Oreo Truffle Tutorial

Some submissions that are sent to us require us to test out the pin, do research online, or call in "experts". Okay, most submissions do. We don't pretend to know how to fix everything. But sometimes we do get a submission in that we actually do know how to do, and that makes us feel super excited, like we actually do know something and aren't great big phonies.

I'm pretty excited to get to tell you about Oreo Truffles. Alexa, "a teen who loves Pinterest", came across these while surfing Pinterest before Easter. "I'm not a baker, actually I'm not very good at crafty-diy kinda projects but I still take on the 'easier' ones, just for fun. Last week, I was looking on Pinterest for something sweet to make with an Easter theme, and came across this AMAZING looking treat for Easter."

The Original Pin

photo by Gimme Some Oven

Mmmm, yum yum yum!! "It seemed easy enough, and plus, I mean how hard could it be? So I went and bought the ingredients for these delicious-looking Oreo truffles. I got home and started to read the directions, it said that I needed to put the Oreos in the food processor. Ours broke earlier this week, so, I settled for a hand mixer (there would just be chunkier pieces of Oreo right?). After I had 'blended' the Oreos and cream cheese, I just assumed that it 'was supposed to look like that' and made the eggs. Finally I chilled them and TRIED to dip them in chocolate."

The Pinstrosity

"Of course, I ran into all sorts of problems. For example:

1. Dropping the egg into the chocolate and unsuccessfully taking it out before it had taken almost all of the chocolate. 

2. Running out of chocolate because I had wasted a bunch of it.  

3. Transferring the already scary Oreo eggs onto a smaller pan because it wouldn't fit in the fridge, therefore making them look 100x worse

Unfortunately, all attempts failed to make them. And I ended up with delicious (but hideously ugly) Oreo eggs. So, lesson learned: I don't know how to dip Oreo eggs or how to follow directions-- if you do, then, I think they would turn out beautiful AND delicious!!"

These Oreo Truffles are one of my favorite things to make, especially at Christmas time. One batch makes a TON!

As luck has it, I actually wrote up a tutorial post for this recipe 5 1/2 years ago! I've perfected it a little more now, so I'll include my current commentary here in italics (the original post can be found here).

Oreo Truffles

Supplies you will need:

• 1 pkg oreos (I prefer double stuff)
• 1 pkg cream cheese
• 1 pkg chocolate candy coating (I usually use Almond Bark, but the store I went to for this particular time didn't have any, they just had Kroger Candy Coating, which works, but it doesn't taste as good in my opinion)
• 1 pkg vanilla (or any white) Candy Coating
• 2 pots
• 1 bowl
• baking pans
• wax paper
• 4 spoons
• 2 butterknifes
• Shortening 

Smash the oreos. I use a cool little blender thing-a-ma-jigger...I can't think of what it's called right now, but it's in the picture below (uh...6 years ago me...that could be called a mini food processor or a food chopper). I've used a ziploc bag and my fist before, but it doesn't work as good. In Alexa's case here, a ziploc bag and a rolling pin, a bowl and a heavy duty cup, or something would also work.)

You don't want there to be any big cookie chunks. You want it to look like potting soil. MMMmm, yummy! 

One package of oreos will yield this many crumbs (below).

Step 2: Add the whole block of cream cheese.

I suggest removing any rings or bracelets for this next part.

Step 3: Mix the crumbs and the cream cheese together. I have tried a few different things and have found that using my hands is the most effective way to get this stuff mixed together.

It was after seeing the above shot that I decided I needed to put make up on and brush my hair again...so now my cute little side ponytail is smooth, I have cute dangly earrings on and my makeup is subtle but present (this was just at the start of deciding that it is okay to be girly and feminine..."subtle but present" makeup was me saying "I'm wearing makeup and that makes me feel silly so I'll downplay it." I can be a bit of a goob sometimes).

It'll look like this when you're done (below is actually a double batch mixed up).

Step 4: Put the bowl with the goop in the fridge or freezer to harden up a little. Meanwhile, get out a casserole dish or a cookie sheet. After just a minute or two (or about 5 or 10), take the goop back out and then start rolling it into little balls about this big:

When I got my double batch all rolled out, I had 194 oreo balls (but then I ate two, so I ended up with an even 16 dozen...so a single batch will yield about 8 dozen candies...depending on big/small you roll the balls and how many you eat in the process). Once the balls are rolled, stick the pans in the freezer.

Step 5: Melt half of the chocolate in a saucepan (there'll be instructions on the packet if you need them). Once the chocolate is melted, take the balls out of the freezer and plop a few in the pan (I usually do about 3 at a time). As the balls warm up, they will try to come apart, so don't throw too many in the pot at one time.

I've done the chocolate in the microwave and on the stove and still the stove gives me the best results. Keep the heat on low and be patient. Stir the chocolate occasionally to keep it from scorching, and keep water out to keep it from seizing up. I will typically now add a tablespoon or two of shortening to my pot of melted chocolate to make it more smooth and so I don't get as thick of coats on the truffles. 

Cover the ball in chocolate and fish out with a spoon, or whatever device you have chosen for the job. My preferred device these days is a fork. You can scoop up the truffle and the excess chocolate runs through the tines. Don't stab the truffle, scoop. 

Dip half of the balls in the chocolate, adding more chocolate to the pot to melt as you go. I used to melt all the chocolate at once, but then it started to get lumpy and not as smooth (seizing and scorching). I found that it works better to add chocolate as you go. Once half the balls are dipped in chocolate, set the chocolate pan aside (with any remaining chocolate...you'll use it later).

Step 6: Melt half of the white chocolate in a different pan and dip the remaining half of the oreo balls. Usually I end up using a little more of the white chocolate than I do the reg. chocolate because it takes more white to cover the oreoness. 

Step 7: After you have dipped all the oreo balls, put the white ones aside and bring back the chocolate ones, but keep the white chocolate in the pot warm and runny. At this point I added a little bit of shortening (anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon or two, depending on how much chocolate is left and how runny I want it, just add 1 tsp at a time and stir it in), to make the chocolate a little more runny. Dip a butter knife (or a fork) in the white chocolate and drizzle it over the chocolate oreo balls, as seen below.

Once you have drizzled white chocolate on the brown balls, heat up the chocolate (again adding shortening if extra fluidity is needed...it also makes drizzling a little easier and as long as you don't add huge amounts of shortening, the flavor will be fine too) and then drizzle chocolate over the white balls. In the end it'll look something like this:

It took me about 2 1/2 hours to do a double batch from beginning to end. If you don't want to do it all in one shot, you can make the balls, and leave them in the fridge or freezer for a bit before you dip them. These are quite easy and they look nice (well...mine look like blobs, but you can make them look nice) and they taste great!

Seriously, these are so yummy. Give them a try!