Vegan Coconut Chocolate Drops

Whether you’re vegan, gluten-free or omnivorous, these will become a favorite treat. They require no baking and regularly sell out at bake sales.

Whether you’re vegan, gluten-free or omnivorous, these will become a favorite treat. They require no baking and regularly sell out at bake sales.

Coconut chocolate drop recipe

Makes about a dozen and a half, more if smaller

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut—plus a little extra for sprinkling

  • 1/2 cup coconut cream (unsweetened)

  • 1/4 cup agave nectar or preferred sweetener of syrup consistency

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1 lb. (16 oz.) bittersweet chocolate (or preferred chocolate), chopped

Instructions:

  1. Combine all ingredients except for the chocolate in a food processor. Mix for a couple of minutes, stopping to scrape down sides and redistribute mix. The final result should still have texture but also have a buttery consistency that allows it to be molded and pressed together. Refrigerate for 15 min. or so if it seems to loose—it will firm up.

  2. Using your hands, shape coconut mixture into balls of about 1-inch diameter and put onto a tray. You can make them slightly bigger or smaller. The chocolate enrobing will add a bit of bulk.

  3. While balls are chilling, melt your chocolate over a double boiler: place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized metal bowl and place it overtop of a saucepan with a couple inches of water in it. The bowl should fit snugly over the saucepan with no gaps. Heat the water over medium heat until it simmers gently. Stir the chocolate occasionally until it’s just melted and smooth but not bubbling hot.

  4. To coat coconut balls with chocolate, first prepare a parchment-covered tray and set up your space for assembly. Find the technique for coating that works best for you. I dip the bottom half of a coconut ball in chocolate and then rest it on a fork. Working over the bowl of chocolate, I take a large spoon and pour chocolate over the coconut ball until it is evenly coated. It’s so satisfying to watch! I allow most of the excess chocolate to drip off and then carefully transfer the covered ball to the tray. Sprinkle a little bit of coconut on top of the chocolate while it’s still soft, then put the tray in the refrigerator to set once you’ve covered all the balls. Keep refrigerated until serving. (They will hold at room temperature if it’s not too hot out)