Cookie Dough Truffles Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Butter softened just right, sugars beaten till pale and airy. Vanilla swapped for almond extract. Milk swapped with cream for richness. Salt sliced down a hair, flour cut by 5%. Chocolate chips replaced by chunks of chopped bittersweet chocolate for bite and melt contrast. Mix till combined with zero globs on sides; folding instead of heavy stirring to keep texture. Scoop truffles with a 1-tbs spoon, a bit tighter ball formation means less crumble. Freeze 15-25 minutes, watch for firmness, not ice. Melt chocolate in short pulses watching for shine, no scorch. Dipping with a spoon coat method plus quick lift drip. Chill at least 55 minutes, not less, to set snap. Topped with toasted coconut instead of chips. Sensory cues guide timing and texture every step.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
50 min
Servings:
18 servings
#dessert
#no bake
#chocolate
#almond extract
#holiday treats
#snack
Butter worked till pale. Sugars creamed so tooth sinks into cloud fluff. I swapped vanilla for almond — sharper punch pulls through buttery dough. Cream in place of milk richer, coats mouth better. Flour cut just a tad, less dense roughness. Dark chocolate chunks not chips — bigger bits melt slower, little surprises in every bite. Scoop different, tighter balls freeze firm but not frozen rock hard. Dip in melted chocolate with patience, watching for shine and drip. Toasted coconut tops for sweet crunch — favorite twist, balance on luscious truffle. Chill till snap firm, patience pays off. Learned these shifts foolproof crumb control, makes eating a ceremony.
Ingredients
- 120g unsalted butter softened
- 100g granulated sugar (reduced 5%)
- 50g packed light brown sugar (reduced 5%)
- 1 tsp almond extract (instead of vanilla)
- 30ml heavy cream (instead of milk)
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (slightly less than usual)
- 180g all-purpose flour (cut 5%)
- 100g chopped bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao)
- 150g semi-sweet chocolate for coating
- Toasted shredded coconut flakes for topping (optional)
About the ingredients
Butter must be softened, not greasy or warm, or dough won’t cream right; it ruins texture. Granulated and brown sugar each contribute moisture and chew — cutting 5% reduces crusty drying on edges. Almond extract takes dough to nutty intense profile but replace with vanilla or maple just fine, personal flavor choice. Heavy cream in place of milk thickens body, richer mouthfeel; whole milk if cream missing. Salt down fractionally prevents killing sweetness balance. Cutting flour reduces grit, keeps dough tender, stops grainy dry bites. Dark bittersweet chocolate chunks add bite texture, melting waves contrasting smooth coating. Semi-sweet or milk chocolate for coat, choose based on sweetness preference. Toasted coconut optional, adds toothsome crunch and tropical brightness. May sub with crushed nuts or sprinkles for decor.
Method
- Beat softened butter with sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer till pale and airy. Light fluffy texture is key; switching to almond extract here injects a sharper aroma.
- Add cream, salt, and flour (reduced slightly for less dryness). Blend just until mixed, scraping the bowl's sides so no pockets linger; fold chocolate chunks in, not over-mixing to keep a chunky bite texture.
- Scoop dough into balls with a slightly heaping 1-tablespoon spoon. Pinch and roll firmly for compact shape. Lay on parchment-lined tray with small gaps. Freeze between 15 to 25 minutes. Stop when balls hold shape but not frozen solid; too hard causes cracking when dipped.
- Melt coating chocolate in microwave increments of 25 seconds, stirring between each to avoid burning and promote even melt. It should shine with no lumps or graininess. Using two spoons, dunk each ball completely, spoon over excess to prevent thick coating drags. Lift and let drip off extra chocolate before placing back on parchment.
- Sprinkle mellow toasted coconut immediately to cling to glossy coat. Return tray to refrigerator minimum 55 minutes or till firm and set. Avoid rushing or truffle snaps poorly, crumbly centers arise.
- Keep refrigerated stored airtight. Let sit few minutes at room temp before eating for truffle to soften just enough to release all layered nutty almond, buttery dough, and bittersweet melty fragments.
Cooking tips
Creaming sugars and butter till pale guarantees air incorporation; essential for light texture inside truffle. Scraping bowl edges between steps prevents uneven mixing or clumps left behind. Folding chunks gently keeps pockets of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate; overbeating crushes chunk charm. Scooping smaller than usual lets better control shape; compact tightly or dough falls apart on dip. Freeze time flexible — stiff enough to hold shape but not ice solid to avoid cracking dipped coat. Microwave melting requires patience: short bursts, stirring frequently avoids grainy burn spots or thick globs. Coat truffles fully, but remove excess chocolate to keep clean finish; too much drips and clumps mess presentation. Chilling minimum 55 min solidifies coating and dough inside; premature bite risks messy fudge goo. Storing airtight cold extends shelf life, temperature swings cause condensation blurring chocolate gleam.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter texture critical: softened, not greasy or warm. If too warm, sugars won’t cream pale, texture turns dense. Beat sugars and butter till pale airy, hear subtle whip sound, look for ribbon trails on paddle. Patience here sets dough lightness; rushing makes heavy dough.
- 💡 Folding chopped bittersweet chocolate is tricky. Overmix and chunks break down losing bite contrast. Scrape bowl edges often to avoid dry spots but fold gently, keep pockets of chunk surprise intact. Chunk size matters; too small, melts too fast, no bite. Larger gives textural variety inside soft dough.
- 💡 Freeze ball size ties directly to dip success. Compact balls hold shape, reduce crumble when dipped. Leave small gaps on tray to avoid sticky clusters. Freeze 15 to 25 mins; test with finger gently — firm but not rock hard. Overfrozen balls crack dipped coat, underfreeze causes soggy mess.
- 💡 Melting coating chocolate demands short microwave pulses, 25 seconds max, stirring every time. Watch for gloss and smooth pour texture. Grainy spots mean uneven heat, stirring critical to avoid burning. Two spoon dip technique helps coat fully but scrape excess back quickly to avoid thick uneven coat drips.
- 💡 Chilling truffles minimum 55 minutes finalizes crisp snap. Move too soon and coating soft, truffle messes up on biting. Patience pays here. Use sensory snap test, lightly tap if coat cracks cleanly it’s ready. Refrigerate airtight to avoid condensation blurring glossy chocolate finish.
- 💡 Salt reduction, cream swap, and flour cut—small tweaks I learned reduce dryness, rough texture, and heavy mouthfeel. Heavy cream thickens dough body better than milk. Almond extract gives sharper aroma; vanilla or maple works but shifts flavor. Adjust based on pantry and taste preference.
- 💡 Toasted shredded coconut top adds texture and visual brightness but optional. Toast coconut lightly in dry pan till pale golden and fragrant, not burnt, else bitter ruins contrast. Coconut sticks better if sprinkled immediately after chocolate dip while still glossy wet; delays cause fall off.
- 💡 Dough moisture balance sensitive. Overbeat or underbeat affects chew and airiness. Granulated and brown sugars combined to manage chew and sweetness. Slight reduction avoids dry crusty edges but less sugar can dull flavor. Mixing steps often overlooked lead to clumps or dense mouth feel—scraping bowl a must.
Common questions
Can I use vanilla instead of almond extract?
Yes, vanilla works fine. Different hit, milder aroma but sweeter feel. Maple syrup can sub too but changes texture. Flavor shifts but dough moisture same. Adjust other sweeteners slightly if needed.
What if truffles crack when dipped?
Usually overfrozen or too tight dip coat. Freeze balls firm but not icy. Dip quickly but fully, zap excess chocolate off fast or coating thickens and cracks. Freeze tray before dipping helps but avoid frozen rock balls.
How to store leftovers?
Airtight container fridge best, keep cool to maintain snap. Room temp short bursts okay but softens fast. For longer keep freeze wrapped tight. Defrost slow in fridge avoids condensation on chocolate, which dulls shine and texture.
I don’t have bittersweet chocolate, use chips?
Chips melt faster, some brands waxy texture, no chunk bite. Better to chop semi-sweet bars roughly. Gives texture, more melt contrast. Adapt amount slightly; chips often smaller size means more distributed, less chunk feel.
