Smart Sweet: Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patties
By Ameet Maturu
Worried about holiday weight gain? No need to skip the dessert table! Instead, indulge sensibly this holiday season with healthier versions of your favorite sweets.
If you are going to a party, having your own soiree, or just craving something sweet, these Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patties are the perfect treat to enjoy so you aren’t tempted to reach for the sugar laden cookies that are likely to fill up most of the dessert table.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (4 oz/125 ml) coconut oil
- 1/4 cup (4 oz/125 ml) agave nectar (or pure maple syrup)
- 1/2 tsp peppermint oil
- 1/2 to 1 cup (175 g) dark chocolate chips, at least 73% cacao
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine coconut oil, agave nectar and peppermint oil.
- Freeze mixture for about 10 minutes, until the mixture begins to harden. Use a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon to measure out balls on a parchment lined plate. Place in freezer until balls begin to firm up (another 5-10 minutes).
- Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips using a double boiler (I assembled a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water). Remove from heat.
- Remove firm mint balls from freezer and flatten into patties using spoon. Quickly dip mint patties into melted chocolate using spoon. Cover patties completely with chocolate and place on parchment lined plate.
- Leave out for about 10 minutes until patties harden. Store in the freezer.
Calories: 160
Fat: 14g
Trans Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0mg
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 11g
Protein: 1g