These easy Christmas truffles bring together smooth chocolate, a touch of cream cheese, and a crisp white chocolate shell, all rolled into a bite people grab the moment the plate hits the table. They come together fast, don’t need an oven, and decorating them with sprinkles brings in a bit of that fun chaos you get with holiday treats. Make a batch for a holiday party or stash them in the fridge for Christmas day nibbling.
You wouldn’t guess it by looking at them, but these truffles can be made way lighter than most holiday treats. I use powdered erythritol instead of sugar and swap in sugar-free chocolate chips, and they still come out rich, creamy, and properly chocolatey. Those small switches make them a bit more balanced, which helps when you’re already knee-deep in cookies, fudge, and everything else covered in icing.
❤️ Why you will love this recipe
- No bake: They come together without ever turning on the oven.
- Low effort: The steps are simple, and most of the time is just chilling.
- Fun to decorate: Sprinkles and melted chocolate make this step feel like play.
- Easy to tweak: Swap the flavors or decoration to match your mood.
- Gift-ready: Pack a few in a box and you’ve got a sweet, simple treat to give away.
🗝️ Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cream cheese: This is what gives the truffle mixture its creamy, fudge-like texture. Full-fat works best, but reduced-fat works in a pinch.
- Powdered sugar or erythritol: Sweetens the mixture and helps it set. Powdered erythritol is a great sugar-free option, you don’t need to change the amount.
- Chocolate chips: These get melted into the dough and used as a coating. You can go dark, white, or sugar-free depending on what you like. I usually use dark in the dough and white on the outside.
- Extracts: A little vanilla, peppermint, or orange goes a long way. Pick whatever fits your holiday mood.
- Salt: Just a pinch to keep the flavor balanced.
- Sprinkles: Red, white, and green make them look festive. Skip them or switch them up if you’re going for a different look.
🥣 How to make Christmas truffles
- Prep your tray: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and let the cream cheese soften slightly at room temp.
- Mix the base: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl, then stir in the powdered sugar and salt until smooth.
- Melt the chocolate: Use the microwave in short bursts or a double boiler on low heat. Either way, don’t walk away from it.
- Combine and flavor: Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl, add your chosen extract, and mix until thick and glossy.
- Chill the mixture: Pop the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes. The texture should be firm but still scoopable.
- Roll the truffles: Scoop out teaspoon-sized amounts and roll them into balls using the palms of your hands.
- Freeze until firm: Set the balls on the lined tray and freeze for at least 1 hour so they hold their shape when dipped.
- Melt coating chocolate: Use white chocolate (or any coating chocolate you like) and melt it gently until smooth.
- Dip the truffles: Drop one truffle into the melted chocolate. Use a fork to lift it out, tapping the fork on the edge of the bowl to remove excess.
- Place on tray: Slide the truffle onto the parchment using a second fork. If you’re doing half-dipped truffles, just hold and dip the tops.
Coated truffles:
Half-dipped truffles:
- Add sprinkles fast: While the coating is still wet, sprinkle quickly. The chocolate sets fast because the truffles are frozen.
- Chill to finish: Once coated and decorated, pop them in the fridge until ready to serve.
🪄 Recipe Notes & Tips
- Chill time matters: If the dough’s too soft, it won’t roll cleanly. If it’s too firm, let it sit at room temp for a few minutes and try again.
- Keep your hands cool: If the mixture starts sticking to your palms, rinse your hands under cold water and dry them lightly before rolling.
- Work in batches: Only take a few truffles out of the freezer at a time when dipping. They coat better when they’re still cold.
- Sprinkle fast: The coating sets quickly, so have your sprinkles ready and move fast once they hit the tray.
- Mix and match: Try different chocolate combinations – dark in the center, white on the outside, or the other way around.
- Make ahead: You can freeze the rolled truffle balls and dip them later, which makes party prep way easier.
🫙 Storage Instructions
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: Freeze the finished truffles for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge before serving.
- Make-ahead tip: You can freeze the rolled (undipped) truffle balls and coat them in chocolate closer to the big day.
- Layer with parchment: If stacking, add a sheet of parchment paper between layers to stop them from sticking together.
✨ Variations
- Candy melt shells: Go red, green, or swirl them together for a full-on festive look.
- Different extracts: Almond, hazelnut, coconut, coffee, or ginger all work well in the base. Start with a small splash and adjust to taste.
- Boozy twist: Add a splash of brandy, rum, whisky, Baileys, or amaretto. Just 1-2 teaspoons so the mixture still sets properly.
- Crushed cookies: Mix in gingersnaps, graham crackers, or Oreos for a little crunch and extra flavor.
- Warm spices: A pinch of cinnamon, ginger, or chai spice brings a cozy kick.
- No chocolate dip: Roll in cocoa powder, shredded coconut, or powdered sweetener instead.
- Nut coating: Use chopped toasted pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts for a crunchy outer layer.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Do I have to temper the chocolate for the coating?
No, you’re off the hook. The centers are frozen, so the coating sets on its own. Just melt the chocolate gently and carry on.
Can I make these dairy‑free or vegan?
You can give it a go. Go for a vegan cream cheese or even coconut cream, and use dairy‑free chocolate. Just expect the texture to be a bit softer.
How do I stop the chocolate from cracking?
Let the truffle centers soften for a few minutes before dipping. If they’re rock hard and the chocolate is warm, the coating can crack as it sets.
Can kids help with this recipe?
Absolutely! Give them the sprinkle job or let them roll the dough. Just keep the melted chocolate in your line of sight unless you want fingerprints everywhere.
How long can they sit out?
A couple of hours is fine, especially if the room isn’t sweltering. They hold their shape better when chilled, so pop them back in the fridge when you’re done.
🎄 More Christmas recipes you will love
- Keto Chocolate Fudge
- Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Fudge
- Christmas Roast Beef Recipe
- Holiday Chicken Breast Recipe
- Easy Roasted Turkey
- Easy Christmas Gin Cocktail Recipe
- Easy DIY Christmas Simmer Pot Recipe
- 60+ Keto Christmas Side Dishes
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📖 Recipe
Christmas Truffles Recipe
These easy Christmas truffles bring together smooth chocolate, a touch of cream cheese, and a crisp white chocolate shell, all rolled into a bite people grab the moment the plate hits the table. They come together fast, don't need an oven, and decorating them with sprinkles brings in a bit of that fun chaos you get with holiday treats. Make a batch for a holiday party or stash them in the fridge for Christmas day nibbling.
Ingredients
- 226 g 8oz Cream cheese
- 172 g 1.5 cups powdered sugar (or powdered sweetener like erythritol)
- 340 g 2 cups Chocolate chips, melted (dark or white, can be sugar-free like Lily’s Chocolate)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla orange, or peppermint extract (or your favorite flavor, see note #2)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 340 g 2 cups Chocolate chips, melted (to coat the truffles, can be a different color to the other chocolate. Regular or sugar-free)
- 2 tablespoons Sprinkles see note #2
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and allow the cream cheese to soften a little at room temperature.
- Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl. Add the icing sugar and salt and mix everything together well.
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave in small bursts, or in a double boiler over medium heat on the stove.
- Add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture along with the flavor extract and mix well. It should make quite a thick mixture. You do this in a food processor or stand mixer, however, I found a little elbow grease, and a wooden spoon worked just fine.
- Set it in the fridge for 30 minutes. I found that 30 minutes was just right for me – an hour was too long. If the mixture hasn't set yet, put it back in the fridge for another 10 minutes at a time until it is more solidified but not crumbly. See note #3 if it's crumbly.
- Pick up a teaspoon of the truffle mixture at a time and roll it into 1-inch balls. I made 46.
- Place the chocolate balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place it in the freezer for at least 1 hour (you can leave it longer if needed).
- Melt the white chocolate either in the microwave or in a double boiler.
- Dip each frozen chocolate ball into the white chocolate.
- You can either completely cover the truffle or just dip half to make Christmas pudding truffles.
- If you're covering the whole truffle in chocolate, use one fork to lift the truffle out of the melted white chocolate and tap it on the side to remove any excess.
- Use a second fork to push the truffle onto the parchment paper.
- Quickly, sprinkle the sprinkles on top after the truffle is on the parchment paper.
- The chocolate will set quickly because of how cold the truffle is so get those sprinkles on fast!
- Store in the fridge until you are ready to serve them!
Notes
- Chill time matters: If the dough’s too soft, it won’t roll cleanly. If it’s too firm, let it sit at room temp for a few minutes and try again.
- Keep your hands cool: If the mixture starts sticking to your palms, rinse your hands under cold water and dry them lightly before rolling.
- Work in batches: Only take a few truffles out of the freezer at a time when dipping. They coat better when they’re still cold.
- Sprinkle fast: The coating sets quickly, so have your sprinkles ready and move fast once they hit the tray.
- Mix and match: Try different chocolate combinations – dark in the center, white on the outside, or the other way around.
- Make ahead: You can freeze the rolled truffle balls and dip them later, which makes party prep way easier.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: Freeze the finished truffles for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge before serving.
- Make-ahead tip: You can freeze the rolled (undipped) truffle balls and coat them in chocolate closer to the big day.
- Layer with parchment: If stacking, add a sheet of parchment paper between layers to stop them from sticking together.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 111kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 31mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11g
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