3-Ingredient Chocolate Truffles

These simple chocolate truffles have just three ingredients. It’s a must-try recipe that makes the easiest, most divine Christmas treat or gift. At first bite, they’re cool and firm. Then with the warmth of the tongue, they collapse into silky, melty bliss.

Pile of chocolate truffles on a plate.

The important thing when making something with so few ingredients is to choose good quality.

  • Chocolate: ideally buy really good chocolate (your favourite dark variety for eating or baking – definitely not chocolate chips) and you’ll be rewarded with groan-worthy, smooth, creamy truffles. I love 70% Lindt Dark Chocolate Bars for this (I buy them in bulk at Costco typically.
  • Cream: labeled whipping cream, heavy cream or 35% milkfat cream
  • Butter: definitely unsalted
  • Toppings: I used crushed cinnamon candy (Ganong Chicken Bones in Canada) to coat half of my truffles for this recipe, and cocoa powder for the rest. You could also try crushed, toasted nuts, crushed candy canes, or freeze them after rolling and then dip in melted chocolate.
Chocolate truffles ingredients on a tray.

How to Make Them

While chocolate candy-making can be finicky, truffles are blessedly not.

  • All you have to do is bring some butter, chocolate and cream to a simmer
  • Stop when the chocolate is 80% melted
  • Simply stirring for a few minutes will melt everything together
  • Let stand and after a couple hours, it will be perfectly scoopable
chocolate truffles cut open to show inside.

PRO TIPS

  • Melt the chocolate gently and take it away from the heat while there are still some chunks. Letting it stand and stirring it vigorously will melt the remaining chocolate. By contrast, if you overheat chocolate by keeping it over simmering water or in the microwave too long, it can separate and get clumpy (which is very hard to fix).
  • Avoid extreme temperature changes or you’ll get a white bloom on the surface – so don’t skip the cooling step before refrigerating. (And if you do end up with a bloom, it’s still totally safe to eat and will probably be hidden by the toppings anyway.)
  • Lastly, but importantly, allow cold truffles stand on the counter for 30 minutes prior to serving – don’t ever serve straight from the fridge or freezer. The blissful experience depends on temperature.

If you love easy holiday recipes like this, you MUST check out my 15+ Delicious No-Bake Christmas Treats.

3 ingredient easy Chocolate truffles on a serving plate, one with a bite out.

Chocolate Truffles Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 24
Dessert
Canadian

Ingredients
 
 

  • cup whipping cream
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 oz chopped good quality dark chocolate or about 1 1/3 cups
  • Toppings as desired (about 1/2 cup crushed candy – like Ganong Chicken Bones – or nuts, or 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder)

Instructions
 

  • Add chocolate, cream and butter to microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes, stir, then repeat for 1 minute more (or in 30-second intervals until chocolate is 80% melted).
  • Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, before refrigerating until firm enough to handle, about 1 hour more. 
  • Scoop chocolate mixture by tablespoonfuls and roll between palms to form balls. It’s ok if they’re lumpy, that’s part of the homemade charm. Roll the truffles in desired toppings immediately, as the warmth of your hands will have melted the surface enough to make things stick. (This part is messy, have a wet cloth nearby to wipe chocolate off your hands.)
  • Layer truffles between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container for up to one week refrigerated or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

  • Go ahead and refrigerate the finished truffles but don’t put the hot chocolate mixture straight into the fridge or freezer because it will get a streaky white “bloom” (totally safe, just not pretty). 
  • Be sure to serve these at room temperature, so put on a serving plate 30 minutes before you plan to enjoy them. 

Nutrition

Calories: 94kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 3mgPotassium: 61mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 162IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 1mg

Last Updated on May 23, 2023 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

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Lauren
Lauren
1 year ago

5 stars
As delicious as they are easy to make! These will be a new holiday go-to for gifting and parties.

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