Made with real pumpkin puree, these pumpkin spice truffles are wonderfully indulgent and surprisingly easy to prepare. Coated in white or dark chocolate and sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs, these are the ultimate fall treat! I find these truffles get even betterโand the pumpkin flavor becomes more prominentโafter a day or two in the refrigerator, so this is a great make ahead recipe.
After writing my cookbook, Sally’s Candy Addiction, I was inspired to make these pumpkin spice truffles. Included in the cookbook (and here on my site) is a recipe for pumpkin spice toffee. It’s chewy, buttery, and perfectly spicedโand I knew the fall flavors would be just as amazing in truffle form. Today’s truffle recipe is one of my all-time favorites and after one bite, you’ll taste why.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Truffles
- Simple to prepare
- Smooth and creamy inside
- Bursting with warm, cozy flavorsโyou can use homemade pumpkin pie spice here!
- Made with only 8 ingredients, including real pumpkin
- Dunked in the chocolate of your choice
- A great make-ahead dessert
- Like little bites of fallโall the same vibes as mini cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins
Behind the Recipe
Let me explain how I formulated today’s candy recipe. They’re pretty similar to this Oreo balls recipe, but I changed up a few things. In fact, the truffles you see here are actually my 4th try making them.
- First batch: I started with using gingersnap cookie crumbs in the fillingโthe sweet, spicy cookies overpowered the pumpkin.
- Second batch: I tried graham cracker crumbsโthis was a more mellow base for the filling but the texture wasn’t very smooth and lush, like most truffles we know and love. I needed to add something velvety.
- Third batch: I increased the amount of pumpkin. Huge mistake! The truffle filling was wet and unworkable.
- Fourth batch: We have a winner! Unlike regular chocolate truffles filled with chocolate ganache, my pumpkin spice truffles are filled with pumpkin, graham cracker, and cream cheese. Melted white chocolate and a touch of confectioners’ sugar smooth out the filling, while pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon accentuate the pumpkin flavor.
Make sure you’re using pumpkin puree (canned is best) and if you have extras to use up, here are some recipes to make with leftover pumpkin puree.
Overview: How to Make Pumpkin Spice Truffles
These truffles come together quickly in just a few simple steps.
- Make the filling. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream all of the filling ingredients together. The mixture will be soft and thick.
- Chill the filling. This is the most important step! The truffle mixture is very soft, so it must be refrigerated for at least 1 hour (up to 1 day) before you can roll it into balls. Cold truffle filling is so much easier to work with.
- Roll the filling into balls. Use about 1 teaspoon per truffle.
- Chill the truffle balls. After rolling each truffle, chill them one more time. This time for only 30 minutes or so.
- Dip in chocolate. All my success tips below!
- Let chocolate set. Refrigerate the dipped truffles for 30 minutes or until chocolate has completely set.
Best Coating for Pumpkin Spice Truffles
Use your favorite chocolate! White chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate both taste amazing with the pumpkin filling. For best results, use pure baking chocolate or chocolate melting wafersโthis makes dipping pumpkin spice truffles a breeze.
As always, I recommend a dipping tool for creating the most attractive truffles! I use and recommendย these dipping tools, and youโll use them many times over when makingย chocolate truffles,ย Oreo balls,ย rum balls,ย and more. Place the pumpkin spice ball in the chocolate and lift it out with the dipping tool. Quickly flip it upside down on the lined baking sheet. You can see how I do this in my video for peanut butter balls.
If you don’t have a dipping tool, use a fork to lift the dipped ball out of the chocolate and use a toothpick (or another fork) to slide the ball off the fork onto the lined baking sheet. You can see how to do this in the video for peanut butter eggs.
Top with graham cracker crumbs or a cinnamon/sugar mixture!
I love making these treats part of a Halloween dessert display alongside decorated Halloween cookies, easy candy corn pretzels, and Oreo balls (add your favorite Halloween sprinkles!).
Print
Pumpkin Spice Truffles
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 35 truffles
- Category: Candy
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Like most candy recipes, there isn’t room for ingredient substitution. I always recommend following the recipe as written. I find these truffles get even betterโand the pumpkin flavor becomes more prominentโafter a day or two in the refrigerator. Dip in white chocolate or dark chocolate for a fabulous fall treat!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (57g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup (72g) pumpkin puree
- 1 and 3/4 cups (175g) graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers)
- 1/2 teaspoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 ounces (113g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped and melted
Topping
- 10 ounces (283g) semi-sweet or white chocolate, coarsely chopped
- optional garnish: extra graham cracker crumbs or cinnamon/sugar
Instructions
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl until creamyโabout 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and beat on high until combined. Add the graham cracker crumbs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and melted chocolate. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until everything is combined. The mixture is supposed to be soft and thick. Cover mixture tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Chilling is mandatory.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Begin rollingย chilledย mixtureย into balls (about 1 teaspoon per ball)ย and place the balls on the baking sheets. You should have around 35 total.ย Chill balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- During the last few minutes of the chilling time, begin melting the chocolate. You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. If using the microwave: place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. I like to use a liquid measuring cup. Its depthย makes it easier for dipping the truffles. Melt in 30 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Let the warm chocolate sit for 5 minutes to slightly cool before dipping. Alternatively, you can temper the chocolate. If tempering, do not place or store truffles in the refrigerator.
- Remove balls from the refrigerator and dip themย in the chocolate using a dipping tool. When lifting the truffleย out of the chocolate, remember to tap the dipping tool gently on the side of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Top truffles with a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs, if desired.
- Place balls back onto the baking sheet after you dip each one. Allow chocolate to completely set in the refrigerator before serving. Truffles are OK at room temperature for a few hours for serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Layer trufflesย between sheets of parchment or wax paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Double Boiler or Liquid Measuring Cup | Candy Dipping Tools
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice at most grocery stores or use this homemade pumpkin pie spice blend. If you don’t have either on hand and just want to use individual spices for this recipe, use a pinch each of ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I made these for Thanksgiving and they were delicious! Dark chocolate from Trader Joe’s worked really well in this recipe.
Two things!- How big are they? (Compared to like a quarter or something) And do I have to use the flat paddle attachment? What can I us if I donโt have one of those?
You can use whatever beaters you have! The truffles are maybe around 1 inch in diameter, just 1 tsp per ball.
I made this recipe a couple days ago and it is fabulous! These truffles were super easy to make and are so decadent. I made some dipped in white chocolate and some in dark chocolate and finished with some freshly grated nutmeg on top. These turned out so well and looked so professional that a few people I gave them to asked me where I bought them from! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Does it have to be brick cream cheese and full fat, or can I use whipped cream cheese or a softer cream sauce at a lower fat count?
Hi Maggie, you need full fat brick-style cream cheese, that is sold in a block.