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Happy early Valentine’s Day, y’all! These Raspberry Crèmes are the perfect candy with which to celebrate. You could even make up a batch to give to your sweetheart! While they look gourmet (especially if you’re more careful than I am with the chocolate coating), they’re actually really easy to make and don’t require that many ingredients. In fact, all of these ingredients can be found at Walmart (if you substitute your favorite sweetener for the sweeteners I used – check out this sweetener conversion chart for help)!
Need more pretty desserts for Valentine’s Day? Check out these cute mini cheesecakes decorated with chocolate hearts!
The raspberry filling in these candies was easy to create, but the chocolate gave me a little more trouble. I started by using 100% unsweetened baker’s chocolate in the chocolate portion of the recipe, and even though I added some heavy whipping cream along with a healthy dose of coconut oil to dilute it, the result was really bitter. I’m a dedicated fan of 85% dark chocolate (which is on plan for Trim Healthy Mamas as long as you stick to the serving size), so I decided to give it a try. Much to my delight, I was able to create a 3-ingredient chocolate recipe that met my enthusiastic approval! Feel free to add more sweetener to the chocolate coating than I did. I love dark chocolate and think it’s a shame to over-sweeten it, so I always err on the light side.
(Psstt…I actually tested the chocolate recipe tweak in a dairy-free peanut butter cup recipe which will be hitting the blog in time for the Easter candy rush. By the way, what does candy have to do with Easter anyway?)
A word to my fellow Sam’s Club shoppers – our Sam’s Club recently stopped carrying its normal brand of refined coconut oil and replaced it with its own Member’s Mark store brand. Which is gross. I’m rather disappointed. We got a tub of it, and I’ve been using it because I don’t want to waste it, but seriously – that stuff is not good! It just has an odd flavor that should not be there. So if you’re just starting out with coconut oil, don’t cast any aspersions on that glorious ingredient (or my recipes) because you happened to experience Member’s Mark refined coconut oil. I beg of you. Now to find another brand…. Maybe if enough of us sent constructive criticism, Sam’s Club would consider changing its source.
Don’t shoot, but I actually pre-scheduled this post a week ago, and yesterday I flew to South Africa with a group for a 2 1/2-week singing ministry tour! I won’t be replying to emails or approving comments while I’m gone, but don’t worry – I’ll get to it when I get home! If you guys would be so kind as to share my new recipes with your friends while I’m gone so my blog doesn’t get totally forgotten, that would be mucho appreciated!
As always, check out the Notes section of the recipe for extra info. Check out the links in and below the recipe to see the products I use and recommend. Some of the links included in the recipe and blog post are affiliate links, which means that if you make purchases through these links, I make a small commission to help defray the costs of running this blog (at no extra charge to you). Thanks for your help!
You may also enjoy:
- Starting THM
- my recipe index
- my recipes grouped by fuel type, allergy info, and theme
- all my candy recipes
- all my chocolate recipes
- 1 8-oz. pkg. reduced-fat cream cheese*
- 2 T. refined coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp. raspberry extract (I use Watkins brand)
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/32 tsp. (3 doonks) THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder
- 1 drop red food coloring
- 1 3.5-oz. bar 85% dark chocolate**
- ¾ c. refined coconut oil
- 3½ tsp. THM Gentle Sweet (or more, to taste)
- Beat the filling ingredients together until smooth. Put the filling into a sealable plastic bag, seal, and snip a hole in one bottom corner for piping. Set aside.
- To make the chocolate coating, melt the chocolate bar, coconut oil, and sweetener together in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds or so to prevent the chocolate from burning. (You could also use a double boiler for this.) Taste and add more sweetener if desired. (I happen to like dark chocolate.)
- Fill 24 mini muffin tin holes with liners. Divide half of the chocolate mixture among the liners and freeze to firm. When the chocolate is firm, pipe some raspberry filling into each liner until all the filling is gone. Spoon the rest of the chocolate mixture over the raspberry filling in each liner and freeze. (If you have chocolate left over, just freeze it to eat on its own.) When the crèmes are firm, transfer them to a sealable container and store in the fridge.
**I used Lindt brand. If you have allergies and can't have the standard grocery store 85% dark chocolate, check out Pascha brand. It's friendly to most allergies.
Want to switch things up? Try using orange or mint/peppermint extract instead of raspberry! (And adjust the color.)
Suggested products:
- Watkin’s Raspberry Extract
- THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder
- Pascha allergy-friendly 85% chocolate bars (Amazon)
- THM Gentle Sweet
Have you ever tried these with Monk? Fruit extract? I’m just curious what the conversion might be like!
No, I haven’t used MFE much!
Is the chocolate real runny? I just wondered if the 3/4 c coconut oil was correct in the recipe?
It will be runny until it gets cold. 🙂 If you follow the recipe instructions it should work just fine!
These sound so good!
Have you, or anyone else, tried a dairy-free sub for the cream cheese?
I’m afraid I haven’t – sorry! I know there are DF cream cheese subs out there though. I think it would be an easy swap once you find one you like. 🙂
What is 3/32 teaspoons or 3 doonks mean ?
(Stevia powder )
Use 3/32 teaspoon of pure stevia extract powder to sweeten the filling (I use this one: https://www.briana-thomas.com/recommends/thm-pure-stevia-extract-powder/). A lot of pure stevia powders come with a 1/32 teaspoon measuring scoop. They’re super concentrated so you don’t need much. Trim Healthy Mama calls this little scoop a “doonk.” Feel free to use your favorite low glycemic sweetener to taste.
I bought some coconut oil, brand Clover Valley, Dollar Store, have you tried, or should I go to Health food store ?
I haven’t tried that particular brand, but as long as it’s coconut oil you should be good to go. Some brands do taste better than others, so you’ll just have to see if you like this one. Be sure to get refined coconut oil if you don’t want a coconut flavor.
Could you use something in place of the coconut oil, because I can’t eat coconut? These look awesome. Thanks for sharing.
You could try unsalted butter. 🙂 I haven’t tried that myself so I’m not sure if it’ll work or not, but it’s worth a try! Your candies will probably be a little softer than those made with coconut oil.
Maybe ghee?
I’m thinking these would be delicious with mint extract, kind of like Junior Mints. Any thoughts?
PS – your cookbook is fabulous!!!
So glad you’re enjoying the cookbook, Kim! I’d say the mint would definitely be worth a try! I personally prefer peppermint extract to mint extract (mint tastes like toothpaste…lol). Start with less than the raspberry called for and taste as you increase the amount so you don’t accidentally make it too strong.
Thanks for the response. I’ll try peppermint extract or peppermint essential oil.
Do you think it would be possible to add smooshed real raspberries? I’m thinking it might just work, especially if I used full-fat cream cheese.
It might get runnier, but it’s worth a try!
Ooo…I made these and my family inhaled them. So good! I used orange extract since that was on hand. They weren’t near as pretty as your photos but that didn’t matter to us! Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
If I don’t have extract, but do have LorAnn oils could I substitute that instead? Maybe …6 drops?
Yes, that should work! Just add enough to make it your desired strength. 🙂
These look wonderful! Can’t wait to try them!
Hey I live in SC. Can I find your cook book at a local store?
Unfortunately I don’t know of any local stores carrying it in SC yet. 🙁
Thank you, Briana, for this darling recipe! I second your opinion about the Sam’s Club brand of coconut oil. It is disgusting! I called a couple months ago to complain. They have a money-back guarantee, but if you return it, you get to exchange for another food item of equal return price. That’s what I did because I couldn’t handle how the taste was ruining my treats and making me nauseated! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Sounds DELISH! I do not have Raspberry extract, but I do have Cherry. Since that is one of my husbands favorite flavors I am making him a batch for Valentines day. Thanks!!