It’s the holiday season and candy canes pretty much scream “Christmas!” But what do you do with all your candy canes? Besides hanging them from your decorations or taping them to the gift (like our rockin’ breakfast cookbook or our extra rockin’ lunch and dinner cookbook) you’re wrapping for your friend, what else can you do with them? They’re cute and come in all sizes, but when it comes to eating them, we pretty much get bored after the first few licks. And chomping down on them is just asking for a cracked tooth.
It’s time for a #CandyCaneHack!
We thought about all the ways we could incorporate candy canes into some of our recipes in which the peppermint flavor would shine through and add another dimension of flavor. Well, you can crush them and put them into your pancake batter, add them to your post-workout smoothie (think very fast acting carbs), or sprinkle them on top of your brownies. However, we wanted something that was quick to prepare, really eye-catching, and great to bring to a party.
We made Candy Cane Truffles. With crunch and a decadent chocolate bite, these truffles are at the top of our list of favorite desserts. They are also so easy to make, which is perfect for the busy days we all seem to have during the holiday season. Our truffles can be made on Sunday and eaten throughout the week, whether it’s at work, for the kids’ lunches, or after a long day at work. Enjoy!
And, oh yes, they are good for you. 
CANDY CANE TRUFFLES (makes 16-20 truffles)
- 14 Medjool Dates, pits removed
- 2 tbs. Peanut Butter & Company Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped (we like 72% dark)
- 2 medium candy canes
1. Take the candy canes and place them in a zip top bag. Seal the bag and then pound the candy canes with a kitchen mallet or flat side of a pan until you get small pieces and some powdered candy canes. Place into a bowl and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, place the dates and peanut butter. Pulse until well combined and almost smooth. The dark chocolate peanut butter really adds to the chocolatiness (is that even a word?)
3. Roll the date-PB mixture into little balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
4. Place the chopped chocolate into a glass bowl and melt over a double boiler or in the microwave. You want to melt it to the point that it’s about 90% melted, and then remove from the heat and stir until smooth.
5. Place 2 truffles into the melted chocolate and roll around to evenly coat with chocolate. Remove, one at a time using a fork, so that some of the excess chocolate can fall back into the bowl. Place the chocolate coated truffle back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with some of the chopped candy canes. Repeat with remaining truffles.
6. Place baking sheet in freezer to harden the chocolate (this should take 5-10 minutes).
Nutritional Analysis per truffle: 212 calories; 13 (g) fat; 22.2 (g) carbs; 13.6 (g) sugar
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