Gingerbread Truffles

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You can never go wrong with gingerbread during the holidays, and these gingerbread truffles are just another way to enjoy this cool-weather favorite.

Plus, there’s no baking involved, making these treats a nice break from running your oven all season long.

Why are truffles called “truffles”?

The chocolate truffle, a round confection coated in chocolate or candy, has its roots in France, dating back to 1895. The inventors of this sweet treat thought it bore a striking resemblance to a truffle mushroom. These mushrooms are dark brown, round, and have a textured appearance, much like a candy truffle adorned with sprinkles.

What’s in gingerbread truffles?

To make these ultra-festive gingerbread truffles, you’ll need to track down the following ingredients:

• Gingersnap cookies: Serves as the base of the truffles. They give texture and intense ginger flavor.
• Cookie Butter: Adds creaminess and helps bind the cookie crumbles. Provides a spicy, buttery flavor.
• Powdered Sugar: Offers sweetness and assists in binding the mixture together.
• Ground Cinnamon: Introduces warm, sweet-spicy notes. A classic in gingerbread recipes.
• Ground Ginger: Enhances the ginger flavor, adding a bit of zing.
• Ground Allspice: Provides complex flavor notes—somewhat like a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Ground Cloves: Gives a spicy, aromatic touch. Another staple in gingerbread.
• Ground Nutmeg: Adds a hint of sweet, nutty warmth.
• Black Pepper: It might seem unconventional, but it accentuates the spices.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances overall flavor.
• White Candy Melts: Serves as the coating for the truffles. Adds sweetness and a visually pleasing outer shell.
• Coconut Oil: Thins the candy melts for easier dipping.
• Sprinkles: Purely for decorative flair. It could also add a slight texture contrast.

What tools do you need?

Though they might seem complex and ornate, crafting truffles is actually quite straightforward. Basic kitchen utensils will do the job, and you might also want to have a few specialized but optional decorating implements on hand, like:

• Food Processor: For crumbling the cookies.
• Baking Sheet and Parchment Paper: Used to store, transfer, and decorate the truffles.
• Wet Cloths or Wet Paper Towels: Useful for easy cleanup during preparation.
• Microwave-Safe Bowls: For melting the candy and coating the truffles.
• Whisk: Used for mixing the candy coating.
• Spoon, Cookie Scoop, or Ice Cream Scoop: For forming the truffles.
• Fork or Spiral Dipping Tool: For coating the truffles.
• Pastry Bag: Totally optional, but can help with decorating the truffles.

What type of candy melts should you use?

Candy melts, also known as melting wafers, are readily available in the baking section and usually come as small, flat discs in a bag. However, not all candy melts are created equal; the brand you choose can make a difference.

Wilton is the go-to brand for many, offering a rainbow of colors that make it convenient for crafting your confections. It’s a straightforward choice for those new to the game.

That said, I find Wilton candy melts to be less than stellar in quality. They solidify quickly, making them challenging to work with as they thicken before you might be done using them. They also require constant reheating, and the quality lessens each time.

For these reasons, I lean towards Ghirardelli’s white candy melts. They’re a cut above in both quality and flavor, making them my preferred choice for candy-making projects.

Can you use different cookies for filling?

Totally! Most types of cookies should work with this recipe, with a few guidelines:

• Use firm or chewy cookies, not bakery-soft ones.
• Use plain cookies without sprinkles or frosting.
• You should be able to use an equal portion of a different cookie as stated in the recipe (1 1/2 cups).

How to store truffles

For optimal freshness, keep truffles in an airtight container until it’s time to indulge. Storing them in the fridge will extend their lifespan and maintain their form.

If you’ve gone the extra mile with various decorative finishes like sprinkles or candy, consider separating each layer in the container. Alternatively, use wax paper to keep layers with different coatings from mingling.

How long do gingerbread truffles last?

If kept in an airtight container at room temperature, truffles will remain fresh for a day or two. However, if you store them in a sealed container in the fridge, you can expect them to last for as long as one to two weeks.

Can you freeze truffles?

Absolutely, it’s doable! Here’s how to go about it:

• First, let the decorated and coated truffles cool down in the fridge for a minimum of two hours.
• Next, line an airtight container with parchment paper and place the truffles in a single layer. If you’re storing multiple layers, use additional parchment paper to separate them.
• These gingerbread truffles can be safely frozen for a maximum of three months.

Notes & tips for gingerbread truffles

• Should the truffle mix seem too pliable for your liking, simply drape some plastic wrap over the bowl and pop it in the fridge for about half an hour, or until it firms up.
• When adding food coloring to candy melts, opt for oil-based varieties. Using water-based food coloring can cause the melts to seize up, rendering them lumpy and difficult to manage.
• I highly recommend a spiral dipping tool for an easier way to coat the truffles.
• When it comes to adding a sprinkle finish, opt for candy sprinkles for the best results. Sugar sprinkles are fine, but their impact gets overshadowed by the vibrant coating color. If you’re after a crunchy sugar texture without breaking the bank, white granulated sugar is a solid choice; it blends well with the candy’s color and delivers the crunch you’re looking for.

More delicious gingerbread recipes

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How to make gingerbread truffles

Step 1 – Using a food processor, pulse the gingersnap cookies until they’re nice and crumbly.

Step 2 – Toss the cookie butter, powdered sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt into the food processor, then mix until combined.

Step 3 – Use a cookie scoop to remove some dough, use your hands to roll it into a ball, then place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat this step until you’ve used all the truffle dough.

Step 4 – Freeze the truffles until firm to the touch.

Step 5 – Melt the white chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl until nice and smooth.

Step 6 – Using a spiral dipping tool (or just a fork), dip the truffles into the white candy mixture, coating them, then place them back on the baking sheet. Decorate with festive sprinkles or candy while the white chocolate is still wet.

Step 7 – Let coating set for at least 30 minutes, then enjoy!

Recipe Details

Gingerbread Truffles

5 from 1 vote

Author: Chrisy Toombs

Time: 30 minutes mins prep + 1 hour hr chilling

Servings: 24 truffles

Perfect for the holidays, these gingerbread truffles are made with gingersnaps, cookie butter, warm spices, and sugar, then dipped in smooth white chocolate.

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• 29 gingersnap cookies, roughly 1 1/2 cups
• 1 1/2 cups cookie butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups white candy melts
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, optional
• sprinkles, for decoration (optional)

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Instructions

• Prepare your workspace by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Also have plenty of damp cloths or paper towels handy for cleanup. Set all aside.
• Using a food processor, add gingersnap cookies. Pulse until cookies become a fine crumb.
  29 gingersnap cookies
• Add cookie butter, powdered sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt to food processor and pulse until combined.
  1 1/2 cups cookie butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Use a spoon or cookie scoop to scrape out about 1 tablespoon of mixture. Roll mixture between your hands to form a ball, then place it on prepared baking sheet. Repeat this step until all mixture is used.
• Transfer baking sheet to freezer and allow truffles to chill for 1 hour or until firm.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, add candy melts and coconut oil. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until candy is smooth.
  2 cups white candy melts, 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• Remove truffles from freezer. Drop 1 truffle in melted coating and use a fork or spiral dipping tool to gently toss and coat. Lift truffle and gently shake off excess coating, then return truffle to parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat this step until all truffles are coated. If desired, decorate tops of truffles with festive sprinkles while coating is still wet.
  sprinkles
• Allow candy coating to set until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Serve as desired.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1truffle | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg