This weekend we popped by the most enormous Trader Joe’s that I’ve ever seen and I was thrilled with their holiday section. I stumbled upon my favorite Peppermint extract and wanted to create something chocolate/pepperminty. The girls in my family are all huge fans of the combination. The flavor combination is reminiscent of the holidays and today, with our frigid temperatures, are also pushing me in that direction. Hard to believe that in just a few weeks we will have a Christmas tree in our house! Wasn’t it just summer?
Ingredients:
1 cup of raw almonds (you can use walnuts if you prefer)
1.5 cups of Medjool dates (remove the pits)
1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa (I used Ghirardelli)
2 teaspoons (or more if you like) of peppermint extract
Pinch of salt
Optional: If the dates are a bit dry add one tablespoon of water to the mixture. This will help them bind better.
Directions:
Into your food processor add your raw almonds and pulse until reduced to a flaky powder. Remove and place into a bowl. Then add your pitted dates and process until it forms a large “dough” like ball. Once that is achieved, add the nuts and the remaining ingredients to the processor. Blend until well-incorporated. Using a small melon baller, scoop out balls of the dough and roll in your hands. Set on a platter or cake stand. Repeat until all of the “dough” is used.
Enjoy!
— Knead to Cook
I love that you took two great holiday flavors and made a super healthy treat. Can’t wait to try these!
Megan, I can’t stop eating these. Like a peppermint patty. oxo
oh how much I will love these and they will be great as a treat when friends come round if I don’t eat them all first. thank you xoxo
Was thinking of making these….how well would they freeze?
I haven’t frozen them but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work
I made these tonight and they were good but not spectacular. They almost tasted too simple, like they were missing something.
Here are a few suggestions, use a really good quality cocoa powder, you can roast the nuts before making the flour with them and/or use more extract for more punch. Remember, these aren’t packed with sugar so they aren’t super sweet but a good way to curb your sweet tooth and much healthier.