Halloween Cake Balls

These festive bite-sized treats are vegan and gluten free with dates providing natural sweetness. Plus, they’re easy to turn into cake pops by adding lollipop sticks. Choose between pumpkins or ghosts—or make both! (If you do, be sure to save some melted white chocolate for dipping the ghosts before you add the orange dye for the pumpkins.)

INGREDIENTS

For cake balls:

• 14 dates soaked in hot water for 10 minutes

• 2–3 tablespoons hot water
• ¾ cup almond flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

For chocolate coating:

• ⅔ cup white chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• Orange food coloring

• ½ teaspoon dark cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS

1. In a food processor or blender, blend soaked dates and hot water until a caramel-like paste forms. Stir in almond flour, coconut flour, vanilla extract and coconut oil.
2. Roll the mixture into 16 balls, place on parchment paper, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, microwave white chocolate chips and coconut oil for 20 seconds. Stir and microwave for another 20 seconds. If the white chocolate is still not melted, stir and microwave for another 10-20 seconds.
4. Spoon 2 teaspoons of melted white chocolate into a second small bowl and add dark cocoa powder. Mix until the chocolate turns black. Set aside.
5. To make pumpkin cake balls: (If making both pumpkin and ghost cake balls, set aside some of the remaining melted white chocolate for dipping the ghost cake balls before proceeding.) Add a few drops of orange food coloring to the melted white chocolate and mix. Dip cake balls into the chocolate with a fork and remove. Chill for 10 minutes. Then, using a toothpick, draw on the eyes, nose and face with the black chocolate mixture.
6. To make ghost cake balls: Dip the cake balls into the remaining melted white chocolate with a fork and remove. Chill for 10 minutes. Then, using a toothpick, draw on the eyes and mouth with the black chocolate mixture.