Chocolate Coconut Cookie Truffles

"I need to be in my kitchen right now."

This sentiment tends to echo for me whenever I'm feeling kind of meh. Whether it's work stress, laundry avoidance, or trying to move my mind away from all of the icky-ness happening in the world lately, being in my kitchen makes me feel comfort. It makes me feel home-y.

Adam Rapoport recently discussed similar sentiments on what he calls 'cooking to cope.' The therapeutic nature of cooking - the pleasure in the simple minutia of it. The joy of returning to the kitchen, day after day, meal after meal.

It's a pretty fortunate circumstance to be (somewhat) required to do something I love so much. To create something, to provide for the people I love, to get lost in the process of cooking or baking and to turn my focus to just one thing: making a great meal.

I've been thinking a lot about what I love the most about being in my little kitchen. The smell of the gas from the stove. Tasting small samples of what I'm making again and again. Reading through recipes created so carefully in other women's kitchens, and making them my own.

I made these cookie truffles on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. I put the deep focus playlist on Spotify, busted out my food processor, and spent the afternoon alone in my kitchen, eating coconut flakes, melting chocolate on the stove and loving every minute.

|Hillary

Chocolate Coconut Cookie Truffles

adapted from: The First Mess Cookbook

Yield - 18 cookie truffles

1 1/4 cups certified gluten-free oat flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut, plus extra for garnish

1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

4 tbsp. coconut butter

1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. liquid virgin coconut oil, divided

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. maple syrup

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the oat flour, almond flour, shredded coconut, sea salt, soft coconut butter, 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil, the maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix on high until you have a cookie-dough-like consistency.

Line a baking sheet or dinner plate with parchment paper. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the dough per truffle, and gently roll into a ball before placing on the parchment-lined surface. Repeat with the remaining dough. Transfer the truffles to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips with the remaining teaspoon of coconut oil. Once the chocolate is liquefied, carefully remove it from the heat.

Using a fork or small slotted spoon, lower a truffle into the melted chocolate and lightly toss it around to coat. Carefully life the truffle out and lay it back on the parchment. Garnish the top with some shredded coconut. Repeat with remaining truffles. Place the truffles back in the refrigerator to firm up.

The truffles will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 1 week.