Everyone’s favorite Fudge Babies, one of my most popular recipes of all time, are back once again!
Oil Free
Flourless
Vegan
Just 5 Ingredients… and NO Baking Required!
These secretly vegan and healthy chocolate fudge balls, with just a few wholesome ingredients and no added sugar, are easy to make, completely delicious… and totally addictive!
Don’t say I didn’t warn you!!!!!
Readers also love this Banana Ice Cream
This has been one of my most popular recipes with readers over the years, and for good reason.
If you’ve never heard of Fudge Babies, they’re basically raw and paleo chocolate truffles made without any added sugars, oil, or processed ingredients, and they’re pretty much impossible to stop eating.
The recipe is one of the easiest healthy desserts you’ll ever try.
Fudge Babies will always have a special place in my heart because, long before the Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip or the Black Bean Brownies came onto the scene, this was actually the first one of my recipes to ever go viral!
Fudge Babies come in all sorts of different flavors, such as Thin Mint, German Chocolate, and Chocolate Peanut Butter.
You can roll them into balls, cut out shapes with cookie cutters, or even form them into bars to make your own homemade Larabars, for a healthy snack any time you’re craving chocolate.
You can also roll them in coconut flour if you want to make your own homemade Larabar Bites.
And because they don’t need to be refrigerated, they’re great for any of the following:
Packing in a lunchbox
Making a batch to give as a gift
Shipping to family or friends
Taking as a healthy on-the-go snack
So why highlight the Fudge Babies again now?
Well first of all, the recipe is way too good to be lost in the archives.
If you have just 5 minutes, I highly recommend making a batch.
They are ridiculously fun to make and even more fun to eat.
Especially with Valentine’s Day around the corner, chocolate Fudge Babies are the perfect recipe, because they are both heart healthy and sinfully decadent and chocolatey at the same time.
But even more importantly: On February 21st, at noon EST, I’ll be making these fudge babies live in the studio at the USA Today Headquarters!
**Edit: Above is the live footage from the USA Today Headquarters broadcast
I included a few flavor variations below, but the sky really is the limit.
Have fun coming up with your own Fudge Baby flavors by adding ingredients such as chia seeds, almond extract, shredded coconut, instant coffee, or anything else you think sounds good.
I’d love to see your variations, so please feel free to post a photo of your results in the comment section below, or tag me on Instagram @ChocolateCoveredKatie.
Fudge Babies – The Famous Recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts or nuts of choice – Or here’s a Nut-Free Version
- 1 1/3 cup pitted dates
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3-4 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder
- optional just over 1/8 tsp salt
- optional mini chocolate chips
- optional add-ins such as chia seeds or shredded coconut
Instructions
- *If your dates are super hard, just soak them in boiling water for a half hour. Most regular grocery stores carry dates; just be sure to buy them pitted. I usually add the salt, but it’s your choice! Blend all ingredients in a food processor (or halve the recipe and use a single serve blender or mini chopper). When doing a full recipe, I’ve found that a food processor works much better than a blender because everything processes more evenly and the results are not a sticky mess. Roll into balls – I find it’s easiest to transfer the dough to a ziploc and smush it into one big ball, then break off pieces and roll into smaller balls. Feel free to dip in melted chocolate or roll in cocoa powder or shredded coconut or coconut flour. You can also form bars or even roll out the dough and cut shapes with cookie cutters! View Nutrition Facts Variations: Hot Chocolate Fudge Babies: 1/4 cup raw cashews or walnuts, loosely packed 2/3 cup pitted dates, 1 tbsp Dutch cocoa powder, pinch salt Coconut Cookie Fudge Babies: loosely packed 2/3 cup pitted dates, 1 1/2 tbsp coconut butter, pinch salt Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Babies: 1/4 cup roasted peanuts (with salt), loosely packed 2/3 cup pitted dates, 1 tbsp cocoa, 1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract And here’s a Cookie Dough Version!
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I have been meaning to make these for ages, and when I finally got my food processor, I knew this would be among the first recipes I would need to try. Words cannot express how enthralled I am to be able to create such amazing, guilt-free, amazingly chocolatey balls of fudginess! I love to roll them in cocoa powder, because I feel like I’m eating a high-end chocolate truffle 🙂 Thank you for the amazing recipe! You never let me down 🙂
Can I use pitted prunes instead of dates? Just curious, these look so yummy! Can’t wait to make them!
I have made these twice now, and just made them for a third time, but completely different… Instead of dates I used half dried peaches and half dried cranberries (because that’s what I had in the cupboard) and I used brazil nuts and almonds for the nut portion. No cocoa, rolled in coconut (which I also did for the original recipe, but is more vital for this new version, as the mix has come out quite sticky). They are DELICIOUS. Do recommend trying different fruit and nut combinations!
OMG my toddler cant get enough of these (and me too)! I make these in a vitamix. Has anyone else noticed that the walnut oil separates out? I do blend the heck out of these so it tastes just like soft tootsie rolls and pour the few tbsp of oil off.
Oh me goodness! I wanna make these for a little study snack!….and for dinner!….and for dessert! This girl needs it?
I’m going to use these for a valentines treat for my boyfriend. But I think I’ll make one of all your variations… definitely the peanut butter ones!!! Kind of like a healthy alternative to the standard chocolate heart. Thank you for the inspiration!!! Oh and btw I had to make them ten minutes after stumbling on them. They are fantastic!!!! I made small round cookies and have eaten at least 8 of them today!
I was so excited to try this recipe because I ADORE chocolate and dates!
Unfortunately my Breville food processor couldn’t manage the dates. I don’t know if it was because the dates were too hard or the food processor not strong enough. I was so dissappointed! 🙁
I’m making these fudge babies for some friends for Christmas (their kids have a laundry list of allergies, and these are a rare safe treat!).
Question: Should I refrigerate them? I’ve just made them, but it will be a couple of days before I can deliver them.
No need – they are like larabars 🙂
Would this recipe work using Medjool dates?
Yes I’ve done it before.
Great treat. I’ve made black bean brownie balls, but I love trying different recipes. I’ll have to see what these tastes like. Thanks!