These Chocolate Truffles are a luxurious homemade treat. A silky chocolate ganache is chilled until firm, then shaped and finished in shredded coconut, chopped nuts, cocoa powder, or a glossy chocolate shell. They’re versatile, elegant, and make excellent gifts or party bites.
These truffles are easy to customize—try different coatings, mix-ins, or chocolate varieties to suit your taste. Their small size makes them perfect to serve with coffee or as part of a dessert platter.
Serve chilled after dinner with a rich dark coffee, or arrange a selection on a dessert tray alongside other elegant hors d’oeuvres for a special gathering.
Tips and Variations
- Choose good-quality chocolate. Higher-quality chocolate melts and sets with a smoother texture and better flavor. Brands commonly found in grocery stores are fine when they list cocoa and cocoa butter near the top of the ingredient list.
- If you prefer a less sweet or more intense flavor, substitute semi-sweet or dark chocolate for the milk chocolate called for in the recipe.
- If you plan to dip all of the truffles in melted chocolate, allow for extra coating chocolate beyond what the recipe lists—three ounces is usually not enough to coat a full batch.
- Coconut oil (or vegetable shortening) added to melted chocolate helps it set with a glossy finish and can reduce the risk of bloomed chocolate (white streaks) after cooling.
- Try rolling truffles in crushed cookies (Oreos, thin mints), crushed candy (toffee, candy canes), or finely chopped nuts (macadamia, pecan, peanut, walnut). You can also drizzle melted white chocolate or peanut butter chips over cooled truffles for contrast.
- To keep the ganache from melting while you roll it, rub a small amount of coconut oil on your palms or dust them lightly with cocoa powder. Disposable gloves also work well and keep hands clean.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store leftover truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Freezer: Truffles freeze well and are convenient to make ahead. Keep them in a sealed container for up to one month; thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
More Sweets for Your Sweetheart
- Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- Date Caramels
- Valentine’s Chex Mix
- Homemade Pudding Cups
- Valentine Cookies
Chocolate Truffles
Author: Kim
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 18
What You’ll Need
- 12 ounces milk chocolate, good quality, divided (reserve 3 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, leveled
- Optional toppings: sweetened coconut, chopped nuts, cocoa powder, crushed cookies, luster dust
How to Make It
- Chop the milk chocolate finely and set aside 3 ounces for coating. If using, chop coconut flakes and nuts. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt 9 ounces of the chopped milk chocolate with the butter, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in the heavy cream until fully combined and silky. Transfer the ganache to a medium bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through to cool evenly.
- Scoop generous teaspoon-sized portions of the chilled ganache onto the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for about 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle without melting.
- Roll the firm ganache portions into smooth balls with lightly oiled or cocoa-dusted hands. Roll some truffles in coconut, cocoa powder, or chopped nuts. Keep any uncoated truffles frozen until you are ready to coat them.
- For a chocolate shell, melt the reserved 3 ounces of chocolate with about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring between each until just melted and glossy.
- Dip the remaining truffles in the melted chocolate using a fork or slotted spoon, allow excess to drip off, and place them back on the parchment. Refrigerate until the shell sets. Optionally brush finished truffles with a small amount of luster dust.
- Keep truffles chilled until serving. Enjoy them cold or at cool room temperature. See storage notes above for reheating and freezing guidance.
Suggested Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Medium saucepan
- Spoons or a small cookie scoop
- Microwave-safe bowl (for melting coating chocolate)
Notes
- Nutrition values are approximate and based on a serving of two truffles; actual values will vary with ingredient brands and serving size.
- The recipe yields small truffles—slightly more than a teaspoon each. Larger scoops will reduce the total number of truffles per batch.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 truffles
Calories: 123 kcal
Carbohydrates: 12 g
Protein: 0.1 g
Fat: 9 g (Saturated: 6 g)
Sodium: 11 mg
Sugar: 11 g