Peanut Butter Coconut Truffles

The other afternoon, Eugene came home from work to find me measuring things into a bowl. "Oh good," he said as he stopped to give me a kiss. "I'm just so hungry." Then, upon taking a closer look at the contents of my bowl, he stopped.

"Chocolate?! This isn't dinner food!"

"No," I admitted. "This is dessert, but there's a meatloaf in the oven."

There were no complaints later when, after the meatloaf, Eugene helped himself to several spoonfuls of the truffle ganache as I molded the rest into little treats. I tucked the results into an air-tight container and popped them in the fridge for future snacking.

Made with creamy peanut butter and good bittersweet chocolate, these taste a bit like grown-up Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I added a bit of coconut oil and rolled them around in (unsweetened) desiccated coconut to add another interesting layer of flavor, though you could certainly use regular butter and roll them around in chopped salted peanuts instead, or in confectioner’s sugar or cocoa (or a mix of all of these!)

If you're looking for an interesting hostess or Christmas gift, consider pairing these with my espresso cocoa truffles and presenting in a pretty gift box or cellophane bag tied with ribbon.


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Loved this recipe? Here are three other homemade truffle recipes you might like: 

• Cocoa Espresso Truffles
• Dark Chocolate & Lime Truffles
• Boozy Rum Cake Truffles

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Thanks so much for reading!

Peanut Butter Coconut Truffles
Yields 2 dozen truffles

Ingredients
12oz bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut

Directions
Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and coconut oil in a large bowl and mix well. (It will be lumpy.) Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine heavy cream and salt. Set over low heat and bring just to a boil. Immediately remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and pour over the chocolate and peanut butter mixture.

Use a whisk or fork to stir until the chocolate and peanut butter is melted into a smooth thick ganache (chocolate sauce). Let the ganache cool in the bowl on a counter overnight or for 3-5 hours--this will depend on the weather. (Do not refrigerate--letting it cool slowly is important.)

Once it's firm to the touch, use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop out balls of the ganache. Roll in your hand then drop into the shredded coconut and roll to coat. Place on a parchment lined tray or plate and repeat with rest. Chill one hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator or an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. Can also be frozen.