Dark Chocolate Coconut Bites

• desiccated coconut↗2 cup
• honey or maple syrup↗4 tablespoon
• coconut oil↗5 tablespoon
• vanilla↗1 teaspoon
• dark chocolate for melting (i.e. chocolate chips)↗4 ounce

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Pulse the coconut in a blender or food processor until the texture becomes like thick flour. Transfer to a bowl and add the honey or maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Stir until a thick paste forms.

2. 2

   Using your hands, squeeze the mixture into about 18 small balls. I found that rolling was difficult because they weren’t sticky enough, but I was able to shape them into balls by first squeezing them in my palm a few times (you’ll get some oil on your hands), and then gently shaping it from an oval into a round ball. Place the coconut balls in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or until firm. I could tell that mine were ready because there was a small white ring of solidified coconut oil around the base of each ball.

3. 3

   Melt the chocolate slowly and gently until smooth and spreadable. We don’t have a microwave, so I had the best results melting this in a stainless steel bowl placed in a hot oven for about 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Lay out a sheet of wax paper. Using two forks, roll each coconut ball in the chocolate until completely covered. Scoop the ball out with the fork and let the extra chocolate drip off the fork. Gently nudge the chocolate covered ball onto wax paper and chill until the chocolate has hardened. Store in the refrigerator.