Trick or Treat!!

Just say “NO!” to corn syrup, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, soy, artificial flavoring, refined sugar, and candida!!! And say “YES!” to a relatively easy to make gooey satisfying treat made with real food ingredients!! These “candies” freeze really well, so if you make a big batch you won’t regret it!

Don’t get scared away by this list of ingredients. This is a pretty simple treat to make! 4 layers of goodness with ingredients you most likely already have on hand!!

Tools Needed:

• 1 cupcake muffin pan
• 12 paper baking cup liners
• food processor
• spatula
• small kitchen bowls
• pot, double boiler for melting chocolate

Chocolate Coating:

• 1/2 cup raw cacao butter* (or coconut oil)
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or coconut nectar, etc)

Step 1: Line a muffin pan with 12 paper baking cups. Gently melt cacao butter over a double boiler or in a food dehydrator. Stir in cacao powder and maple syrup. Once melted use a Tablespoon to pour 3/4 to 1 Tablespoon melted chocolate into the bottom of each paper muffin cup. Put in the freezer to firm up while you make the other layers. Save the remaining chocolate for coating the candies at the end!

*I like my chocolates best when made with cacao butter, but this can be an expensive and hard to find ingredient, so you can just sub in coconut oil instead! The cacao butter gives these a more authentic flavor, but the coconut oil will totally work in a pinch and still be divine!

Coconut “Marshmallow” Layer:

• 1 cup dried coconut
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch pink Himalayan sea salt

Note: This will easily make twice the amount of the coconut layer than you need, but I find it hard to blend only 1/2 a cup coconut properly. Just form coconut macaroon cookies with the remaining batter. OR, you can attempt to make a half batch of this with your food processor.

Step 2: Blend 1 cup dried coconut in your food processor for a one to two minutes until it is finely broken down. Add in maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and sea salt, and blend for another minute or two. Form little balls of the coconut mixture with your hands and mash down onto the chocolate layer in the muffin cups.

Caramel Gooey Layer

• 6 medjool dates (pits removed)
• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch pink Himalayan sea salt

Step 3: Blend all ingredients for up to 2 minutes until you have a sticky caramel. Spoon on a little bit of the caramel over the coconut layer, then add the nuts below.

Nut Layer:

• 1/2 cup rough chopped raw walnuts (or use pecans, almonds, or raw jungle peanuts)

Note: This layer is totally optional. If you would like to make a nut free treat, just omit the nuts. Or you can experiment with using sunflower or pepitas instead!

Push your chopped nuts or seeds into the caramel layer, then spoon over the remaining melted chocolate from above! If you don’t want the candy “cup” look, with the ridges on the sides, then you can remove the candies from the muffin cups just before covering with chocolate and set on a flat piece of parchment paper to firm up. Put into the freezer for 20 minutes or so. Enjoy!!

These candies should be stored chilled in the freezer or fridge. I personally keep a stash of homemade raw chocolates in our freezer at all times, you know just in case of an emergency. ♥

Featured on: Gluten Free Wednesdays – Allergy Free Wednesdays