I was pondering a raw Thin Mint, since my favorite combination is mint and chocolate, but I felt like the 'cookie' was incomplete. After slapping a minty chocolate coating on them, they became heavenly and are my new obsession!...(along with the dates).
Raw Mint Chocolate Bon-Bons
Ingredients
- THE BON-BON:
- ½ c. pecans use pumpkin seeds if nut-free
- ½ c. oats use more pecans if grain-free
- 10 Medjool dates about five ounces
- 3 T. cacao powder
- ¼ t. sea salt
- ¾ t. mint extract
- 1 T. coconut oil melted
- 2 T. water
- THE CHOCOLATE COATING use room temperature ingredients for best results:
- 6 T. coconut oil melted
- 3 T. maple syrup
- 3 T. cacao powder
- ¼ t. + 1/8 t. mint extract
- ¼ t. + 1/8 t. vanilla extract
- ⅛ t. sea salt
Instructions
- Process the pecans and oats until they are the consistency of flour.
- Remove the mix, and add the dates along with one tablespoon of water.
- Process the dates until they are broken up and resemble a paste.
- Add back the pecan/oat mix, along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Process until well combined.
- Using wet hands, roll the dough into about 18 balls.
- Place them onto a wax paper-lined plate, and place the plate in the freezer.
- While the bon-bons are hardening, mix together the ingredients for the chocolate coating (try to use room temperature ingredients as this will facilitate the coating process).
- Once the bon-bons are cold and firm, place a toothpick in the top of each.
- Dip and coat the bon-bons in the chocolate mix, rolling them around until completely covered.
- Once coated, place them back onto the plate and back into the freezer (once all have been coated) to set.
- Remove toothpicks and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I've tried these multiple ways, so you can tailor them to your personal diet type:
- If you're paleo or grain-free, eliminate the oats and use an equal amount of nuts or seeds.
- If you're nut-free, use pumpkin seeds (I do this for my daughter, as she cannot have nuts).
The posted combination is my personal favorite, but they all taste great!
If you're not a fan of mint, vanilla extract would make a great substitute. Any way you make them, I hope you enjoy them as much as we are!
Karen
We recently moved from WA state to MA, and I'm having trouble finding medjool dates. Even Whole Foods and Trader Joe's hasn't had them! Whole Foods only had the deglets, which just aren't as good as medjool, in my opinion. I finally found some at a local grocery chain -- and, like you, wanted to buy their entire supply! If I did want to stock up, how long do you think they would keep? 🙂
Lauren
I eat mine fairly quick, so I'd only be guessing when I say about a month? I usually toss dried fruit when it begins to harden. 🙂
Amber
Oh wow, Lauren. These look amazing!! My husband would go nuts for these. He loves the chocolate mint combination more than anyone I know. What a great, healthy snack!
Sharing!!
Lisa
My favorite food combo of all time is either chocolate and almond butter...or chocolate basically combined with anything. Mint is up there!
These look so amazing, I'm thinking they would make the perfect treat to bring along to a party.
Gabby @ the veggie nook
Hehe, your talk about hoarding certain food items got me laughing- I am currently doing the same thing with honey and nut butters! I have so many jars I don't know what to do with them! Oh well, it is a delicious problem at least!
These look wonderful! Mint and chocolate is one of my favourite combinations too 🙂
Gautham
Hi Lauren,
I'm already mouth-watered. I can't wait to try this awesome recipe. There goes my Christmas food list. Thanks
Lauren
Haha, I thought of saving the recipe for Christmas, but I didn't think too many people would be interested in raw treats during that time! 🙂
Peggy
Oh, my these look delish! I've been on a date kick lately too! When my husband went to Sam's I asked him to pick up dates...he came home with 2 giant packages. He always buys double of things. So, I will have plenty of dates to try this recipe with!
Lauren
Your comment had me laughing, because my husband is the same way. He always wants to load up on things we need, while I prefer to save the money and buy it later (I go to the grocery store just about every day anyway). 😀 I hope you get a chance to try the recipe! My husband loves them!
veganmiam.com
OMG, these raw mint chocolate bons bons are so adorable!!!!!!!!!
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat
What gorgeous pictures!!! You make these look so easy too! I would love make them, and I can guarantee you that there will be chocolate EVERYWHERE when I do!
[email protected]
These look so, so tasty!
Thanks for sharing on Natural Living Monday!
Katherine @ Green Thickies
Wow, you just seem to have the ability to tempt me with every single one of your creations. I just adore mint and chocolate anything.
Deepa @onesmallpot
These look soooo good! I hope you don't mind that I have linked in to this post on my latest post?
Lauren
Not at all Deepa! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Anastasia
My daughter and her friends are going to thank you for this.. we've got a birthday party coming up and your bon-bons are going to be a hit. You are a culinary artist and we owe you for sharing these beautiful ideas. Much love to you!
Lauren
Thank you so much Anastasia! I hope you enjoy these if you make them...they're one of my favorite recipes!
Mary
Lauren,
What would you suggest using in place of the coconut oil for those that may be following an oil free way of eating?
Lauren
Hi Mary,
You can easily leave out the oil from the bon-bon part of the recipe and add a bit of water to compensate. For the coating, you could try melting a dark chocolate bar and adding a bit of mint extract?