I don’t make truffles very often because they are a bit of a pain.
The rolling of the little dough balls.
Then dipping all those balls, one-by-one, into melted chocolate that tends to get cold too fast and it has to be reheated umpteen times mid-dippage.
Then after each truffle has been dipped, garnishing them with chopped bits of pretzels, peanuts, a peanut butter or caramel drizzle, is tons of crumbly fun.
Lots of steps and stages with balls in and out of the freezer and bowls of chocolate in and out of the microwave.
But these puppies are worth it.
I purposely kept this recipe small because:
1. no one “needs” more than a dozen of these laying around
and
2. no one should go to the work of making more than a dozen at a time.
Not that they’re that much work; please, I do want you to make them.
But balls are not like pans of bars, which is why I tend to make bars more than any other type of dessert.
Special K Bars are more wham bam slap it in one pan thank you ma’am are usually more my speed. And interest level.
Balls, always a bit more of a challenge. Such a loaded statement but let’s address that as long as we’re talking balls in this post.
Nuts and nut jokes? Addressed in this post with Rosemary Chipotle Almonds
Ball jokes. Frosty, chilly balls.
Covered at the bottom of this post.
These are truffles, not balls.
Or just call them sweet and salty, chewy and crunchy, all encased within a chocolate shell.
The best of all ball worlds.
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Pretzel Peanut Caramel Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Chocolate Truffles (with vegan and gluten free options)
Makes 1 dozen (I made 13 from this recipe)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon caramel sauce (try Dark Rum Caramel Sauce or any store-bought jarred caramel sauce or ice cream topping caramel sauce; substitute maple syrup)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup pretzels, crushed
1/4 cup peanuts, crushed
Pinch salt, optional to taste
3/4 cup + chocolate chips, melted for dipping
2 tablespoons pretzels and peanut mixture, crushed for garnishing optional
Peanut butter and/or caramel sauce drizzled over the top for garnishing, optional
Combine peanut butter, caramel sauce, and sugars in a small bowl and stir until combined. Add the crushed pretzels and peanuts (I crush mine in a plastic baggie by beating them with the back of a knife until broken down but use a food processor or other blending device if desired). Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and fold to combine.
Roll the dough into small balls, no larger than 1/2 inch in diameter, and place them on a parchment-lined or wax-paper lined flat surface. Tip: Do not roll the balls larger than 1/2 inch in diameter because they become much larger after you coated in chocolate, appearing to nearly double in size. This is a truffle (one bite), not an apricot. Roll smaller than you think and if the dough is difficult to work with, chilling it in the freezer for 15 minutes may be helpful.
Place the rolled cookie dough balls in the freezer for at least a half hour; the colder the better for the next step: dipping.
My process for dipping and coating the balls in chocolate involves melting chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl, heating the chocolate in 20-30 second bursts, removing from the microwave and stirring after each 20-30 second interval to encourage melting. You could do this over a double boiler if desired.
After the chocolate has melted, removed the chilled cookie dough balls from the freezer and place one ball into the bowl and toss it lightly with two forks in the chocolate bath. Carefully remove the coated ball and set it down on wax or parchment paper. If desired, sprinkle with crushed pretzels before the chocolate fully hardens. Repeat this process with the next 11 balls.
You may need to reheat your chocolate mixture after a few balls, as it will cool down and become more difficult to work with. Reheat in the microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts as needed. After all the balls have been dipped, you can optionally add a drizzle of peanut butter or caramel sauce over the top. Place the finished truffles in the freezer to fully set up for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Store extras in the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes and Tips:
If dough is too wet before rolling into balls, add slightly more dry ingredients (pretzel or peanuts). Or, chilling the dough in the refrigerator or freezer helps, also.
If dough is too dry, add slightly more wet ingredients (peanut butter or caramel sauce).
I urge you to roll the balls small, no bigger than 1/2 inch in diameter. They will get much bigger after you coat them in chocolate, appearing to nearly double in size once coated.
To keep vegan, use vegan caramel sauce or maple syrup and vegan pretzels or similar.
To keep gluten free, use GF pretzels or similar.
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These are the perfect mixture of salty and sweet.
The sweetness from the chocolate and caramel is offset by the saltiness from the pretzels, peanuts, and the peanut butter.
The peanut butter cookie dough with or without the crunchy bits in it, with or without being dipped in chocolate, is great on its own.
Peanut butter mixed with sugar and caramel could never be bad though, really, let’s be truthful.
Texturally there is a lot going on with these little balls, too.
The crunchy bits inside the smooth peanut butter cookie dough and the crunchy chocolate coating are fun to munch. And crunch.
Conversely, if a dessert doesn’t have texture, I am not as into it. Then again, I tend to like things crunchy enough to break a tooth on.
If you’re into salty and sweet (chocolate) desserts, White Chocolate Peanut, Pretzel, & Chocolate Chip Fudge (no-bake, no candy thermometer required) is easy and delivers the salty and sweet, smooth and crunchy vibe.
If you like just a wee bit of crunch with your chocolate balls, the Oreo cookies inside the Chocolate-Covered Oreo Balls (no-bake, and Oreos are vegan) give just a touch of crunch while the cream cheese “batter” is smooth and melts in your mouth.
And if you’re more of an entirely smooth truffle person, I think the Vanilla Cake Batter Chocolate Truffles (no-bake) may be of interest.
For now, I’m happily munching on these.
Do you like making balls, bites, cookie doughs, or truffles?
Do you have any favorites?
I have an entire post devoted to balls, bites, cookie doughs and truffles with at least 30+ recipes linked, and yes, I do like making them.
It’s just dipping balls or truffles into a chocolate bath that is a bit tedious which is why I usually make “cookie doughs” rather than “truffles” but hey, New Year, new kitchen project. I was up for it.
And the promise of a dessert coated in chocolate is always worth it.
Happy New Year!
I can’t believe this recipe is almost a year old Averie. Just made these yesterday to give out and they turned out great! Not as attractive as yours, but super tasty. Definitely going to freeze the dough for a bit before rolling into balls next time though!
I’m so glad you made them! Yes I do remember this dough benefiting from some chilling time which makes it easier to roll/dip. Glad you enjoyed them and thanks for coming back to LMK that you tried them! Merry Xmas, Amber! :)
Turns out this recipe was the hit this year! I made three different recipes to hand out and everyone raved about these especially. Definitely a keeper. Merry Christmas to you too!
How long do you think these would keep for outside of the fridge / freezer? Would they ship ok?
Thanks!
As long as you’re not shipping to hot weather destinations, you’d be fine I would say. There is nothing in them that’s highly perishable. Some would say the caramel sauce but personally, I wouldn’t worry. And if it’s a biggie, just omit it and use a drizzle of agave, more PB, or omit. LMK how it goes for you if you make them!
Thanks for all the Gluten Free recipes! There are so many people who can’t have Gluten.
All of your pictures look so nummy! I will definitely have to try those Peanut Butter Cookie Balls.
I didn’t read all the post so I don’t know if it was mentioned, but I use a small crock pot on Low to melt chocolate. It takes a while to melt them initially but once melted you do not have to continue making trips to the microwave to reheat, it doesn’t burn and is simple to clean up as well. :)
Yes it was mentioned. I just dont have a mini-croc but I found this and solved my issues :)
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/01/chocolate-score.html
These look delicious! My husband would love these. I might need to try my had at them. Thanks for sharing.
-fork
I don’t make truffles very often for many of the same reasons. But these look too good to pass up!!
Oh my heavens, these look sinfully delicious. Can’t wait to try them, thanks!
Averie! I’ve been so MIA these past couple of months with work, but as I was sitting at the comp. tonight (working my life away, ha), I was like – I need to check in on Averie! So, now I’ve spend the past 30 mins reading back post and I just wanted to let you know how amazing I think your photos are!!! I hope you are so proud of your work, because all of your hard work and determination shows!!! So beautiful! And these truffles? Well, I’m currently 80/10/10ing it, so basically, I want to devour my screen :)
Thanks, Callie! I am glad you said hi! I have thought about you, tons, too. And photography compliments from you mean the world to me because all your images just blow me away!
These look ridiculous! Can’t wait to try them out…and try not to eat them all in one sitting, haha. Yummy.
I’m pretty sure I just got into a sugar coma just by looking at your photos. Pretzel, caramel, peanut butter and chocolate – oh, how I love thee
These look wonderful, great recipe! And simply awesome pics! Oh yes, I adore making various raw balls lately, so good right out of the freezer and so fun to keep throwing random ingredients into the food processor until something delicious happens. :-)
thank you on all fronts and you are a ball makin’ queen, too!
Averie- I LOVE your blog! Been following for awhile now and just love my daily fix of drooling over your pictures. While I maintain a mostly raw diet, I still love everything you post! Your photography skills are wonderful- as are your culinary skills ;)
These look so good!!! You’re motivating me to try a truffle idea I have had in my head for a while now. Yours look so yummy!
well I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
to keep your dipping chocolate from cooling, set it on a towel wrapped heating pad.
good tip!
I found this spread at my local Big Lots, it’s delicious, it may be available near you: http://www.biglots.com/browseItem/international-and-gourmet-foods/4839 The only reason I tried it out is because i’d read on your blog how much you like these. So I gave it a whirl. It’s delish!
thanks for the info!
Girl! I love looking at all the yummy things you make. I love making “balls” and learned it from you. Ok…I actually like eating them more than I like making them…but you know. ;-)
I don’t know if this will help, but I always melt chocolate (that I am using for dipping) in a mini crockpot. It takes a little longer to melt, but then it stays nice and smooth without getting burned for as long as I need it.
P.s. I love your website! :-D
You know I’ve seen ladies on baking blogs do that but I just figured I have this HUGE crockpot and needed about 1/4 c of chocolate and I’d have so much waste and that would be more of a “production” than it was worth but if I had a mini-crockpot, I’d be in business. Thanks for the tip and for reading!
Oh sweet mother of all things chocolate (and peanut butter and caramel and pretzel), these sound so freaking amazing. I must get my buttookus into the kitchen right away and make a batch of these little babies. You continue to wow me with all your awesome concoctions and baked goods. Thanks for such a great recipe! I don’t have any caramel sauce so I’ll have to substitute with the maple syrup but I’m sure they’ll still be totally tasty. Any thoughts on what else I could use?
Yeah just use maple syrup. Really any combo of peanut butter and sugar until you get dough consistency, throw in the dry goods, roll out into balls, dip. Enjoy!
You are a genius. I am nominating you for an edible Nobel Prize.
That doesn’t exist? Well we should create it just for you. ;)
I love that salt/ sweet combo, your truffles look amazing! I just finished dipping dehydrated pineapple slices in dark chocolate and added some coarse salt spinkled on them, yum! Takes care of two cravings at once. Happy New Year!
happy new year averie! those truffles look amazing! i’ve never made trufles before, so thank you for the detailed instructions and tips! Also, what i love most about your posts is that you link back to other wonderful recipes in your recipe collection. those sepcial k bars look fantasic!!
I’m glad you like my linkbacks. Some people don’t but I love it when I go to other blogs as a reminder of things or seeing things I missed the first time around, so thanks for telling me that :)
I immediately had to pin these. They look delicious! I’m totally not a patient one when it comes to cooking in general, so I’m definitely not going to make more than a few of these when I’m feeling better. But bruises or no, I might just have to prop my foot up and make something sweet.
Thanks for pinning & happy new year!
Oh my word..these look amazing!! I love peanut butter cookie dough and the fact that you make them into a truffle is awesome! I like that you added the pretzel for the salty crunch :) haha ball jokes are fun ;)
glad you like the jokes :)
I may have asked you this before….but can I come live with you? Even for 4 days….I’ll just eat everything good, hug you and then leave! Ohhhhh drink coffee with you too ;)
xxoo
anytime…I could use the help. Freezer is overflowing right now!
the rpecie is right . usually the sweetness of th ganache will overpower the cocoa powder. i love these especially when I add liqueur :)
Those peanut butter caramel truffles look AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Truffles ARE a bit of a pain to make, I hear you there, but they’re soooo good that they’re definitely worth it from time to time, can’t wait to try these ones – I haven’t made truffles with peanut butter yet (I know, I know! Shock horror! lol)
Well never using PB is an excuse to make these then!
Hi Averie! Happy New year!! I feel so well rested after a 2 week hiatus from the school routine and so excited to start the new year!
These truffles look amazing. All you need to do is package them up and sell them at your local specialty store.
I was just thinking about you yesterday…glad you guys had a nice holiday! and thanks for your high praise with selling them :)
I actually don’t think I have ever made balls or truffles before, but I would like to! They look really good and I am sure they would freeze well, and be perfect for a last minute dessert if needed.
they freeze super well. I freeze everything I make and just pull out as needed!
A little random…I know…but I think of you every time I got toTJ’s! Just got home with a bunch of goodies!
Brooke
http://www.TheAnnessaFamily.com
that’s funny and I just got home from there too!
Yum! I’m a sucker for anything pretzel-chocolate, I’m sure I would love these. And I agree with you on truffles – they should be made in small batches so as to not end up HATING your kitchen/end product. :)
Yes b/c by ball 5 you’re thinking what was I thinking and by ball 11 if the finish line wasn’t in sight, I’d be killing myself. Well ya know. One of the things I learned when making balls of ANY kind is…SMALL batches so you dont hate the end product/experience!
Need to try those truffle balls immediately! I think a trip to the market is in store so I can make these! YUM
My sister is the BEST at ball jokes. She could go on forever. As a gag for her b-day last year, Kevin and I had her and her bf over for dinner and all I served were balls. From appies to dessert. It was hilariously awesome!
These are a lot like those peanut butter balls/buckeyes that everyone omakes at this time of year, and I have seen (and eaten!) those in bar form. I bet you could easily make these into bars too – just spread in a pan and then top with chocolate. Or you could even get all decadent on us and do a bottom and top layer of chocolate with the pb/caramel/pretzel mix in the middle. That sounds great.
ill take one of each :) HAPPY NEW YEAR LOVE!
Happy new year to you, too!
I’ve never made truffles. Kind of always wanted to just to try. I’ve only done the balls a few times – the chickpea cookie balls. I’ve changed the flavors up from chocolate chip to apple or even added in dried cranberries.
I’ve never made truffles because they just SOUND like a pain but after seeing them everywhere this holiday season I can say that they’re the one thing I wish I had made. You combining them with pb…perfect :)
Wait you’ve never made truffles but you whip out dozens of cookies and bars like it’s your job? Ok that’s a random factoid I never would have guessed!
haha I know. I hadn’t made cupcakes either until this past weekend. There’s actually quite a few “basics” I never made ;)
havent made cupcakes til now?! ok you need to do a trivia post and put this stuff in it!
Oh my! I love peanut butter + chocolate together. The combination of salty and sweet is my absolute favorite. Unfortunately I’ve never gotten into making truffles or balls. I lean towards cookies, cakes, and brownies. I guess I just don’t have all the patience for the rolling, dipping, and garnishing. Yours look amazzzing though!
I love your name Stephanie at Ultra Ambitious but then that you said you don’t have the patience for the truffles…but it’s better to be ambitious with things like bars and cakes and brownies than with truffles. They ARE a bit of a pain, you’re right :)
I’ve tried making chocolate covered balls once and the dipping part as so difficult! They broke up everywhere and got all mixed into the chocolate and they came out so clumpy :( I’m always amazed now when I see flawless looking ones like these!
Flawless looking…I blush. Thank you :)
Ohhhhh, yes! I’m going nuts just for the title of this post – the pictures may give me palpitations :)
LOL
Happy new year!
Im so with you! Can’t hate on bars- they’re sooooooooooo easy to throw together! But these do look totally worth the extra effort- what a fantastic dessert!
thanks sweetie and I enjoyed our email today…you are so right. Just keep doing what you’re doing which is exactly what I did!
Thanks for your nice comment yesterday Averie! And these balls look incredible. I made cake pops for Christmas Eve and they were a big hit and everyone told me to “BRING MORE BALLS” so I think these might be a good option :)
These sounds amazing! Chocolate and peanut butter have to be one of the best combinations!
I agree with you, I’m more of a bar-cookie type of girl :)
Those look so delicious! :) I love anything with caramel, pretzles, peanut butter and cookie dough! :)
Great pictures! These look *so* good. Love the combination of caramel with all that crunchy saltiness.
Happy New Year :)