It’s a good week for treats–easy, no bake ones smothered in homemade raw chocolate while we’re at it. We’re somewhat settled in the house, patches of new green grass are slowly becoming visible, I found a bar of cacao butter in the back corner of a cupboard (!!), and there was sun today. All good things on the up and up. This is the kind of sweet I make most often: wholesome-to-healthy, mostly mixed by hand, and a reliably delicious flavour combination. A tray of goodies like this offers quiet moments with tea throughout the week. There’s also something really vibrational and connected-seeming about making your own chocolate.
The idea for these sprang from my Emily‘s new book Rawsome Vegan Baking. Her blog is a goldmine of genuinely healthy dessert, raw cuisine and green juice-loving inspiration. She seems so jazzed on life and just offering her creativity to the world. I had been meaning to try my hand at some homemade chocolate with cacao butter for a while. Emily makes the process seem so approachable (like she does for all of her creations), so I knew that would be my starting point. From there I cobbled together a bunch of strategies from all of the cookie, crust, and bar recipes, and came up with these.
It’s a raw peanut butter cookie base with melted cacao butter in the batter to give a white chocolate richness. I freeze little orbs of the dough and then smother them in the raw chocolate and a sprinkle of salted chopped peanuts. So satisfying.
WHITE & DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH BONBONS
Print the recipe here!
Adapted from a bunch of recipes in Emily von Euw’s Rawsome Vegan Baking
SERVES: makes about 15
NOTES: You could take these into the stratosphere by garnishing with some crushed up salty pretzels. Just a thought. Also, DIY ALERT! You can make oat/raw buckwheat flour by grinding oats/buckwheat groats in a food processor, coffee grinder or blender.
peanut butter white chocolate cookie dough:
1 3/4 cups GF oat flour OR raw buckwheat groat flour
1/2 cup almond flour OR finely shredded coconut
pinch of fine sea salt
2 tbsp chopped raw cacao butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp peanut butter (or almond, cashew, sunflower seed etc.)
1/4 cp + 1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
raw chocolate:
1/4 cups melted raw cacao butter (this brand is great)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
+chopped peanuts for garnish
In a large bowl, combine the oat flour, almond flour/coconut flakes and salt. Lightly stir to combine. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the cacao butter, coconut oil, peanut butter and maple syrup. Stir constantly until you have a smooth, homogenous mix. Take it off the heat and add to the flour mixture. Stir to combine, using your hands if necessary.
Line a sheet with parchment and set aside. Form the peanut butter cookie dough into balls and place them on the sheet. Once you’ve gone through all of the dough, place the sheet pan in the fridge for 20 minutes or so.
Make the raw chocolate. Put an inch or two of water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a faint simmer. Place all of the raw chocolate ingredients in a medium, non-reactive, bowl that will sit over the pot without touching the water. Place it on top of the pot in a bain marie-style situation and stir until you have a smooth liquid chocolate. Remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside.
Remove the white chocolate peanut butter cookie dough bits from the fridge and start dipping them in the chocolate, returning them to the parchment lined sheet once coated. I use two forks to push them around in the chocolate and place them back on the pan. Sprinkle some chopped peanuts on top and repeat with remaining dough. Place the finished bonbons in the fridge to set the chocolate. Once set, keep bonbons in a covered container in the fridge.
Congratulations on the nomination! And these bonbons look divine. I also am more drawn to treats that can be put together quickly and are also wholesome. These definitely fit the bill!
You know you have my vote!!
Wishing I had a few of these to snack on today as I bemoan the absence of spring once again.
Congrats on the nomination, you so deserve it!! Also, these bonbons are calling to me like WHOA.
Congrats on the nom! And wowzers!!! These bonbons have my heart! Happy I found my way to your lovely blog this morning :)
Looks so beautiful and tempting.. great photography!
Super congrats to you! annnddd I could use a few of these bonbons this morning.. Love this!
Congratulations on the nomination! I’m drawn to these multi-impact gorgeous little bites particularly as no baking is involved! I will be trying these out x
This is amazing, because not only am I obsessed with chocolate + PB, but i literally bought raw cacao butter two days ago. SO excited to try these. You never fail to speak to my heart, Laura! <3
Congrats on the nomination! I’ve enjoyed your blog so much and was truly excited to see you being a finalist. You’re such an inspiration, Laura. Thank you for sharing your beautiful work and your thoughts with us.
These sound fantastic. That book looks super interesting too.
congratulations!!!! i could eat the dough by itself and chocolate definitely makes everything better,
Congrats! Vote coming your way, well done lady!
Congrats on the nomination! I love peanut butter cookies, I will try yours! Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations Laura! So exciting!! You’ve been such an inspiration to me, I just love your style and recipes. These bonbons are to die for delicious looking!
So fricken proud of you! EEEEEE!!! Sending our absolute love and support! <3
These look absolutely incredible. I want like 15. Also, congrats on the nom! You totally deserve it. Keep up the beautiful work, friend!
Hurrah for the nomination! SO pleased for your Laura + definitely ready to celebrate with you and one of these delights!
Oh wow those look so so incredible!!! Perfect snack to indulge on with no guilt.
{Teffy’s Perks} X
You inspire me big time, girlfriend. Best special diets blog, fo sho! <3
Dang, these look insane. All whole foods too, which is always good. Congratulations on the nomination! That’s incredible!
These look incredibly yummy – I could eat the pictures they are so amazing too! :)
Congrats!! So exciting and you know I will be voting! :)
Of coarse I’m reading this on a late Wednesday night, with a major craving for chocolate, and (somehow) there’s none in the house… and these bonbons are pushing that craving over the edge! A huge congrats on the nom. it’s well deserved!
Thanks so much for the sweet shout out love! I’m so thrilled for your Saveur nomination too! All the best xx
I’m seriously digging the sound of these and how wholesome/easy to make they seem. And you seriously cannot go wrong with homemade raw chocolate + peanut butter!
Super congrats on your nom, Laura; you + your blog are most deserving!
Congrats Laura!!! So excited to see you there. (oh, and yum!)
Beauty beauty beauty. I’ve never seen a stick of cocoa butter look more lovely. I’m in love with the way you shot this post and I’m in love with the recipe! I love finding truffle recipes that act more as energy health power bombs. I try to reduce the sugar in my life as much as possible and these are a perfect example of how you can live a healthier life and eat wholesomely while still enjoying delicious treats. <3
Your photos are beautiful- I really like how you incorporated the newspaper! It is different and unexpected, but adds so much! Thank you for all that you do!
I was so happy to see you nominated – every single recipe you make inspires me! And these. I’m all over them. xo.
I’m new to your blog and I think it’s beautiful. Congratulations on your saveur nomination. Will be trying out these gorgeous treats as soon as I get my hands on some cacao butter.
It’s almost unreal how good this looks! Anything containing chocolate, and I come running.
Should I use the coconut oil that tastes like coconut, or the refined kind? These look amaze balls!
Either one would be great, Hazel. I kinda prefer the coconut-ish tasting version personally :)
-L
Congrats on the Saveur nomination!!!! You totally deserve it. Your photos are always phenomenal. And these bon bons–they look totally amazing.
Ok, first of all, these bonbons look amazing. Second, I was so happy to see your blog’s name on the Saveur list. Your posts are the best of the best! Brava! Good things to come. :)
these looks so tasty. Great photos – i really need to get this book! x
Quick question: Will this recipe for raw chocolate work on its own in bar form, or is it specifically designed to be a chocolate coating? Thank you!