We Tried Lindt Lindor Non-Dairy Oatmilk Chocolate Truffles, A Welcome Vegan Addition

Lindt Lindor chocolate truffles date back to 1967, the year the beloved Swiss chocolate brand transformed its signature chocolate into its now iconic truffle rounds. That first truffle round was a classic creamy chocolate that sparked a truffle sensation. Then came a dark chocolate truffle, which marked the first venture into the world of bittersweet deep chocolate flavor. Today, Lindt makes over 1 billion Lindor truffles in a wide variety of flavors that reflect its global reach, including dulce de leche, pistachio, matcha, blood orange, and mango.

Now, for the first time ever, chocolate lovers who observe a non-dairy diet can enjoy Lindt Lindor chocolate truffles in two all-new vegan flavors: oatmilk milk chocolate truffles and oatmilk dark chocolate truffles. While the plant-based food market has exploded in recent years, that growth has most often been seen in savory meat alternatives, such as vegan burgers and faux chicken tenders. Plant-based sweets from major chocolate brands, as opposed to companies that specialize in producing non-dairy products, are only now beginning to emerge in the marketplace.

A common fear about vegan chocolate is that the absence of dairy will render the chocolate less decadent. To put this to the test, I sampled the new Lindt Lindor oatmilk chocolate truffles alongside their dairy chocolate counterparts to see how the truffles compared. As a lover of all things chocolate and a lifelong fan of Lindt Lindor chocolate truffles who enjoys both dairy and non-dairy treats, I was surprised by the results.

Read more: 25 Chocolate Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

What Are Lindt Lindor Non-Dairy Oatmilk Chocolate Truffles?

Chocolate truffles are one of the most common varieties of chocolate confections to enjoy. Sometimes confused with the earthy, umami truffle that comes from the earth — which is actually where chocolate truffles got their name — chocolate truffles are a sumptuous dessert that was invented entirely by accident. As legend has it, in the late 19th or early 20th century, a baker in France spilled hot cream into a bowl filled with baking chocolate. In an attempt to salvage the accidental mixture, he rolled the creamy chocolate into balls and dusted them with cocoa powder. Thus, ushering in a new decadent chocolate creation.

Lindt began making chocolate truffles several decades later, but the Swiss chocolatier that sells its chocolates throughout the world has become synonymous with the chocolate truffle. Lindt Lindor oatmilk chocolate truffles are Lindt's new non-dairy alternative to its classic dairy chocolate truffles, available in classic chocolate as well as dark chocolate.

Made with oat milk instead of dairy milk, these truffles are crafted with almond butter, which gives the truffles their rich, creamy texture. The truffles also feature cocoa butter, oat extract powder — made from gluten-free oats — sugar, vegetable oil — composed of coconut and palm kernels — rice extract powder, soy lecithin, and natural and artificial flavors.

Pricing And Availability

Often, plant-based alternatives have the burden upon entry in the marketplace of being priced significantly higher than their dairy or meat counterparts. That cost differential can greatly limit the consumption and adoption of vegan products as it can be difficult for individuals to rationalize the additional cost, particularly before they have had an opportunity to sample the product.

Lindt Lindor oatmilk chocolate truffles and oatmilk dark chocolate truffles are not priced identically to their dairy equivalents on its website (for $6.99, you can get a 5.1-ounce bag of the non-dairy truffles, while the latter truffles cost $7.99 for an 8.5-ounce bag). However, the cost of both types, of course, may vary depending on where you buy them — so they can be found for the same price elsewhere. But either way, they refreshingly won't cost you an arm and a leg. You can also purchase the non-dairy truffles individually in Lindt chocolate shops or within a custom mixed bag of Lindt's Lindor truffles' various flavors.

Lindt Lindor oatmilk chocolate and dark chocolate truffles are available where all Lindt Lindor truffles are sold — online, in Lindt chocolate shops worldwide, and at many major retailers and drugstores, such as CVS Pharmacy, Amazon, BJs, and Walmart. This also includes major grocery store chains, like Kroger, King Soopers, Stop & Shop, ShopRite, and more.

Oatmilk Chocolate Truffles Taste Test

Each Lindt Lindor oatmilk chocolate truffle is wrapped in shiny decorative foil with a gold-and-red motif. Lindt's signature packaging adds a festive air to the outwardly accessible chocolate truffle experience. As all Lindt Lindor truffles are wrapped individually, they also make for an ideal personal chocolate snacking treat. One of the primary differences between enjoying a Lindt chocolate bar and enjoying a Lindt chocolate truffle is that the truffle encompasses a variety of rich chocolatey textures in one sweet treat rather than the uniform consistency of Lindt's solid chocolate bars. Now for the real test: How do the oatmilk chocolate truffles taste?

When I unwrapped the oatmilk chocolate truffle, I noticed it was perfectly round and smooth, which is exactly how I remembered the original dairy chocolate truffles. Then I felt the oatmilk chocolate truffle begin to soften. I took a bite to try to savor the truffle before it could melt and was met with creamy chocolate and a decadently rich interior.

Overall, the truffle was a touch too sweet for my taste, but the chocolate was extremely silky. The flavor of oat milk — a vegan milk alternative that has only recently entered the mainstream culinary scene — is subtle, but it adds an interesting dimension to the otherwise classic everyday chocolate.

Oatmilk Dark Chocolate Truffles Taste Test

Lindt Lindor oatmilk dark chocolate truffles are wrapped in gold-and-blue foil, a nod to the signature blue color of Lindt's dairy dark chocolate truffles — just as the oatmilk chocolate truffles' red color signifies its pairing with the dairy chocolate truffles. Upon unwrapping, I found that both oatmilk truffles had an almost identical texture, which was uniformly smooth in appearance but slightly soft to the touch.

The oatmilk dark chocolate truffles have a noticeably bolder chocolate flavor than the oatmilk chocolate truffles, but the presence of oat milk and almond butter significantly lessens the bitterness that can often be associated with dark chocolate. As the truffles have the rich consistency of chocolate ganache, the dark chocolate adds a lovely dimension to the otherwise deeply creamy interior. Lindt Lindor oatmilk dark chocolate truffles are less sweet than the oatmilk chocolate truffles — which, for my personal palette, was a welcome difference. Still, both oat milk truffles won me over with their decadence, making them sure to satisfy any vegan or non-dairy consumer's sweet tooth.

Oatmilk Chocolate Truffles Vs. Milk Chocolate Truffles

When I unwrapped the Lindt Lindor oatmilk chocolate truffle and the Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffle, the truffles looked nearly identical. The one discernable visual difference was subtle, but I found the oatmilk chocolate truffle to be slightly darker in color, perhaps because of the inclusion of almond butter. I was surprised to find that the dairy milk chocolate truffle was softer than its oatmilk counterpart and actually melted faster.

While the taste of both milk chocolate truffles is similar, when sampling them side by side, I could taste the distinct flavor of the oat milk in the non-dairy truffle and the nuttiness of the almond butter more palpably. Almond butter is one of the best kinds of nut butter to use in chocolate-based desserts, as it adds a natural earthy sweetness.

I preferred the multidimensional addition of nuanced flavor in the oatmilk chocolate truffle, but it was slightly less rich than the dairy chocolate truffle. The one major drawback of the oatmilk chocolate truffle is that the exterior texture is a bit waxy, which is an element of the truffle that was less noticeable when tasting it on its own. However, it became magnified when I finished the dairy chocolate truffle and the outside coating blended seamlessly with its velvety center.

Oatmilk Dark Chocolate Truffles Vs. Dark Chocolate Truffles

The difference between the Lindt Lindor oatmilk dark chocolate truffle and its dairy dark chocolate truffle was immediately evident when I unwrapped the two truffles and held them next to each other. The dairy dark chocolate truffle is significantly darker in color than the oatmilk dark chocolate truffle. After noticing this striking variance, I was eager to see whether the color difference of the two dark chocolate truffles was indicative of a larger difference in their depth of flavor.

Surprisingly, I found the intensity of the chocolate in both the non-dairy and the dairy truffle to be rich and decadent. If anything, the oatmilk dark chocolate truffle tasted slightly richer and less bitter than its dairy counterpart because of the almond butter and oat milk, which helped to subtly refine the overall flavor. That said, neither of these dark chocolates are intensely dark, which, in this case, is actually a good thing. When preparing truffles, the type of chocolate you use has an enormous effect on the taste. Although my personal taste preference leans toward very dark chocolate, using chocolate that is over 70% cocoa can lead to truffles that are overly dry and excessively bitter.

In terms of texture, just like with the oatmilk chocolate truffle, when eating the non-dairy and dairy dark chocolate truffles together, I noticed that the oatmilk dark chocolate truffle had a somewhat firm coating. This subtly interrupted the butteriness of the truffle.

Are Lindt Lindor Non-Dairy Oatmilk Chocolate Truffles Worth Buying?

When you're looking to pick up your next sweet treat, instead of opting for a bag of dairy Lindt Lindor truffles, I recommend trying the new oatmilk chocolate truffles and oatmilk dark chocolate truffles. While the oatmilk truffles aren't perfect doubles to their dairy counterparts, the rationale for opting for a vegan chocolate treat from Lindt is multifold.

Firstly, dipping your toes into the world of plant-based eating is an excellent way to make an individual impact on the planet's growing environmental crisis. Secondly, there are several reasons why folks may not be able to enjoy dairy chocolate truffles, including allergies, health concerns, and religious observation. Having vegan chocolate truffles on hand when hosting friends and loved ones is a beautiful way to make all of your guests feel respected and seen. Unfortunately, for those who have an allergy or intolerance to almonds, given the inclusion of almond butter in both the oatmilk chocolate and oatmilk dark chocolate truffles, these wouldn't be suitable for them. On the positive side, both oatmilk chocolate truffles are made with gluten-free oats, meaning they are safe for those with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance.

Lastly, the fact that you can try the oatmilk chocolate truffles for around the same price as the original dairy chocolate truffles means that you can enjoy something new without having to pay too much of an additional fee, if any. The choice is simple. Simple and delicious.

Read the original article on Tasting Table