Christmas is just nine days away, y’all, and the spirit is real. We have a HUGE real tree in the living room, I have a six-foot fake tree in my bedroom, and my workspace has been adorned with a garland and my beloved Snoopy lights ❤️💚🎄💚❤️

It is freezing cold and I still have tons to do before I hop a flight to Texas on Tuesday, but I am totally loving every minute. Even the all-nighter I pulled earlier this month. (I subsequently learned that 31 is waaaaay too old to pull an all-nighter.)

On Wednesday, I posted an Iced Sugar Cookie recipe that is super time-consuming. Totally worth the effort, but still. The time I allocated for long, intricate recipes has now officially come and gone. So today, let’s take it easy. Not that easy means plain or boring. Oh, no. Today, it means a no-bake, five-ingredient, accidentally vegan, gluten-free recipe that is still classy, decadent, and perfect for gifting and entertaining. I’m talking about Salted Marzipan Truffles, y’all!

I’m no chocolatier, but I have to say that these truffles kind of make me look like one. Packaged marzipan (in the baking aisle) is scooped by the 1/2 tablespoon, rolled into balls, dipped in chocolate, and sprinkled with finishing salt. When you bite into one of these truffles, the flavor comes in three waves:

1. Deep, dark chocolate flavor.
2. A salty punch.
3. Sweet, almond-y marzipan. Yes.

If, like me, you are not much of a candy-maker, working with melted chocolate can be intimidating. I have never successfully tempered chocolate (or even tried, really). Nine days before Christmas is *not* the time for me to try to master a new skill. Nope.

So, I take a little shortcut. I melt chopped dark chocolate in the microwave and stir in two secret ingredients. First, 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil. Since coconut oil solidifies at 76F, this will allow our chocolate to harden more easily than if it were left to its own devices. If you don’t like coconut, don’t worry! This tiny amount of oil does not change the flavor of the chocolate. If you really don’t want to use it, feel free to sub non-hydrogenated shortening.

The second secret ingredient? Corn syrup. Just 1 teaspoon adds gloss to our chocolate, leaving just a bit of sheen on the matte surface of the finished truffles. The corn syrup you see in stores is NOT the same as high-fructose corn syrup, but if you don’t wish to use it, you may sub in 1 teaspoon of Lyle’s Golden Syrup or mild honey (if you’re not vegan).

The dipping chocolate will be shiny, smooth, and luxurious. Working with one ball of marzipan at a time, drop it into the melted chocolate. Move it around with a fork to coat. Briefly drain it by scraping the tines of the fork on the edge of the bowl, and gently roll it onto the wax paper. Then, sprinkle on a pinch of finishing salt. That’s the whole process. Repeat it approximately 23-24 more times before freezing all the truffles for fifteen minutes.

That is literally the entire recipe. If you’re a fast roller and dipper, you can go from ingredients to truffles in 45 minutes or less. I have every intention of putting these out at a holiday party I’m catering tonight, but I also think they’d make adorable gifts packed into decorative Chinese takeout boxes.

Five-Ingredient Salted Marzipan Truffles {Accidentally Vegan & Gluten-Free}
makes about 2.5 dozen truffles

12-ounces plain marzipan*
8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped*
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons large-flake finishing salt (I use Trader Joe’s Cypriot Pyramid Salt)

Special Equipment:
microwave-safe bowl (or double boiler)
wax paper
baking sheet or plate (must fit in freezer)

Line a baking sheet with wax paper.

Scoop marzipan by the 1/2 tablespoon (1 1/2 teaspoons), roll into balls, and set on prepared pan.

Place chopped dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir with a fork. Add coconut oil. Continue to microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Stir in corn syrup.

To dip, drop one ball of marzipan into the melted chocolate. Use a fork to coat marzipan in chocolate. Drain briefly by scraping the tines of the fork on the edge of the bowl. Use the fork to gently lay the truffle on the prepared pan. Immediately top with a pinch of finishing salt. Continue this process until all truffles are coated and salted.

Place baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes, until chocolate has solidified. Serve.

Truffles will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Re-salt as necessary by lightly moistening the tops with water and sprinkling with salt. Allow to dry before serving.

Notes:

1. If you are vegan, make sure the ingredients on the marzipan do not include egg whites.
2. If you are vegan, make sure your chocolate is certified vegan.