Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites (with Chia Seeds)
Hello, Omega-3s! These Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites (with Chia Seeds) pack a bunch of nutrition into a small package that you can keep on hand in the freezer for whenever a snack craving hits. No baking required.
Chocolate Covered Raspberry Chia Seed Bites
Some chocolate pairings are enduring and perfect. Chocolate raspberries is one of them.
The delicious contrast of sweet chocolate with sour berry makes many mouths fall in love.
But many chocolate bars have unnecessary levels of refined sugar. And raspberry-filled ones might also contain other ingredients that we typically try to avoid.
So let’s explore how to healthfully get your chocolate fix with these yummy chocolate covered raspberry bites.
How We Eliminate the Sugar in This Recipe
I love chocolate chips. I use them in many of my favorite cookie recipes.
But chocolate chips are not free of refined sugar.
To make this recipe truly sugar-free, then, we do not use chocolate chips (or even bars of chocolate) as the base for our chocolate coating. Instead, we start from absolute scratch–with cacao powder. (See more about this process in the next section.)
We also could not use refined sugar to make the raspberry jam filling. Thankfully, that was relatively easy. Just like in our recipe for Frozen Berry Chia Seed Jam, we rely on honey to add natural sweetness to the raspberry jam without the refined sugar.
Making Chocolate Coating from Scratch with Cocoa Powder
How do you make chocolate covered raspberry jam bites without using chocolate chips or chocolate bars? Cacao powder!
Unlike you might think, cacao powder does not make chocolate coating “cakey” or powdery. Instead, if mixed properly, it results in a deliciously deep, smooth chocolate flavor.
Our favorite type of cacao powder to use is raw, non-alkalized cacao powder. This type of cocoa powder has the added benefit of bypassing some of the refining process, which means that it retains more of the polyphenols and flavonoids for which we love chocolate so much.
As an article on the National Library of Medicine website notes, “Alkalization (or dutching) of cocoa powder will reduce the polyphenol content and antioxidant activity.”
It also states that, “[i]n a final cocoa product such as chocolate, polyphenol content might decrease from 100% to 10% throughout the different manufacturing processes.”
By going with raw cacao powder, we benefit from more polyphenols than we would get by using a processed, alkalized powder.
Tools You Will Need to Make Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites
Even if you didn’t know a thing about the polyphenols and flavonoids that you will get in this recipe, the flavor alone would entice you. So gather up these materials and let’s get cooking!
- a fork (for mashing the raspberries)
- a whisk
- a reusable silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
- a medium-sized saucepan
- a medium-sized mixing bowl
- a spatula
- a spoon
- a freezer-safe, airtight glass container (for storage)
Ingredients for Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites with Chia Seeds
Raspberry Jam Filling
- 2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed completely with juices (see note for using fresh)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. chia seeds (see note)
- 2 Tbsp. raw honey
From-Scratch Chocolate Coating
- 1/4 cup cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 1/4 cup raw cacao powder (non-alkalized)
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
How to Make Chocolate Raspberry Chia Seed Bites
- Line a cookie sheet with a reusable silicone baking mat. (I don’t recommend using parchment paper for this recipe.)
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash the thawed raspberries (with their juice) to a pulp. (I use a fork for this.)
- Mix together the raspberry pulp, 2 Tbsp. raw honey, and chia seeds. (Depending on how juicy your raspberries are, you may need to add more chia seeds. But wait until the chia seeds have had time to “gel” before adding more.) Set aside for at least 20 minutes, or until the chia seeds have gelled.
- Drop the raspberry filling in one-tablespoon-sized drops on the prepared silicone baking mat. Put in the freezer for at least 45 minutes, or until solid.
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized saucepan, melt together the coconut oil and raw honey, just until both are liquid. Mix well with a whisk. Remove from the heat.
- Add cacao powder, vanilla extract, and Himalayan pink salt to the coconut oil mixture. Allow to cool slightly but not harden; the chocolate should not be hot to the touch.
- Remove the frozen raspberry drops from the freezer. One-by-one, dip them into the cooled chocolate mixture and place back on the silicone baking mat.
- Eat immediately or return to the freezer in a freezer-safe airtight glass container for storage.
Storage Instructions
Keep these Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites in a freezer-safe, airtight glass container (like this one) in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to eat, defrost for about a minute and then pop into your mouth for a sweet, healthy treat.
Tips for Success
- This recipe calls for frozen raspberries because they are 1) easier to keep on hand and 2) easier to mash into a pulp. If you prefer to use fresh raspberries instead, you may need to adjust the measurement of chia seeds and/or add some liquid (filtered water, juice, etc.).
- Depending on how juicy your raspberries are, you may need to add more chia seeds to this recipe. But wait until the chia seeds have had time to “gel” before adding more.
- For some extra protein content, mix two tablespoons of protein powder into the chocolate coating. We love to use this protein powder.
- If you are in a jam (no pun intended) and don’t have all the ingredients on hand to make the chocolate coating, simply melt about one cup of your favorite dark chocolate with a tablespoon of coconut oil. Proceed with the recipe with this as your chocolate coating.
Other Coconut Oil Dark Chocolate Recipes
Have some chocolate coating left over? If you don’t want to just eat it straight, then try one (or all) of these recipes. They each use the same base of coconut oil dark chocolate and are great to stash in your freezer for a healthy snack option whenever the cravings strike.
- Sugar-Free “Monkey Tails” Recipe (Frozen Chocolate Dipped Bananas)
- Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Bites (Protein, No Sugar)
- Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Protein Bites
Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites Recipe Card
Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites (With Chia Seeds)
Hello, Omega-3s! These Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites (with Chia Seeds) pack a bunch of nutrition into a small package that you can keep on hand in the freezer for whenever a snack craving hits. No baking required.
Ingredients
Raspberry Jam Filling
- 2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed completely with juices (see note for using fresh)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. chia seeds (see note)
- 2 Tbsp. raw honey
From-Scratch Chocolate Coating
- 1/4 cup cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 1/4 cup raw cacao powder (non-alkalized)
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with a reusable silicone baking mat. (I don't recommend using parchment paper for this recipe.)
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash the thawed raspberries (with their juice) to a pulp.
- Mix together the raspberry pulp, 2 Tbsp. raw honey, and chia seeds. (Depending on how juicy your raspberries are, you may need to add more chia seeds. But wait until the chia seeds have had time to "gel" before adding more.) Set aside for at least 20 minutes, or until the chia seeds have gelled.
- Drop the raspberry filling in one-tablespoon-sized drops on the prepared silicone baking mat. Put in the freezer for at least 45 minutes, or until solid.
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized saucepan, melt together the coconut oil and raw honey, just until both are liquid. Mix well with a whisk. Remove from the heat.
- Add cacao powder, vanilla extract, and Himalayan pink salt to the coconut oil mixture. Allow to cool slightly, but not harden; it should not be hot to the touch.
- Remove the frozen raspberry drops from the freezer. One-by-one, dip them into the cooled chocolate mixture and place back on the silicone baking mat.
- Eat immediately or return to the freezer in a freezer-safe airtight glass container for storage.
Notes
This recipe calls for frozen raspberries because they are 1) easier to keep on hand and 2) easier to mash into a pulp. If you prefer to use fresh raspberries instead, you may need to adjust the measurement of chia seeds and/or add some liquid (filtered water, juice, etc.).
Depending on how juicy your raspberries are, you may need to add more chia seeds to this recipe. But wait until the chia seeds have had time to "gel" before adding more.
Keep these Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites in a freezer-safe, airtight glass container (like this one) in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to eat, defrost for about a minute and then pop into your mouth for a sweet, healthy treat.
For some extra protein content, mix two tablespoons of protein powder into the chocolate coating. We love to use this protein powder.
If you are in a jam (no pun intended) and don't have all the ingredients on hand to make the chocolate coating, simply melt about one cup of your favorite dark chocolate with a tablespoon of coconut oil. Proceed with the recipe with this as your chocolate coating.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 17mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g
Nutrition Information is solely illustrative and should not be relied on for any medical needs.
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