These homemade chocolate truffles are extra creamy with the addition of butter. After mixing the 4 ingredients together, let the mixture set in the refrigerator, then roll into balls. Follow this homemade truffles recipe and the helpful video tutorial below!
Making homemade chocolate truffles couldn’t be easier and after watching the video tutorial below, you’ll agree with excitement! Homemade truffles are the perfect quick & easy treat for holidays and I’m right here to guide you along. Ditch the boxed chocolates!
Chocolate lovers, rejoice. 🙂
Video: Homemade Truffles
Chocolate truffles are a deeply indulgent chocolate treat made from chocolate and cream. They’re essentially balls of chocolate ganache. And great news: they sound so much fancier than they are to make!
Only 2 Ingredients in Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate and heavy cream are the only ingredients in homemade chocolate truffles. However, I add 2 extra ingredients for texture and flavor. These extras will turn your regular truffles into the BEST CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES. And after writing an entire cookbook on truffles and candy recipes, I know that’s a fact!
- Chocolate: 8 ounces of pure chocolate is the base of chocolate truffles. Do not use chocolate chips because they will not melt into truffle consistency. Pure chocolate is sold in 4 ounce bars in the baking aisle. Use milk chocolate for sweeter truffles or semi-sweet/dark chocolate for extra rich truffles. If using milk chocolate, reduce the cream to 1/2 cup as milk chocolate is much softer than dark chocolate.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream is also a base ingredient. Do not use half-and-half or any other liquid because the truffles won’t set up properly. See recipe note for a non-dairy alternative.
- Butter: 1 scant Tablespoon of softened butter transform these into the creamiest truffles you will ever taste. You will never go back!
- Vanilla Extract:Â Pure vanilla extract adds exceptional flavor to your chocolate truffles.
With so few ingredients, it’s imperative to follow the recipe. After years of candy making, I find the ratio of 8 ounces of chocolate to 2/3 cup heavy cream is the most favorable. Truffles are too firm with less liquid. Stick to this recipe for truffle success!
How to Make Chocolate Truffles in 5 Steps
- Warm Cream: Pour warm cream over chopped chocolate.
- Do Nothing: Before stirring, let the warm cream and chocolate sit in the bowl for a few minutes. Don’t touch it!
- Stir: Stir until the chocolate is melted.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate until the mixture is set, about 1-2 hours.
- Roll: Roll into balls and coat in toppings like sprinkles, cocoa powder, or crushed nuts. You can also dip the truffles in melted or tempered chocolate. Here is a blog post & video showing how to dip truffles into chocolate. And I have an in-depth explantation for tempered chocolate in Sally’s Candy Addiction if you have a copy!
Sticky Situation: These are extra creamy truffles, which are the most delicious variety. The downside to creamy truffles is that they’re sticky to roll. You can wear rubber gloves or coat your hands in cocoa powder, but here is my #1 trick and it makes rolling SO MUCH EASIER. Scoop the truffle mixture into mounds on a lined baking sheet. (Pictured above.) Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes so the mounds “dry out.” After that, they are a little less sticky to roll. You can watch me do this in the video tutorial.
Troubleshooting Truffles
Even though there are so few ingredients and steps, a couple mishaps can happen. Let me help you troubleshoot through the chocolate truffle recipe.
- The chocolate won’t melt:Â One trick for successful truffles is to chop the chocolate into very small pieces. The finer the chocolate chunks, the quicker they’ll melt. Additionally, the chocolate might not melt because the cream is not hot enough. Make sure it is simmering warm before pouring over the chocolate. If the chocolate still isn’t melting, place the heat-proof bowl over a pot of 1 inch of simmering water and stir until melted. I usually do this.
- The ganache won’t thicken: Make sure you are using pure chocolate, not chocolate chips, and heavy cream. You can also pour the mixture into a shallow dish so it thickens quicker. And finally, keep it in the refrigerator until thickened.
- The chocolate is greasy and separating: If the truffle mixture is greasy or separating, the heavy cream was too hot.
- The truffle mixture is too sticky: See “Sticky Situation” above.
- Rolled truffles are too dry for toppings: Mash the truffle between your palms and re-roll so it’s sticky enough for the toppings.
By the way, if you love chocolate truffles, you will flip for these peanut butter balls.
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Print
PinDescription
These homemade chocolate truffles are extra creamy with the addition of butter. After mixing the ingredients together, let the mixture set in the refrigerator, then roll into balls. You can coat in your favorite toppings and add lots of fun flavors, too! The mixture gets a little sticky, so refer back to my tips in the blog post above.
Ingredients
- two 4-ounce quality chocolate bars (226g), very finely chopped*
- 2/3 cup (160ml)Â heavy cream*
- optional: 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- optional: 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- toppings: unsweetened cocoa powder, sprinkles, crushed nuts, melted or tempered chocolate
Instructions
- Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the heavy cream until it is simmering. You can heat it on the stove or in the microwave.
- Add the butter, if using, to the chocolate and pour the heavy cream evenly on top. Let the warm cream and chocolate sit for 5 minutes minutes. Add the vanilla extract then stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface (to avoid condensation) and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Tip: Pour into a flat shallow dish, such as a 8×8 inch baking pan, so the mixture evenly and quickly sets.
- Scoop the set truffle mixture into 2 teaspoon-sized mounds. This cookie scoop is the perfect size. For larger truffles, 1 Tablespoon size mounds. Roll each into balls. This gets a little sticky, so see my tips above.
- Roll each into toppings, if desired. Truffles taste best at room temperature!
- Cover tightly and store truffles at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze up to 3 months with or without toppings. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature, if desired, before enjoying.
- Make Ahead Instructions:Â Prepare the truffle mixture through step 3. The mixture must chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or up to 3 days. If chilling for longer than 4ish hours, let the mixture sit on the counter for several minutes to soften into scoop-able consistency.
- Chocolate: Use pure chocolate, the kind sold in 4 ounce bars in the baking aisle. Do not use chocolate chips. The higher quality chocolate you purchase, the better your truffles will taste. I love Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands. If you want to splurge, Scharffen Berger is exceptional! Semi-sweet or dark chocolate make a very intense chocolate truffle and milk chocolate yields a sweeter truffle. If using milk chocolate, reduce the cream to 1/2 cup as milk chocolate is much softer than dark chocolate. Do not use white chocolate in this recipe because it’s too thin. Here is a white chocolate truffles recipe to use instead. You can leave out the lime flavoring.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream is the only liquid that will melt the chocolate into the proper truffle consistency. Do not use half-and-half or milk. The only non-dairy substitute is canned full-fat coconut milk (not the refrigerated kind). Shake it up and use in the recipe as you would heavy cream.
- Butter and Vanilla Extract: Both are optional, but butter makes truffles extra creamy and vanilla extract adds wonderful flavor.
- Flavors: Instead of vanilla extract, use 1/2 teaspoon raspberry, coconut, orange, peppermint, or strawberry extract. Or leave out the extract and add 1-2 Tablespoons of your favorite liqueur. I also have hazelnut truffles and key lime truffles recipes too!
- Halved/Doubled: Recipe can easily be halved, but I do not recommend doubling. Instead, make 2 separate batches.
Just made my second set of truffles. I got the process down a little better than the last time. I’m still not sure if I should completely let them cool and then put them in the fridge since I’m taking them to my friends house for Christmas tomorrow and she lives an hour away.
I have a load of leftover brownie that I want to crumble into the chocolate mixture. Will it work?
You can definitely give it a try! If you’re putting the brownies directly into the mix, I would start with small amounts so that it does not dry up. Brownies would be delicious as toppings, too. Let me know how they turn out!
When you roll the truffles in unsweetened coco powder they taste awful bitter. Not good at all. Shouldn’t you use sweetened coco
[email protected]
Hi Joan, You can certainly use sweetened coco if you wish! I like to roll them in a variety of toppings: cocoa, sprinkles, nuts, etc. There are so many options!
Unsweetened chocolate, when I had a bite I almost gagged. Terrible tasting. Can you use Nestle sweetened coco.
When I made them for catering I threw them all away. I poured heavy cream over the chocolate and then I put them in the refrigerator for 2 hours. I took them out and tried to roll them, I could not form a ball and each piece I got chocolate on my hand.
The unsweetened was so bad, I had to put 1 part of coco and 3 parts of confectionary sugar. But I couldn’t roll them.
Joan
Hi Joan, I use semi-sweet or dark chocolate, not unsweetened! See recipe note #3 for your options on different types of chocolate to use (note that you can use milk chocolate also but you will need to reduce the cream as explained). And yes, they are very sticky! See the paragraph above called “Sticky Situation” for my best tips to make rolling them easier 🙂
So, when I made these they were so creamy that unless they were cold they were like almost liquid…. what did I do wrong?
Hi Kandie, What type of chocolate are you using? If using milk chocolate you will need to reduce the cream to 1/2 cup as milk chocolate is much softer than dark chocolate – see recipe notes for details.
Thank you for your reply! I used dark chocolate. I will be making again in February so I’ll see if perhaps maybe it was the butter or not. I did make two batches and only one of them turned out that way. Thank again 🙂
Sally, I just want to commend you on the research and level of detail you dig into to bring tried and true recipes. I’ve been baking my whole life but left my Corporate career 3 years ago to start a bakery out of my basement. We are moving into our first commercial space in the next year. With the exception of a couple restaurant school courses, I am completely self taught. When I’m chartering new recipe territory (like truffles – haven’t made them since I’m a teenager), you are one of my go-to resources. I appreciate your time saving tips and tricks and know that if I try one of your recipes and something doesn’t turn out right – it’s usually because of something I have done or not done to get that outcome. Thank you for making my new career journey just a little bit easier!
Wow!! Congratulations on all of your success, Steph! How exciting to be moving into your new space soon! Thank you so much for trusting my recipes – I can’t wait to hear what else will be on your menu 🙂
I followed the instructions to the letter & am left with liquid chocolate in my fridge. The ratios dont work
★
Hi Melanie, What type of chocolate did you use? If using milk chocolate see the recipe notes about reducing the cream!
Is it okay if i will not form it into circles? And just put it in a square pan and let it cool, then cut it into squares? Thank you!
Hi Elle, I have not tried making them this way. They will likely be very difficult to cut neatly into squares but you can certainly try it. Let me know if it works!
Hi, I actually tried this square method. The sharp corners of the truffles don’t feel as nice on your tongue as a round shaped one. Hope that helps~
Do I let the chocolate cool before places the plastic wrap on top.
It’s not necessary to let it cool first. It will cool down significantly as you stir it, though.
Thank you. The recipe worked beautifully.
I would like to make truffles without sugar using unsweetened chocolate and a sugar substitute. I have Swerve and liquid stevia. Would I put the sweetener into the cream or with the chopped chocolate? My grandmother was a candy maker and I am really looking forward to these!!
Hi Lynne, I have never tried truffles using Swerve or stevia. If you wish to try it I would start by adding the sweeteners to the warm cream to make sure it dissolves so you don’t end up with a grainy texture. Let me know if you try it.
Yum! I made these with coconut milk and dark chocolate In the exact measurements given. They came out perfectly! Not too sweet, beautiful rich flavor, and so easy. I rolled them in shredded coconut and put an almond in the middle of each. Look forward to trying different variations! Thanks!!
★★★★★
I’ve been making chocolates for a while now. I have some new truffle molds I want to try. Can I let the hard coating chocolate set then pipe this into the trays ? I’d wait for this ganache to cool to room temperature first. Would I need to let it set again in the fridge/freezer before adding the final coating chocolate that will become the bottom ?
Hi Blaise, This mixture is going to be too thick to pipe well. I would follow the instructions to make round (or whatever fits your molds) shapes, refrigerate them, and then place them into your molds and cover with the remaining chocolate. Let me know if you try it!
I have cocoa powder, can I use that instead?
If I want to make these into coffee truffles, what should I add to make them so? Do I need to take out anything else?
Hi Eliza, add some espresso powder to the cream that you simmer on the stove. 2 teaspoons would be excellent.
Hey Sally,
Love your recipes. I’m trying to make white chocolate truffles. When I go to white chocolate truffles that is with your chocolate truffle recipe it takes me to key lime truffles. What am I doing wrong? Thanks in advance.
Hi Susan, For white chocolate truffles follow the instructions for the Key Lime Truffles but leave out the lime flavoring.
Hi! I plan on making these for Valentine’s Day. I only have 6 oz of baking chocolate. I was planning on using coconut milk, as well. How much coconut milk should I use with the reduced chocolate amount? I want to make sure I get the ratio just right.
Hi Lauren, Sounds like you want to use 75% of the amount of chocolate so use only 75% of the milk also! Or you can simply use 4oz of chocolate and simply cut the recipe in half 🙂
Wondering if I can use half semi sweet chocolate and half bittersweet chocolate to make the truffles?
Thank you !
Absolutely!
Great recipe! Not at all fussy. I coated mine with crushed freeze dried strawberries for Valentine’s Day. Thank you for sharing your expertise.
★★★★★
Have you ever added protein powder to these? My son is a runner and underweight and I wanted to add almond flour or protein powder. Do you think that would work? Do you think I should modify any other ingredients if I do?
Hi Cathy, I don’t recommend adding extra ingredients to these truffles. But your son might be interested in these healthy truffles which use whole almonds (or almond flour works since it’s all going into a food processor) and you can try subbing in some protein powder for the cocoa powder although I haven’t tried it.
I just tried this recipe today…it is great!! I rolled mine in red sugar. YUMMY! Thanks!
★★★★★
These taste awesome! I just made a batch but the truffles seem to soften up almost immediately out of the fridge, by the time I have rolled them into balls and coated them. How do I get them to stay firm at room temperature?
I’m so glad you enjoyed the taste, Anu. What type of chocolate are you using? If using milk chocolate, reduce the cream to 1/2 cup as milk chocolate is much softer than dark chocolate.
I am using dark compound chocolate with 35% fat. In fact even when kept in the freezer they don’t turn completely hard. Can still be pressed out of shape by hand.. I love how easy and delicious these truffles are and hope to male a lot of them. Hope you can help!
It’s my first time making candy like this. I’m planning to make truffles with 100% chocolate bar and I want it sweet. I only have honey and sugar at home. Which one should I use and how much should I add them?
Hi Paula, I do not recommend adding extra sugar in these truffles. With so few ingredients, it’s imperative to follow the recipe. For a sweeter candy, you can use milk chocolate. See recipe note #3 if using milk chocolate.
Hi!! I just try to make your recipe and the batter is sooo sticky, I left it in the refrigerator all night and is so soft i used guittard chocolate and heavy cream, I can’t make the balls, can you help me?
Hi Estefania, See the paragraph called “Sticky Situation” above in the post for my best tips. Also note that if you are using milk chocolate you need to reduce the cream – see recipe notes.
I made these truffles. I rolled them out and put on a lined cookie sheet and put in the fridge. They are still very soft and sticky. I’m afraid if I let them sit out they spread and flatten. Any tips?
★★★
Hi Beth, What type of chocolate are you using? Milk chocolate is much softer so if you are using milk chocolate see the recipe notes about reducing the cream.
When you froze the truffles, did you have to defrost it overnight while covered in plastic to avoid condensation? Any other tips? I’m trying to put together a large party and need recipes that can be frozen ahead of time and defrosted 1-2 days in advance… thanks!
I usually defrost them covered, yes.