Monster Halloween Truffles

These adorable Halloween truffles are filled with sweet pumpkin cheesecake and coated in festive orange candy. A fun creepy treat for the holidays!

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About Monster Halloween Truffles

Cheesecake pumpkin truffles are a must-make during the fall, and each time I whip up a batch I like to have some fun with the decorating.

And really, why not? It’s fall. It’s the holidays. It’s baking season.

You’re supposed to have a little bit of fun.

But out of all the decorations I’ve done, these monster Halloween truffles are probably my favorite.

Because, seriously, how cute are these little guys?! I almost feel bad knowing that they’re going to be devoured (and devoured they will be).

What’s in monster Halloween truffles?

To create your own little horde of monster truffles, you’ll need the gather the following ingredients:

• Pumpkin puree – The star of the show! Gives these festive little monsters their fall-themed pumpkin flavor.
• Gingersnap cookies, Graham Crackers, and cream cheese – Helps create the creamy filling that truffles are known for.
• Powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt – Adds sweetness, flavor, and some baking chemistry.
• White candy melts and food coloring – For creating the fun candy shells. I used orange food coloring, but feel free to experiment with other monster-themed colors like purple, green, and red.
• Candy eyes – Because every little monster needs an eye or three.

How hard are these to make?

If you’re anything like me, decorating can be a little… iffy at times. And once you’ve had a few Pinterest fails under your belt, the next time you find a cute treat to make, you probably only have one question on your mind:

On a scale of making toast to French pastry chef, how hard is this to make?

And I’m happy to say, these truffles are extremely to create. In fact, the messier you are, the better! We’re making monster truffles, after all, so it’s totally okay if you’re not able to get a perfectly smooth coat of candy on the truffles. A messy drizzling of candy can look like dippy slime or cow-licked fur.

What type of candy melts should you use?

Candy melts (also called melting wafters) are pretty common – you can find them in the baking supply area, and they’re small, flat disks, typically sold by the bag – but I do think there are significant differences in quality depending on the brand of candy melts you buy.

Wilton is by far the most common brand of candy melt, and they are sold in a variety of colors. This makes them a popular pick, since you can buy the exact color you need and can get right to crafting your creepy treats. Wilton is simple and easy.

However, I’ve not been impressed with the quality of Wilton candy melts. These candy melts cool fast, which means it becomes thick and harder to use long before you may be done using it. It needs to be reheated more and the quality of the melts gets a little more “iffy” each time.

Given the above, I would highly recommend picking up Ghirardelli brand candy melts. These are my favorite candy melts to work with due to the superior quality and taste. You will need to use orange food coloring (or purple, green, or black) to get a festive color, but I promise it would be well worth the effort.

Pumpkin Puree vs Pumpkin Pie Filling

When it comes to holiday baking, you’re going to be faced with two types of canned pumpkin in the baking aisle:

Pumpkin puree vs pumpkin pie filling.

And while these types might seem interchangeable, there is a slight (yet significant) difference.

With pumpkin puree, the only contents are cooked and mashed pumpkin (or a variety of winter gourds), with no added flavors or spices. Pumpkin pie filling is made with cooked and mashed pumpkin, too, but it also has flavor added, typically with pumpkin pie spice.

The key difference here is convenience. If you don’t have (or don’t want to buy) pumpkin pie spice, using pumpkin pie filling can save you some time and effort; you simply add it to the recipe and skip measuring the spices. However, it does limit your ability to control the taste, and if you’re using the pumpkin pie puree with other flavors, there’s no way to guarantee how they’ll interact.

This is why you’ll see many homemade recipes use pumpkin puree (which, again, is just the gourds, no added flavor) and season and spice the recipe by hand as needed. It is a tad more work but it also gives you more control over the flavor of your fall treats.

How to store these pumpkin truffles

These truffles should be stored in a sealable container, ideally in a single layer or separated by wax paper. And since these are pumpkin cheesecake truffles with a delicate candy coating, you’ll have the best results if they’re stored in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

How long do truffles last?

Once prepared and decorated, these pumpkin truffles can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Can these truffles be frozen?

Yes, they totally can!

In general, these truffles can be frozen in a freezer bag or a storage container for up to two to three months.

Notes & tips for these Halloween truffles

• The only “special” ingredient you need to make these are the candy eyes. You can pick up some here: candy eyes.

More fun Halloween treats

How to make monster Halloween truffles

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), whip together the cream cheese and punpkin puree until it’s nice and smooth.

Step 2 – In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1/2 cup of the white candy melts.

Step 3 – Pour in the crumbled gingersnap and graham crackers, the powdered sugar, cinnamon, salt, and the freshly melted white candy. Mix until ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

Step 4 – Chill!

Step 5 – Using a cookie scoop, scoop up some of the dough, roll it into a ball, then place it on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Repeat this step until all of the dough has been used.

Step 6 – Chill again!

Step 7 – When ready to decorate, melt the rest of the candy melts and add whatever food coloring you’d like. Dip the prepared pumpkin truffles in the melted candy, toss to coat, then place back on the baking sheet with the wax paper. While the candy is still wet, decorate with 1-3 candy eyes.

Step 9 – Let dry!

Step 10 – Serve and enjoy!