Chocolate Truffles are rich, smooth, and easy to make at home—no need to buy pricey ones. They’re perfect for gifting or serving to guests.
author’s note
Fancy-Looking Truffles, Zero Fuss!
My mom grew up in Brazil and spent a few years living there again as an adult, so we grew up with her making brigadeiros—little chocolate truffles made from sweetened condensed milk. I’ve always loved that tradition, and now I’m carrying it on with my own version of chocolate truffles that I can make with my kids.
These truffles are unbelievably delicious and surprisingly easy to make—my kids can even help with them! Truffles can be tricky, but this recipe keeps things simple.
The secret? Ghirardelli melting wafers. They taste rich and fancy like high-end chocolate but melt down beautifully without any chopping or tempering.
How To Make Chocolate Truffles
The full process is in the recipe card below but here are my top tips while you’re making it.
- Chill properly: Don’t rush. If it’s too firm, let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes.
- Don’t freeze: It will ruin the texture of the chocolate.
- Use a wide, shallow bowl: It will chill faster and more evenly.
- Cover with plastic wrap: Stops a film from forming on top.
- Use heavy cream only: Milk or half-and-half won’t thicken enough.
- Stick with dark chocolate: Other kinds are too soft to roll into balls.
Variations
Switch Up The Flavors
- Make mini truffles using 1½ teaspoons of the mix instead of a full tablespoon
- Swap vanilla for other extracts like peppermint, almond, coconut, orange, raspberry, or hazelnut
- Dip in melted chocolate instead of rolling in toppings
Storage
Keep truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for weeks. Let them sit at room temp before eating for the best smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
My Number One Chocolate Truffles Tip:
Truffles can get sticky and hard to roll. Scoop onto a lined tray and chill for 30 minutes so they can firm up. Then roll straight from the fridge. (Thanks for the tip, Sally!)
Quick Tip
Still sticky? Chill longer or cool your hands with a freezer bag or frozen veggies before rolling.
More Indulgent Dessert Recipes
- Chocolate Cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries with a white chocolate drizzle
- Bakery Style Chocolate Cookies with chocolate chips
- Buttercrunch Candy peanut butter and chocolate confection
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with a chocolate cookie crust
Chocolate Truffles
Equipment
- Large bowl microwave-safe
- Sheet pan (15″ x 10″) lined
Ingredients
- 1 (10-ounce) bag dark chocolate melting wafers see note 1
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, see note 2
- Truffle coating see note 3
Instructions
- Add the chocolate wafers, butter, cream, and salt to a large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring between each burst for 20 seconds, until mostly melted. About 90 seconds total. It’s ok if it’s not totally melted. Stir, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes without disturbing.
- After 5 minutes, remove the plate and stir until smooth. Add in vanilla and mix through. Cover with plastic wrap, directly touching the surface of the chocolate and chill in the fridge for 4–6 hours before rolling into balls (see note 4). Don’t freeze.
- Set out a tray and line it with parchment paper. Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop out the chocolate, then use a spoon to coax the chocolate out of the measuring spoon and onto the lined tray in small blobs.
- Place the tray of chocolate blobs in the fridge for 30 minutes, uncovered. This will dry out the chocolate slightly so it’s easier to roll.
- After 30 minutes, remove the tray from the fridge. Quickly roll the blobs into balls. If the blobs become sticky or difficult to roll, place the tray back in the fridge. Once rolled, return each ball to the sheet pan. When all the balls are rolled, place the pan in the fridge again for 10 minutes.
- While the balls are firming for 10 minutes, set out your preferred coatings in small shallow bowls. I like rolling some in finely shredded coconut, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Roll balls into toppings and serve truffles at room temperature.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A delicious treat! As Chelsea’s husband, I can attest that me (and our kids) give this recipe 5 stars.