You know that feeling when you bite into something and it's exactly what you didn't know you needed? That's what happened when I first made these Sugar Cookie Truffles last December!
I was staring at a container of leftover sugar cookies from Emily's school bake sale (we totally overbaked), and I couldn't bear to throw them out. That's when it hit me – what if I turned them into something completely different? Twenty minutes later, I had a batch of the most amazing cookie truffles sitting in my fridge. Emily walked in, popped one in her mouth, and literally said, "Mom, these are better than the original cookies!"
These truffles are basically magic in ball form. You take sugar cookies, mix them with cream cheese and butter, roll them into balls, dip them in white chocolate, and suddenly you've got this fancy-looking dessert that tastes like heaven. Plus, they're actually really simple to make, which is saying something coming from someone who once forgot she had cookies in the oven (we don't talk about that incident).
If you're looking for another fun cookie project, you'll want to check out my small batch chocolate chip cookies – they're perfect when you don't want dozens of cookies lying around tempting you all week!
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love These Sugar Cookie Truffles
- Ingredients For Sugar Cookie Truffles
- How To Make Sugar Cookie Truffles
- Storage And Reheating Sugar Cookie Truffles
- Tips And Variations For Sugar Cookie Truffles
- Frequently Asked Questions About Sugar Cookie Truffles
- Recipes You May Like
- Final Thoughts On Sugar Cookie Truffles
- Sugar Cookie Truffles
Why You Will Love These Sugar Cookie Truffles
Trust me when I say these little treats are about to become your go-to dessert for every occasion. Here's why:
- Super easy to make – If you can use a food processor and roll balls, you're basically done
- Uses leftover cookies – Got sugar cookies sitting around? This is their second chance at glory
- Ready in about an hour – Most of that time is just chilling in the freezer while you do other things
- Looks impressive – People will think you spent hours on these when really, you didn't
- Great for holidays – Change up the sprinkles and you've got a festive treat for any occasion
- Freezer-friendly – Make them ahead and pull them out whenever you need a sweet treat
Ingredients For Sugar Cookie Truffles
Here's what you'll need to make these amazing sugar cookie truffles. I always have most of this stuff in my kitchen anyway!
Cookie Balls:
- 12 large sugar cookies (store-bought or homemade both work great)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Truffle Coating:
- 12 oz package white chocolate chips
- 1-2 tablespoons shortening
- Holiday nonpareils sprinkles (or whatever sprinkles make you happy)
A quick note about the cookies – I've used both homemade and store-bought sugar cookies for this recipe, and honestly? Both work perfectly. Don't stress about making cookies from scratch if you don't want to. The bakery section is your friend here!
How To Make Sugar Cookie Truffles
Making these sugar cookie balls is actually way easier than you might think. I've broken it down into simple steps that anyone can follow.
Prepare The Cookie Mixture
- Place your sugar cookies in a food processor and pulse until they're chopped into fine crumbs. You want them to look like sandy crumbs, not chunks.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until it's pale and fluffy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer.
- Add ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture to the crushed cookies in the food processor and pulse until everything is combined.
- Check the consistency of your cookie mixture. Squeeze a bit between your fingers – it should hold together like a ball. If it's too crumbly, add more cream cheese mixture one tablespoon at a time until it sticks together. But don't overdo it! You don't want it sticky or wet.
Shape And Chill The Truffles
- Form the dough into small balls (I make mine about 1 inch in diameter) and place them on parchment paper. This is where Emily usually helps me – she loves rolling the balls!
- Pop those balls in the freezer for 30 minutes. This step is really important because cold truffles are way easier to dip in chocolate. I learned this the hard way when I tried to skip the freezing step once (spoiler: it was a melted mess).
Coat With Chocolate
- While your truffles are chilling, place the white chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then stir. Keep heating in 15-second bursts, stirring each time, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Don't rush this part – seized chocolate is not fun to deal with!
- Remove your chilled balls from the freezer. Using a fork or a chocolate dipping tool (I just use a regular fork), dip each cookie ball into the melted chocolate.
- Roll the truffle around to coat it completely, then let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Place it on fresh parchment paper to harden.
- If you want to add sprinkles (and honestly, why wouldn't you?), sprinkle them on top immediately after placing the truffle on the parchment paper. The chocolate sets fast!
- Once the truffles are completely set, they'll peel right off the parchment paper. That's it – you're done!
Storage And Reheating Sugar Cookie Truffles
These cream cheese cookie balls store really well, which is great because I always make extra.
Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. They actually taste even better after sitting for a day because the flavors have time to meld together. Emily and I have a habit of sneaking into the fridge for "just one more" throughout the week!
Want to make them ahead for a party? Freeze them! Place the truffles in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers, and they'll keep for up to 2 months. Just thaw them in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Pro tip from someone who's made these way too many times: don't stack them directly on top of each other without parchment paper in between. I made that mistake once and ended up with a blob of stuck-together truffles. Not cute!
Tips And Variations For Sugar Cookie Truffles
Here are some tricks I've picked up from making these sugar cookie cream cheese truffles about a million times:
Cookie Tips:
- Use cookies that are slightly dry rather than super fresh – they work better for this recipe
- Can't find sugar cookies? Vanilla wafers work in a pinch! The texture is slightly different but still tasty
- For a stronger vanilla flavor, add an extra ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture
Chocolate Options:
- Milk chocolate makes these taste like candy bars (Emily's personal preference)
- Dark chocolate gives them a more sophisticated flavor that my friend Sarah absolutely loves
- Can't do dairy? Use dairy-free chocolate chips – they work just as well
Decoration Ideas:
- Match your sprinkles to the season – red and green for Christmas, pastels for Easter, you get the idea
- Drizzle melted chocolate in a contrasting color over the top for a fancy look
- Roll them in crushed candy canes during the holidays (game changer!)
- Add a pinch of cinnamon to the cookie mixture for a snickerdoodle vibe
Making It Easier:
- Don't have a food processor? Put the cookies in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. It's a great way to work out any frustration from the day!
- The shortening in the chocolate helps it stay smooth and shiny, but in a pinch, you can use a tablespoon of coconut oil instead
One time I added some almond extract instead of vanilla, and wow – those disappeared faster than any batch I'd ever made. Just saying!
Frequently Asked Questions About Sugar Cookie Truffles
Yes! Store-bought sugar cookies work perfectly and make this recipe even easier.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Absolutely! Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even candy melts all work great for coating these truffles.
Add more of the cream cheese mixture (1 tablespoon at a time) until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Make sure to chill thoroughly before dipping.
Recipes You May Like
If you're into easy cookie recipes like these homemade sugar cookie truffles, you'll definitely want to try these:
- Cookie Monster Cookies – These fun cookies are loaded with chocolate chips, M&Ms, and oats. Emily requests these at least twice a month!
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies – Perfect when you want fresh cookies but don't want dozens of them tempting you all week long.
- 4th Of July Oreo Balls – Similar concept to these truffles but made with Oreos and perfect for summer parties.
Final Thoughts On Sugar Cookie Truffles
I'm not kidding when I say these sugar cookie truffles have become one of my most-requested recipes. My sister asked me to make them for her book club meeting, Emily's teacher requests them for every class party, and I've even brought them to our neighborhood potlucks where they disappear in minutes.
What I really love about this recipe is how it takes something simple – sugar cookies – and turns them into something that looks and tastes fancy. Nobody needs to know it only took you about 45 minutes of actual work time. That can be our little secret!
The best part? You can make them your own by changing up the sprinkles, the chocolate coating, or even adding different extracts to the cookie mixture. I've made peppermint ones, lemon ones (with lemon extract), and even chai-spiced ones with a bit of cinnamon and cardamom mixed in.
So grab those leftover cookies (or buy some specifically for this – I won't tell), and give these truffles a try. Make them for your next party, holiday gathering, or just because it's Tuesday and you deserve something sweet. Save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again later, and let me know how yours turn out!
Sugar Cookie Truffles
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Cookie Balls
- 12 large sugar cookies
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Truffle Coating
- 12 oz white chocolate chips
- 1-2 Tablespoons shortening
- Holiday Nonpareils Sprinkles
Instructions
- Place cookies in food processor and pulse until chopped into fine crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture to the crushed cookies in the food processor and pulse until combined.
- Check consistency of the cookie mixture. Continue adding cream cheese mixture (frosting) until the cookie crumbles hold together when squeezed into a ball. We want the mixture to have enough frosting to hold the truffle balls together, but not so much that the mixture is sticky or "wet."
- Form the "dough" into small balls and place on parchment paper.
- Chill the balls in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place 12 ounces of white chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds and stir. Continue heating in 15 second increments and stirring until chocolate is melted and smooth. Do not overheat or chocolate may seize up.
- Remove chilled balls from the freezer. Using a fork or chocolate dipping tool, dip and roll each cookie ball into the melted chocolate.
- Roll lightly to coat completely, allow the excess to drip back into the bowl, and place truffle on a sheet of parchment paper to harden.
- The truffles will set almost immediately. If you wish to add sprinkles or nonpareils, sprinkle them over the top of the truffle as soon as it's been placed onto the parchment paper.
- When truffles are set, they will peel easily from the parchment paper and are ready to serve.
