Chewy meet crispy meets so very chocolatey in one decadent dessert bite. These Rice Crispy Crunch Truffles are vegan, simple to make, and healthier than they look!
I’m not sure if truffles technically qualify as a holiday dessert or not? They are candy-like but with a little extra class. They are wonderfully shareable. They are much easier than cutting out cookies or preparing pies. So I think yes, they are holiday perfect!
Let’s talk spherical snacking semantics for a moment…
The name energy bite conjures up thoughts of a totally healthy treat fit for five-year-old fingers or a mid-hike trail-side snack alongside a handful of granola. It’s cute. It’s playful. It doesn’t take it’s snack self too seriously.
Now it’s sweet snack cousin the bliss ball conjures up thoughts of a superfood-filled, fruit-flavored treat that would fit in perfectly next to acai bowls and matcha lattes on an organic cafe menu. A little fancy. A little hippie. A little ball of zen.
And does anyone really know the technical difference between these two? Nah.
But then there is the truffle–the classiest of the spherical snack family if you ask me. That deep, delicious usually-dairy-filled center concealed under a delicate layer of dark chocolate. Rich and enticing. Not afraid to surprise you with unexpected nut or fruit additions. A treat of few bites, but much decadence.
Except Oreo truffles. The Oreo part knocks the classy right out of the truffle (and the cookie-deliciousness right in, of course!) But I digress.
Now I can’t ignore the technical differences between truffles and bliss balls. One is usually made of dried fruit and nuts, the other of chocolate and heavy cream. These truffles follow more closely the ingredient style of a bliss ball. But I have my ways of making them rich and decadent like a truffle, and still healthy too!
Inspired by one of my favorite chocolate candy bars, and my beaming baking bestie who just recently proved that rice crispy crunchy things can be very Christmas festive, these are not just truffles but Rice Crispy Crunch Truffles. Like a Crunch bar made healthier, rounder, and with that luscious truffle center!
Now onto the healthy but decadent truffle tips I mentioned…
No nuts. Nuts, I love you and all, but your little nubbly chunks hanging out inside my truffles would be a dead giveaway of the truffles’ secretly healthy identity.
Nuts on the outside–truffle appropriate. Nuts on the inside–that’s a bliss ball, my friend.
Instead of nuts, I used something that is going to sound even more health-dorky but once it runs through the food processor I promise no one will guess: cereal. Yes the breakfast stuff in a box. Since I already planned on making these crunch truffles with rice crispy cereal on the outside, for simplicity I tried just using the rice crispy cereal for the center too. And it worked perfectly! The cereal grinds up super fine so no tell-tale chunks, but it still makes for a roll-able truffle center. And no loss of fudgy-ness either like flour can sometimes lead to.
Extra cacao. In a typical bliss ball recipe of this size, I would probably use about 1/4 cup of cacao (or cocoa) powder. But these are not bliss balls, these are truffles. So let’s bump that up a bit…extra rich fudgy flavor here we come!
I mean can a truffle really be too rich? Actually it probably can, please don’t take that as a challenge!
The chocolate coating. One of the biggest distinguishing factors in my mind between truffle and ball o’ bliss is the coating. If it’s chocolate coated, odds are we’ve crossed into truffle territory. Remember those chocolate covered Chewy granola bars? Sure, they were amazing…but they weren’t exactly a healthy snack bar anymore (if they ever were, which is questionable). Chocolate coatings change things. One dunk in a big bowl of melted chocolate and snacks come out with an entirely different dessert-ier vibe.
And these truffles don’t just get a single dip in Lake Melted Chocolate. They get a chocolate dip, a rice crispy roll, and then an extra chocolate drizzle just to seal the crispy crunch coating deal.
These little chocolatey bites are teetering close to that line between bliss ball and truffle. Between classy and cereal-crunch silly. Between healthy snack and too many chocolate chips involved to qualify for that status. So call them what you like, eat them how you like, share them if you like, but just try them. Because they are chewy meet crispy meets very chocolatey all in one yummy bite!
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Rice Crispy Crunch Truffles
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 10 truffles 1x
Description
Chewy meet crispy meets so very chocolatey in one decadent dessert bite. These Rice Crispy Crunch Truffles are vegan and much healthier than they look!
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates
- 1 cup rice crispy cereal
- ½ cup cacao powder
- 2–3 tbsp non-dairy milk
Coating
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup rice crispy cereal
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the dates, rice crispy cereal, and cacao powder. Process until well combined with no large chunks remaining.
- Add the non-dairy milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture clumps into a ball.
- Roll into 10 bite-sized balls and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate chips.
- Dip one ball into the melted chocolate, and evenly coat on all sides. Transfer to a small bowl full of the rice crispy cereal and toss to coat.
- Move to a plate to dry and repeat with the remaining truffles.
- Drizzle the excess melted chocolate on top and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to set.
- Enjoy. Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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Did I just read Rice Crispy Crunch Truffles?? You had me at Rice Crispy and you made my mouth water at the word truffles. Then I read they were Vegan and now my mind is blown 🙂 Truffles are a holiday dessert in my world.
Haha a combo of two of my faves too!! There is something about the ever so unsophisticated crunchy cereal coating that I just love 🙂 Thanks Mary!
Where chewy meets crispy <— can we sit at that exact spot together, like until Christmas? 🙂 Er… and can you bring like two batches of these to keep us company? YES, truffles totally count as a holiday dessert! Especially when they look this good. All I can think about right now is like two big bowls of this, plus your thin mints, your homemade oreos and your candy cane nice cream. All that, and I'll be set for this weekend–uh, I mean the entirety of the holidays!! 😉 Alright, I have to address the holiday elephant in the room, this: "spherical snacking semantics" THIS is why we're besties. And like a million other reasons, of course. <3 You know what I'm totally asking Santa for this year? A chance to meet up with my festive fantastic feasting fruit (best) friend (okay, F's are really hard) next year. Is that too much to ask? Love ya x million. xo <3 P.S. why does phenomenal rudely insist on not starting with an "f"??? ??❤️
When you said “holiday elephant in the room” I can’t help but imagine a big elephant squeezed into my living room wearing a Santa hat and elf shoes bahahaha!! And it’s a seriously funny image, so I hope you can envision it too?? I appreciate that you appreciate my excessive alliteration usage. Um phenomenal totally counts as an honorary ‘f’ word, I certainly won’t tell the alliteration police? Omg that would be the best gift! And when I say best I mean BESTTTTTT!!! Right up there with one of your epic sweet snacking goodie boxes? Although I know anytime we finally meet up there will no doubt be a hefty supply of snacks? Love ya my BBB❤️
:O yesssssssssss. Rice krispies and chocolate? I’m IN. The textures and flavours are making my mouth water!
Love those two too! Like chocolate covered rice crispy treats but inside out…sorta lol 😀
Give me a minute to pick my jaw up off the floor…..OMG. These look INSANE!!!! And the shot of the inside??? I’m dying over that fudgy, heavenly center. Just, wow. I would like to ask that you just move into my house because literally everything you make is right up Willow’s alley. I actually popped over here to leave a comment on your Candy Cane nicecream post, but I obviously got distracted! If I wasn’t typing this from my computer right now, this comment would be loaded with all sorts of emojis 😉 I LOVED reading the breakdown of the ingredients and snacking varieties – lots of laughing over here! These will absolutely be making an appearance in our house for Christmas – and I’m thinking a double batch will be necessary for my little chocoholic! <3
Ha I can do that! Move to Oregon, become Willow’s personal snack chef, test all your new etsy products for ya–yep sounds perfect 😀 Isn’t it weird how lost it sometimes feels typing on a computer without emoji access? Like I NEED the heart eyes emoji right now!! I kept the batch on the small side for safety reasons, but for Christmas doubling is totally appropriate hehe! Thanks Mandy <3
Omg girl, that inside chocolatey shot I literally gasped!! These look insanely delicious! The fact you added all those chocolate chips has me sooo excited. I just used up literally ALL my brown rice crisp cereal for a rice crispy treat recipe for a recipe, but I’m totally going to have to buy more so I can make these. I can see that they would last, oh, all of 5 minutes in our house! I love how simple they are, how sweet they are, how crispy they are, how perfect they are. What a fabulous recipe! I love those crispy ferrero rocher truffles, I use to eat them all the time, but of course they aren’t vegan and these are about 10,000 times better and healthier as well. Love, love!
You have a rice crispy treat recipe coming soon too!? Hot chocolate, cake, rice crispy treats, I am loving this whole take a month off and come back super inspired Brandi!! 😀 Someone on YT pointed out the Ferrero Rocher similarity which I totally didn’t even think of when I made them…duh! Now I want to make a new version with actual hazelnuts…next time. Ha always love the inside shots and trying to take that camera-perfect bite 🙂 Thank you for the lovely comment!!
I have always always always wanted to make date sweetened rice crispy treats! You beat me to it and I am so happy you did because these look incredible!! OMG love that you added cocoa too. Nothing better than chocolate, sweet dates, and crunchy cereal!
Haha kinda. More like date sweetened rice crispy covered treat, but the textures and flavors are all there 🙂 I would love to find a way to do a date-sweetened rice crispy treat too, but date paste + rice crispies only leads to soggy sadness lol.
I’m all for quick and easy holiday treats! They look like little bites of (crunchy) heaven 😀
Me too!! I mean over the top decorated cookies and fancy festive cakes are fun too, but sometimes I just want a little Christmas bite asap 🙂 Thanks for hopping over to check them out Nadia!
Oh my goodness these just get me!! So chocolatey, fudgey, and crispy all in one perfect bite!!! PINNING!!! <3
Bahahaha! And you clearly get them too 😀 Thanks girl!
This is actually THE most delicious thing I have ever seen! If I was even on the same continent I would be driving to your house right this very second to get my hands on some! This has officially gone to the TOP of my ‘to-make’ list! Always inspiring Natalie. Thank you!
Across the ocean would be a little bit far to come for chocolate…not that I haven’t thought about it before though haha 😀 Thanks for sharing them on IG stories too, Ashley!
These look like the things in my dreams. I want to eat them all and share with everyone and no one. The video is also adorably cute.
Haha the to share or not to share struggle–I know the feeling 😀 Thanks for watching Casey!
I made them Natalie and they are delicious, of course LOL! They are for my hubby, afternoon snacks at work, and he loves it, that’s good right!? I rolled them in a little coconut, ran out of rice krispies. Thanks so much xoxo
Yay Tina, I am so so happy to hear it 🙂 They are the perfect little afternoon sweet treat I think! The coconut sounds delicious, someone mentioned how much they look like ferrero rocher balls, so now I want to try a hazelnut version too. So many truffle ideas! Thank you as always for the feedback <3
How wonderful! I would so make these!
They are so yummy, that perfect snack or dessert kinda treat 🙂 Thanks Tess!
Natalie, I just made your truffles! OMG! They are fantastic! I must have mine smaller than yours, because I got about 20 out of my batch. I made 1/2 following your recipe. The other 1/2 I added some peppermint to the chocolate they are coated with. OMG! those were amazing. I don’t know about peppermint IN the date mix. That may be too strong, but the little mint in the chocolate covering was fantastic. Due to health reasons, I am vegan, and I also can’t have oils, or refined sugar. You have been a life saver offering healthy sweet treats! Thank you so much. Merry Christmas!
Yes!!! Ah I am so happy to hear that you loved them Christina! Wow 20, that is impressive. They must’ve been the perfect little bite size 🙂 I love the peppermint addition, that is a great idea! I am so happy you enjoy the recipes and they work for you and your diet. Merry Christmas to you too!!
These really are amazing. Made a double batch today. That’s twice this week!
Twice in one week!?! That is always a good sign! I am so happy you like them, thanks so much for the lovely feedback 🙂
These truffles are pure decadence. They are so rich and chocolatey! I made them for Christmas and then I made them again the next day once the first batch had disappeared. One of my many, many, many favorites of yours, Natalie 🙂
Yay, I am so very happy to hear that Hayley! Quick disappearing desserts are the best kind haha 😀 Thank you for the feedback and wishing you a very happy new years!
Only you can make rice crispies into something this fancy! I want a whole box <3 These are sure to become a staple
Dressing up cereal into classy desserts–it’s my hidden talent hahaha!! Thanks girl 😀
I’ve been meaning to pop over here and leave some feedback for you! Willow and I made these for our Christmas Day gathering – I gave her a handful of options and when she saw the pics for this recipe, nothing else mattered 😉 I love how these treats required very few ingredients and no baking….our oven was pretty full so this recipe was a blessing! I wish I had taken a pic of Willow after we made them because she managed to get chocolate, sticky goodness all over herself (face, hair, clothes)! OK, but moving on to the verdict….everyone RAVED about them!!!! It was so much fun to sit back and listen to everyone take their first bite and watch their eyes light up. Lots of “MMMMMMMs” and “oh, my!” and “pass me another one.” Huge success! These were so easy to make and I’m so glad Willow picked them! 🙂
I was grinning hugely like a weirdo the whole way through reading this! I am thrilled that you tried them period, and for Christmas and to hear that everyone liked them makes me even happier!!! Hahaha oh I bet that messy chocolate-everywhere pic would’ve been adorable! while I was trying to coat them and film at the same time I was almost as messy myself 😀 Willow has good tastes…and by tastes I mean love for chocolate 🙂 Thank you Mandy, you are the best!
This is such a delish! Also, it seems very easy to prepare, I am definitely preparing this for the weekend!
The best combo–easy and chocolate! Enjoy 🙂
These turned out amazing!! I was trying to get as much cooking done as possible during nap time so i skipped the melted chocolate and just rolled the soft balls in the rice crispies and threw them in the fridge. So great! Thanks so much!!
★★★★★
Woohoo I am so happy you liked them! Extra efficient and maybe a little healthier too, sounds perfect 🙂 Thanks for the feedback Alexandria and enjoy the rest!
Do these freeze well?
I’ve never tried it, but I worry the cereal will get soggy so I don’t really recommend. Sorry!