How to make homemade chocolate truffles! Super-easy recipe with just 2 ingredients. Endlessly versatile, and so melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Chocolate truffles stacked in a pottery dish with tins of crushed nuts in the background.

We are knee-deep in Christmas prep here at my house! How about you?

At this point, the decorating and shopping are pretty much done, and it’s time to turn my attention to making all the wonderful Christmas treats. I’ve got pizzelles, peanut butter blossoms, and chocolate crinkle cookies on my to-do list. I love to give them away as homemade gifts to all the special people in our lives.

And in recent years, I’ve started to add homemade candy to my holiday routine. Scroll to the bottom of this post for a few of my favorites!

But first, I’m going to show you how to make one of the easiest candy recipes of all: chocolate truffles!

This is such an easy recipe. There are only 2 simple ingredients! And the result is off the charts. So luscious and creamy and deeply chocolate-y.

You can jazz them up in all sorts of different ways, and they make a great gift. Box a few up with some pretty tissue paper or in cellophane bags, and add a pretty ribbon. It’s just the kind of homemade gift that people are so happy to receive.

Or add them to your holiday cookie tray, for an extra punch of indulgence.

Either way, you’re sure to love this easy yet delicious chocolate truffle recipe!

Chocolate truffle recipe, prepared and presented in a bowl with a text overlay that reads "Chocolate Truffle Recipe."

WHAT ARE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES MADE OF?

So, there are truffles and then there are chocolate truffles.

Truffles are a type of fungus, a sort of a mushroom. They look like a rough little brown or black ball and they grow underground. They have an earthy, almost garlicky fragrance and flavor.

But that probably couldn’t be further from what we are talking about here. Chocolate truffles are a whole different thing.

They look kind of like a truffle, which is probably where they get their name. They’re little and brown and round. But that’s where the similarities end.

There are no mushrooms in chocolate truffles. They don’t taste like mushrooms at all, or like garlic.

The flavor is pure chocolate.

There are only 2 ingredients in classic chocolate truffles:

  1. Chocolate
  2. and Cream.

You can add other things to that to bring in extra flavor (more on that below), but that’s completely optional.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

To make this easy recipe, start with chocolate.

You can use any kind of chocolate you like: milk chocolate, semisweet, bittersweet, white chocolate… it’s entirely up to you!

But I would recommend buying bars rather than chips because chips usually contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting smoothly.

Chopping chocolate bars finely.

Chop your bars finely and place the chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl.

Finely chopped chocolate in a glass bowl.

Meanwhile, heat the cream gently in a small pot until it’s just barely beginning to simmer. You could also do this step in the microwave!

Hot cream in a small stainless steel pot.

Once the cream is hot and steamy, pour it over the chopped chocolate, and just allow that to stand for a few minutes.

Pouring hot cream over chopped chocolate to make ganache.

Then whisk everything together until it’s smooth and lump-free.

Whisking chocolate ganache.

Now you have the filling for your chocolate truffles! This is also known as “ganache.”

You’ll need to let this cool and solidify. The amount of time it takes can vary based on how warm or cool it is in your house. I generally let it sit overnight at room temperature, and then the truffles are ready to be formed the next morning.

Scooping ganache to make chocolate truffles.

Once the mixture is solid, scoop out about a tablespoonful and roll it between your palms to shape it into a ball. Your hands will get very chocolate-y! It’s a messy job but somebody’s got to do it.

Rolling ganache into balls to make chocolate truffles.

Then give it a coating. There are lots of different ways you can coat chocolate truffles. You can dip them in melted chocolate, or you can roll them in any number of different things. For the truffles you see here, I’ve used shredded coconut, finely chopped hazelnuts, and cocoa powder. There are lots more ideas below!

Coating chocolate truffles in cocoa and chopped nuts.

ARE THESE GOOD FOR PEOPLE WITH FOOD ALLERGIES?

If you know someone with a food allergy or sensitivity, these are a great treat to make for them. They’re gluten-free, vegetarian, and egg-free.

You could probably even make a dairy-free or vegan version with coconut milk!

HOW TO ADD EXTRA FLAVOR

One of the things I love most about this recipe is how adaptable it is. There are so many fun ways to jazz up chocolate truffles, and bring a little extra flavor to the mix!

You can mix and match flavorings for the ganache along with different types of coatings, to come up with something completely unique and totally you!

BOOZY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Add a tablespoon or so of your favorite liqueur or spirit to create a grownup, boozy chocolate truffle recipe. Here are a few options:

  • Whiskey
  • Bourbon
  • Rum
  • Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
  • Raspberry Liqueur or Chambord
  • Coffee Liqueur or Kahlua
  • Irish Cream Liqueur
  • Amaretto
  • Sambuca
  • Brandy
  • Hazelnut Liqueur or Frangelico
  • Peppermint Schnapps
  • Kirsch

NON-ALCOHOLIC FLAVORINGS

If you want to keep things SFW, try adding a little of any of the following:

  • Peppermint Extract
  • Almond Extract
  • Orange Zest
  • Cinnamon
  • Anise Extract
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Rosewater
  • Earl Grey Tea (steep a little in the cream as it heats)
  • Lavender (steep in the cream)

COATINGS

Different kinds of coatings can add even more interesting flavor and texture. Try dipping semisweet truffles in white or milk chocolate, or vice versa! Or think about any of these coatings that can be rolled on:

  • Ground nuts such as hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or peanuts
  • Sprinkles or nonpariels, either chocolate or the colorful rainbow variety
  • Coconut
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Graham cracker or gingerbread cookie crumbs
  • Cacao nibs

HOW TO STORE THEM

Chocolate truffles can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container. They will keep this way for several months.

It is possible to freeze them, but you may notice that they lose some of their flavor through the freeze/thaw process.

Overhead image of chocolate truffles in a serving dish.

Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate truffles stacked in a pottery dish with tins of crushed nuts in the background.
5 stars (2 ratings)

Chocolate Truffles

Servings: 18 candies (approx.)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooling Time:: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
How to make homemade chocolate truffles! Super-easy recipe with just 2 ingredients. Endlessly versatile, and so melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces (226.8 g) chocolate, (any kind; I prefer bars finely chopped)
  • 1/2 cup (119 g) heavy cream
  • coatings of your choice*

Instructions
 

  • Chop the chocolate bars finely and place in a heat-safe bowl.
  • Heat the cream gently in a small pot, until small bubbles are forming around the edges of the pot.
  • Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, and allow it to stand for 5 minutes.
  • Whisk the mixture until smooth.
  • Cool the mixture until solidified.
  • Scoop 1-tablespoon of the mixture at a time, rolling between palms into a ball shape.
  • Roll the balls in the coating(s) of your choice, or dip in additional melted chocolate.

Notes

*Please see headnotes for suggestions.
Serving: 1truffle, Calories: 87kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 5mg, Potassium: 41mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 97IU, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
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