Made with organic shredded carrots, these Carrot Coconut Truffles are healthy Halloween treats that are beyond simple to prepare. These truffles are coated in shredded coconut and decorated with currants and pumpkin seeds to look like Jack-o’-lanterns! This recipe is especially fun to make with the kiddos.
These Carrot Coconut Truffles were inspired by my Nonna Vera. Though Italian-born, my grandmother firmly believed she was an Indian woman in her previous life, and always felt a connection to Goa, India. For forty years, up until she was 91, she traveled to Goa to spend the winter with a group of Italian friends and her local Indian community. I went to visit her when I was 22. She was always adorned in saris and pashminas, and knew every merchant in the market. She would spend her days traveling from one to the other, stopping for strong chai and catching up on gossip.
So when I was dreaming up a treat that would satisfy the living and my grandmother’s spirit, I landed on these Carrot Coconut Truffles, inspired by an Indian dessert known as Gajar Halwa, a shredded carrot dish simmered in milk, sugar, and spices. Carrots are also typically harvested and stored at this time of year and are both sweet and healthy (parent win!).
This was my process for creating a healthy Halloween treat that would satisfy the living and dead, keeping memories alive and nourishing the future.
Here are 6 Alternative Ways to Celebrate Halloween as a sacred, playful, abundant time of year for you and your loved ones.
Love and gratitude,
Emma
Why Make These Carrot Coconut Truffles?
- Simple to make.
- Low in sugar.
- Bursting with warm, fall flavors
- Made with only 8 ingredients, including organic carrots
- A fun make-ahead dessert
Ingredients in Carrot Coconut Truffles
- Carrots: Carrots are the main ingredients. For best flavor, use organic carrots–or even better, fresh from the farmer’s market. If you are using organic carrots, don’t worry about peeling them. Carrot skins have all sorts of good nutrients.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter. For a vegan alternative, use coconut oil which will lend tons of coconut flavor.
- Pumpkin Spice: Pumpkin spice adds that warm, cozy fall flavor, of course!
- Honey: Try to use good-quality honey, it will make all the difference (trust me).
- Milk: Milk makes these truffles rich and moist. Use whole or any percent! And feel free to substitute with nut milk or coconut milk.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: When buying condensed milk, look for an organic version. Likewise, if you’re substituting coconut milk, make sure that coconut milk is the only ingredient in the can!
- Shredded Coconut: You can use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut. If you’re up for an extra step, toast the coconut to bring out its flavor.
How to Decorate Your Carry Coconut Truffles
Once your truffles are shaped and coated in coconut, you can decorate them to look like a Jack-o’-lantern! I like to use black currents because they’re small and easier to make faces. It can’t find any raisins with work too.
And you can’t have a pumpkin without the stem! Green pumpkin seeds do just the trick. But any seed or small nut will do. Just have fun with what you have! You’d be surprised what kind of food faces you can make with what’s in your pantry.
PrintJack-o’-lantern Carrot Coconut Truffles
These nutritious Jack-o’-lantern Carrot Coconut Truffles are easy to make, low in sugar, and require no baking time! It’s the perfect, guilt-free Halloween treat for adults and kids alike.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 14-16 truffles 1x
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
- 8 cups shredded carrots
- 5 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup milk (or coconut milk)
- 1 (40g) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup shredded coconut, plus 1/2 cup for decorating
- 14 –16 seeds pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup dried black currants or raisins
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the pumpkin spice and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the shredded carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened and some water has released.
- Add the honey and milk, and cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, or until the carrots have absorbed all of the liquid.
- Stir in the condensed milk and the shredded coconut. Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, until the liquid is fully absorbed again. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and add the remaining 1/2 cup shredded coconut to a small bowl.
- Once the mixture has cooled, roll about 1/4 cup into balls, then roll them in the shredded coconut to coat. Place on the lined baking sheet and refrigerate for one hour or overnight.
- To decorate like a Jack-o’-lantern, place a pumpkin seed in the top of each truffle for the pumpkin stem. Using a chopstick or toothpick, make holes for eyes and a mouth, and fill the holes with dried black currants. If you are using raisins, you may want to cut them into smaller pieces.
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