Blue Christmas Truffles
The first truffle I dipped came out with a thick little skirt of candy at the bottom. I’d rushed the coating and dropped each ball straight onto the parchment, where…
By Ava
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Reading time: 9 min
Tip: save now, make later.
The first truffle I dipped came out with a thick little skirt of candy at the bottom. I’d rushed the coating and dropped each ball straight onto the parchment, where the extra pooled before it could drip away. These Blue Christmas Truffles are much easier to coat when the centers are firm and you give each one a moment over the bowl.
The center is a simple mix of chocolate sandwich cookies and softened cream cheese, processed until it holds together. I like that the cookie filling stays in the mixture; it adds sweetness and helps the crumbs blend into a smooth, dense center. Once the balls are chilled, blue candy melts give them a crisp shell, and the sprinkles go on before that shell sets. The finished truffles are cool, creamy, and just the right size for a holiday treat.
Kitchen Note
Process the cookies until the crumbs look fine and even before adding the cream cheese. Big pieces don’t disappear into the mixture, and you can feel them when you roll the centers.
Save these Blue Christmas Truffles for a festive batch of creamy cookie centers and bright blue candy shells topped with sprinkles.
Why Cookie Crumbs and Cream Cheese Make a Truffle Center That Holds Together
These centers don’t rely on melted chocolate or a baked cake base. The finely crushed cookies provide the structure, while softened cream cheese binds the crumbs into a mixture that can be rolled and chilled. The cream cheese also gives the middle its dense, smooth texture. Keeping the cookie filling in the crumbs is part of the balance, so there’s no need to scrape it out first.
That texture is why the mixture should be pulsed only until it comes together after the cream cheese goes in. You want a cohesive mass, not a loose pile of crumbs and not a paste that’s been worked far beyond blending. Once shaped, the chill firms the centers enough to handle a coating dip. The candy shell then adds a clean snap around the softer middle, making the contrast feel more like a classic truffle than a cookie ball.
These are also forgiving to portion. Rolling the mixture into roughly one-inch balls gives you 36 small pieces that chill and coat at a similar pace. If some are much larger than others, the centers won’t firm evenly, and you’ll have a mix of oversized and bite-size treats on the tray.
What the Cookies, Cream Cheese, and Candy Coating Each Bring
- Chocolate sandwich cookies — Use the whole cookie, including its creme filling. Standard grocery-store cookies work well here; there’s no need to buy a premium brand. A crisp cookie crushes into fine crumbs more easily than a soft or stale one, and the chocolate flavor carries through the center.
- Cream cheese — Full-fat cream cheese gives the centers a rich, firm texture once chilled. Let it soften before mixing so it blends evenly with the crumbs instead of leaving small lumps. Reduced-fat cream cheese tends to make a softer mixture, which is harder to roll and dip.
- Blue candy melts — Candy melts are made to form a smooth coating that sets without the tempering work needed for some real chocolate. If blue melts aren’t available, white candy melts coat in the same way, though the truffles won’t have their signature blue shell. Chocolate chips aren’t a direct substitute for this easy-setting finish.
- Christmas sprinkles — A basic sprinkle mix is plenty; the color and crunch stand out against the blue coating. Keep the sprinkles ready beside the tray so you can decorate each truffle while its coating is still wet.
From Fine Cookie Crumbs to a Set Blue Shell
Blend the Cookie Mixture Until It Holds Together
Line an 18×13-inch baking sheet with parchment before you start, so the shaped truffles have a ready landing place. Process the sandwich cookies into fine crumbs, then add the softened cream cheese and pulse until the mixture comes together. Stop when the crumbs look evenly moistened and clump when pressed; a few extra pulses won’t improve the texture.
Roll Even Balls and Chill Until Firm
Roll the mixture into 36 balls, about 1 inch each, and arrange them on the lined sheet. Try to keep them close to the same size, with no loose crumbs sticking out. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until the balls feel firm rather than soft when you pick one up. A well-chilled center is easier to dip without losing its shape.
Melt the Blue Candy Smoothly
Put the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and heat them in 30-second bursts, stirring after each one. The melts often keep their shape as they warm, so stir before deciding they need another burst. Stop when the coating is smooth and fluid; overheated candy can become thick and difficult to dip into.
Dip, Sprinkle, and Let the Shell Set
Dip each chilled truffle into the melted candy and let the excess drip back into the bowl before returning it to the baking sheet. Add the Christmas sprinkles while the coating is still wet, since they won’t adhere once the surface begins to set. Work through the batch without long pauses, stirring the coating if it starts to thicken. Refrigerate the truffles for 15 minutes, until the shell is set.
Three Easy Ways to Change the Look or Flavor
Make a Gluten-Free Batch
Replace the chocolate sandwich cookies with the same weight of gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies. Their crumb may be a little finer or drier, so pulse in the cream cheese just until the mixture clumps and rolls without cracking. Choose gluten-free candy melts and sprinkles too.
Give the Centers a Peppermint Note
Use peppermint-creme chocolate sandwich cookies in place of the regular chocolate sandwich cookies. The filling gets a cool mint flavor while keeping the same cookie-and-cream-cheese base. The blue candy coating and Christmas sprinkles still suit the peppermint center.
Switch the Holiday Color
Use red or green candy melts instead of blue for a different Christmas look, keeping the same dipping and chilling method. The cookie center stays unchanged, but the sprinkle colors will pop differently against the new shell. This is an easy way to make two colors from one batch if you divide the coating.
Storing and Serving the Truffles
- Refrigerator: Store the truffles in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The centers stay firm when chilled, and the coating may soften a little if the truffles sit out.
- Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container with parchment between layers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator while still covered; uncovering cold truffles too soon can leave condensation on the shell.
- Serving: Serve chilled or let them stand briefly to take the refrigerator chill off. Because the centers contain cream cheese, don’t leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
The Questions That Come Up While Making Blue Christmas Truffles
Blue Christmas Truffles
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Line an 18x13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Process the cookies into fine crumbs.
- Add the cream cheese and pulse until the mixture comes together.
- Roll the mixture into 36 balls, about 1 inch each, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm.
- Melt the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst, until smooth.
- Dip each chilled truffle in the melted candy, letting excess coating drip back into the bowl, then return it to the baking sheet.
- Add sprinkles while the coating is still wet.
- Refrigerate the truffles for 15 minutes, until the coating is set.