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These Best Chocolate Truffles are my go-to Holiday gift, they are smooth and slightly sweet and can be rolled in anything from classic cocoa powder, shredded coconut, or sprinkles. I have tried a lot of truffle recipes over the years but developed with recipe in an attempt to balance the dark chocolate bitter flavor with a touch of maple syrup for sweetness, vanilla extract for aromatics and sea salt for a savory touch.
My favorite thing to roll these in is peanut butter powder, it really gives you a nice cocoa powder like finish with a nutty touch. I hope your family enjoy these as much as mine do!
Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.
At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
Table of Contents
Creamy Chocolate Truffles
First assemble the following ingredients:
- Quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (8 oz) – provides a rich, smooth base with deep cocoa flavor and a luscious melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Heavy cream (2/3 cup) – adds silky richness and helps create the creamy ganache center that defines a perfect truffle.
- Unsalted butter (1 tbsp) – enhances smoothness and gives the truffles a velvety finish with a touch of luxury.
- Vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon) – rounds out the chocolate’s intensity with warm, aromatic sweetness.
- Maple syrup (1 tbsp) – adds a subtle caramel-like sweetness and softens the texture for extra creaminess.
- Sea salt (1/3 tsp) – sharpens the chocolate’s flavor, balancing the sweetness and deepening the overall taste.
- Toppings: unsweetened cocoa powder, toasted nuts, or sprinkles be creative!
Prep and Melt
Assemble ingredients. 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.
Finish and Chill
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. Add the vanilla extract, maple syrup, and sea salt then stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Spread the chocolate in a shallow dish and refrigerate 2+ hours until set.
Scoop and Roll
Scoop the set truffle mixture into 2 teaspoon-sized mounds. This small 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.
Finish & Enjoy
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.
Tips and Tricks for Chocolate Truffles
Avoid chocolate chips – if possible, they contain stabilizers that make melting uneven.
Heat heavy cream gently — it should be steaming but not boiling, or it may scorch the chocolate.
Stir – For silky texture, stir from the center outward in small circles when combining cream and chocolate.
Baller – Use a melon baller or small cookie scoop for even portions.
Coat Hands – Lightly coat your hands with unsweetened cocoa powder or powdered sugar to prevent sticking while rolling.
Finish – For a glossy shell, dip in tempered chocolate (keep it around 88–90°F for dark, 86–88°F for milk).
Store Properly – Store truffles in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to a week, or refrigerate for up to two weeks.
FAQs
Lightly dust your hands with cocoa powder or powdered sugar, or wear disposable gloves while rolling.
Use a fork or dipping tool, gently lower the truffle into tempered chocolate, and tap off excess before placing on parchment paper to set.
About 1 week at room temperature, 2 weeks refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen if stored in an airtight container.
Only if your kitchen is warm. Refrigeration can cause condensation, so let truffles come to room temperature before serving for best texture and flavor.
Yes! Freeze them on a baking sheet first, then store in a sealed container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Yes — replace heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or oat cream and use dairy-free dark chocolate.
Yes — dip your rolled truffles in tempered chocolate (around 88–90°F for dark, 86–88°F for milk) to create a crisp, shiny coating.
More Chocolate Recipes
My chocolate truffles make a great Christmas gift, I also like gifting Homemade Vanilla Extract or Puppy Chow!
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Best Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients
- 8 oz quality semi-sweet, or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- Toppings: unsweetened cocoa powder, toasted nuts, or sprinkles
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.
- Add the vanilla extract, maple syrup, and sea salt then stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Spread the chocolate in a shallow dish and refrigerate 2+ hours until set.
- Scoop the set truffle mixture into 2 teaspoon-sized mounds. This small 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
