Vegan Chocolate Truffles
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.
Epic vegan chocolate truffles made with dark chocolate, hazelnuts, cocoa powder, and maple syrup. They’re EASY to make — just 6 ingredients are required. The perfect Valentine’s Day bite-sized treat!
Published Dec 2018/updated Feb 2025
I hope you’re sitting down because I’m sharing these gorgeous vegan chocolate truffles with hazelnuts today. They are melt-in-your-mouth, decadent, rich, and sweet-but-not-too-sweet.
Join my newsletter for free weekly recipes!
Seriously, I can lose all my self-control here! I don’t have any more exciting words to say.
But let’s talk about this easy truffle recipe, which is gluten-free, vegan (no eggs!), and packed with healthy ingredients. Bonus? It can be made in less than 30 minutes, and no oven is required.
And while truffles are typically shaped into balls and coated in cocoa powder, today, we turn them into luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate hearts.
The recipe starts with melted dark chocolate and a food processor.
Firstly, the toasted hazelnuts are blended with melted chocolate, cocoa powder, vanilla, maple syrup for sweetness, and sea salt to boost flavor. Et voilà, that’s your truffle mixture!
Now, all you have to do now is shape the truffles. You can roll them into balls using a cookie scoop or a heart-shaped cookie cutter for the cutest Valentine’s Day treats.
Finally, coat them with the rest of the luscious melted chocolate and decorate with your favorite sprinkles. It’s as easy as that.
I’m sure these easy, no-bake dark chocolate truffles will be your new favorites. Their lovely heart shape makes them perfect as a decadent gift for Valentine’s Day.
Let’s see how to make them and then devour them with your loved ones!
List of the ingredients
- Hazelnuts
- Dark chocolate
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Maple syrup (or honey for a non-vegan option)
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Sea salt flakes or your favorite sprinkles (optional)
Let’s make vegan chocolate truffles
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Melt the chocolate gently using a water bath or microwave. Set aside. This step is more straightforward than making a chocolate ganache, but be careful not to burn the chocolate!
- Finely grind the roasted hazelnuts in a food processor.
- Add the remaining ingredients and part of the melted chocolate, and blend until well combined.
- Place the mixture between 2 pieces of parchment paper and flatten it with a rolling pin 1/3 inch thick.
- Cut out hearts using a heart-shaped cookie cutter.
- Freeze them cold and firm.
- Coat the truffles in melted chocolate and sprinkle with Maldon sea salt, chopped hazelnuts or chocolate sprinkles, and freeze-dried raspberries. It’s your call!
- Refrigerate again until firm, then share with LOVE! ❤️
Important steps
recipe notes
Vegan chocolate truffle ingredients
Chocolate: To make vegan dark chocolate truffles with deep chocolate flavor, I love using 70% dark chocolate (sometimes 85%!), but feel free to choose milk or bittersweet chocolate if you wish. Be sure to use dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips to keep the truffles vegan.
Hazelnuts: It’s worth roasting these amazing nuts (my favorites!!) to bring out their unique and fragrant flavor.
Cocoa powder: For more flavor, I recommend using unsweetened cocoa powder. To make classic truffles, you can also coat them with cacao powder instead of melted chocolate.
Sweetener: I used maple syrup, but honey can be used instead if you don’t keep the recipe vegan.
Vanilla extract and salt: They both beautifully enhance the chocolate taste; you will be amazed. Make sure you don’t skip the salt; it’s quite a key ingredient.
Variations
Shape: While truffles usually tend to be rounded, for this truffle recipe, I used this cookie cutter to make them heart-shaped. To make the recipe easier, feel free to roll the truffles in your palms and shape them into a smooth ball.
Couverture: I’ve used melted dark chocolate for a more luxurious touch, but you can roll them in cocoa powder to save time.
How to store vegan chocolate truffles
If you have any leftovers (seriously?! Haha), they will keep well in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 7 days. They will stay soft but still perfectly hold their shape.
More vegan chocolate treats you’ll love!
If you look for easy chocolate treats, you’ve got to the right place! Here are some of my vegan and non-vegan favorite recipes:
- Vegan chocolate cake
- Vegan “Ferrero” chocolate truffles
- Beetroot chocolate cake
- Easy chocolate mousse
- Chocolate banana ice-cream
If you make these vegan chocolate truffles, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram. I would love to hear from you!
For more recipe updates, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
Vegan Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (100gr) hazelnuts, toasted*
- 3.5 oz (100gr) Dark or semi-sweet chocolate bar or chips (vegan)
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey as a not vegan option)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate: Break the chocolate into chunks and place it in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a small saucepan of simmering water; cook gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. If using a microwave, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted. Set aside.
- Make the truffle mixture: Add the toasted hazelnuts into a food processor and finely grind them. Add the cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons of the reserved melted chocolate, and salt. Blend again until the ingredients form a well-combined, sticky mixture.
- Flatten the mixture: Place the mixture between two parchment papers, and flatten with a rolling pin. If the mixture is too soft, let it rest in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
- Cut them out: Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut the truffles into tiny hearts. Place the truffle hearts on a small tray or baking sheet in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes until cold and firm.
- Cover with melted chocolate: Reheat the chocolate until melted and runny, and using a fork, gently dip each truffle into the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts, Maldon sea salt, or your favorite chocolate sprinkles. Refrigerate until set, and enjoy!
