Lemon Coconut Truffles

A delicious and healthy sweet treat made with tangy lemon, tropical coconut and a hint of vanilla bean. These tasty little sugar free truffles can be whipped up in less than 10 minutes!
Lemon Coconut Truffles recipe by Buffy Ellen of Be Good Organics - vegan and gluten free!
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Lemon Coconut Truffles recipe by Buffy Ellen of Be Good Organics - vegan and gluten free!

This week’s plant-powered treat is a delicious version of my favourite truffles, this time flavoured with tangy lemon, tropical coconut and a hint of vanilla. They make wonderful snacks that little ones will love too. These truffles are a refreshing alternative to many fruit and nut based bliss ball recipes, which often include cacao. They’re also super simple to make with only a few ingredients which you can put together in less than 10 minutes. They’re the perfect treat to make with young ones as there are only a few steps and they can roll them themselves. Baking with kiddies doesn’t have to be all chocolate chip cookies and pancakes!

Lemon Coconut Truffles recipe by Buffy Ellen of Be Good Organics - vegan and gluten free!

I’ve long been a fan of lemony treats. In fact I recall the first ever extravagant restaurant dessert I had being lemon meringue pie – the delicious vanilla biscuity base was filled with tart tangy lemon curd and topped with light luscious meringue. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you may have spotted a few of my other lemony sweet treats, including my Lemon Coconut Apricot Fudge Slice and Creamy Lemon Cheesecake. If you haven’t made either of these I would highly recommend. Although this easy truffle recipe is a great place to start your lemony escapades.

Lemon Coconut Truffles recipe by Buffy Ellen of Be Good Organics - vegan and gluten free!

Lemon is a wonderful fruit to include in your diet, and something I always have in the fruit bowl. It grows readily in most temperate climates all year round, and can be used to add a delicious tart tangy element to sweet treats, as well as being an acidic base for your salad dressings (trying whisking in a jar with tahini, chia seed/sacha inchi/olive oil, Himalayan sea salt, black pepper and herbs if you like), or simply squeezed on top of vegetables and fritters such as my Spiced Cauliflower Fritters. Many recipes call for just lemon juice, but I love to use the whole lemon including the juice, flesh and zest. You get even more lemon flavour, and benefit from all of the vitamins, minerals and fibre in the natural lemon. So next time you’re asked for just lemon juice, try the triple combo instead.

Lemons have are sour, astringent flavour and cooling thermal nature. They are very alkaline and are therefore one of the most beneficial fruits for those who eat high animal-protein/fat diet, which is very acidifying for the blood. They help the liver to function as well as cleanse the blood, especially the zest (all the more reason to use all three bits). Lemons are high in vitamin C with 53 mg per 100 grams, as much as an orange. They also have antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, making them great for combating flus, colds, coughs and parasites – try a squeeze of juice and a little grated zest in a glass of hot water with a sliver of ginger and some coconut nectar or coconut sugar to sweeten.

Lemon Coconut Truffles recipe by Buffy Ellen of Be Good Organics - vegan and gluten free!

I like to keep these truffles in the freezer as it makes them extra chewy and delicious. Confused as to whether you should keep truffles and bliss balls in the fridge or freezer? For my recipes, if they include some sort of liquid such as water via soaked nuts or lemon juice, then keep them in the freezer for a nice firm texture. If they don’t contain any water-based liquid and are just pure dried nuts and fruit, you can happily keep them in the fridge.

Give them a go this weekend! And if you’d like to share your delicious truffles over on Instagram, tag me @begoodorganics and #begoodorganics so I can come say hello and check out your glorious creations. Have a great weekend.

x Buffy-Ellen
Lemon Coconut Truffles recipe by Buffy Ellen of Be Good Organics - vegan and gluten free!


Please note – if you are wanting to meet any of the specific dietary requirements below, please read my recipe notes.

Lemon Coconut Truffles recipe by Buffy Ellen of Be Good Organics - vegan and gluten free!

Lemon Coconut Truffles

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Servings 22 truffles

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 c raw cashews or macadamias
  • 1 1/2 c desiccated coconut
  • 1 lemon juice, zest & flesh
  • 1/4 c coconut nectar
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil softened but cool
  • 1 tsp ground vanilla beans
  • 1/8 tsp Himalayan sea salt
  • 6 drops lemon essential oil optional

Instructions

  • Blend the cashews in a food processor until you achieve a fine flour, then add desiccated coconut, vanilla, salt and blend until fine.
  • Add wet ingredients (lemon, coconut nectar, coconut oil, and lemon essential oil), and blend until a smooth dough forms then place in fridge to firm.
  • Roll in balls then roll in extra desiccated coconut and/or lemon zest if desired. Pop in freezer for at least an hour or overnight to set.

Recipe Notes

  • Make it nut free: use watermelon or sunflower seeds instead of cashews.
  • If you’d like to learn more about the incredible therapeutic benefits of plant-based essential oils, and how you can use them in your cooking (safely and spectacularly), watch my free online introductory workshop here.