Made with only a handful of ingredients, these delicious no-bake chocolate truffles are smooth, fudgy, and luscious. Homemade truffles may seem a little intimidating as they’re always so expensive at the store, but they’re super easy to make. They are essentially bite-sized balls of chocolate ganache. There are so many ways to customize the coatings, making them the perfect homemade gift for the holidays. This easy truffle recipe is also the ultimate party treat, as you can make them ahead of time. Try making my bon bons recipe, homemade peppermint bark, or oreo cookie balls if you want another edible gift idea.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Chocolate — you can use any type of chocolate to make truffles, from semi-sweet chocolate to dark chocolate and even white chocolate. I recommend using high-quality pure chocolate baking bars as they melt smoother than chocolate chips.

Heavy cream — you must use heavy cream as milk, half and half, or a lower fat cream will lead to the chocolate not fully setting up as it relies on the fat from the heavy cream.

Toppings — the best part about making chocolate truffles is rolling it in all the fun toppings. I love coating them with sprinkles, nuts, or cocoa powder. The coating helps keep the truffles from sticking to each other as well.

How to Make Chocolate Truffles

1. Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a large heat-proof bowl.

2. Add the heavy cream to the chopped chocolate.

3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a large bowl above simmering water. Stir frequently until the chocolate is smooth, fully combined, and glossy. Remove from the pot and stir in the vanilla.

4. Pour the ganache into a loaf pan or small baking pan. Chill for about 1 hour or until the ganache is firm to the touch but your finger can press into it without much force.

5. Scoop the chilled ganache into 1 to 2 teaspoon-sized portions. Roll between your palms to create a ball and place it on a lined plate.

6. Roll each ball into the coating of your choice and return to the fridge to chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

Wearing rubber gloves or coating your hands in some cocoa powder will make rolling the truffles less messy.
Chopping chocolate into finer pieces adds surface area and lets the hot cream melt it on a lower heat setting, and decreases the chance of burning. I use a sharp chef’s knife, but a serrated knife is great if you have one as it prevents the chocolate bar from breaking into tiny shredded shards.
As you don’t bake the chocolate truffles, use real vanilla extract as you’ll be able to taste the difference.
Use a cookie scoop to make perfectly uniformed truffles.
If your hands run warm, your kitchen is hot, or your ganache is too soft, scoop the chocolate ganache onto a lined sheet pan and freeze for a bit before rolling.
If the ganache is still too soft, you will have to gently reheat the mixture and add more chopped chocolate to it.
If your ganache is too firm to roll, let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes and try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do these chocolate treats contain real truffles?

No, they do not. Chocolate truffles get their name because they look like truffles, the mushroom-like fungus, not because they contain any.

How do I store these?

Truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture. Since the chocolate ganache is made with cream, it will not last at room temperature.

Can I flavor the ganache?

You can! If you want to add liqueur to the ganache, let the chocolate cool enough, so the heat does not burn off the alcohol. You can also steep the heavy cream with add-ins such as cinnamon sticks or mint leaves. Extracts such as coconut, peppermint, or almond are great additions as well.

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If you’ve tried this homemade Chocolate Truffle recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

5 from 35 votes