I can’t believe Christmas is in two days. I’m pretty sure we’re all having the same conversation as we do our last minute shopping, wrapping and baking. I finished the shopping and wrapping today so that means I’m planning to spend the next two days at home and mostly in the kitchen…during the day anyway. I really want to be mindful of how time is spent the next couple days so I can soak in all the wonderful magic of this time of year with my family. That means doing things like including my stepdaughter when I am in the kitchen and having family game nights or movie nights in the evenings. In the kitchen, we’ll be making fun treats like candy cane marshmallows and candied pecans. I made the pecans for the first time last weekend so I told her this weekend I’d have her do all the steps so she could learn how to make them too.
I have a plan to make a cute little cookbook for her when she moves out and gets a place of her own one day; I’m planning to fill it with photos you see on here plus a few personal ones in hopes it’s more than just a good reference as she starts cooking on her own.
And while we’re on the topic of yummy treats…
I made these Oreo truffles for the first time in 2015 and they’ve since become a Christmas tradition. Let me explain…
- They are a really easy, no bake dessert
- Chocolate + Peppermint = Christmas
- The perfect bite size makes them great for parties
- The truffles store well in the fridge all week, as if they’d last that long!
- And of course…super cute and festive
If you don’t think a simple treat like this could have a key secret ingredient, think again. The key, in my humble opinion, to making these truffles extra good is the melting chocolate. Lucky for me, I grew up next to Amish country and with a Grandma who bakes often. We use milk or dark chocolate wafers for all of our chocolate coating needs! I don’t have a brand name to give you, but if you visit any store like Yoder’s, Troyer’s or other small market that sells food in bulk you’ll find them!
Circling back to really easy, no bake…
You’ll start by adding your Oreos to a high powdered blender or food processor. You may need to add half, process and then add the rest. This was the case for me based on the size of our food processor.
Next you’ll add cream cheese and pure peppermint extract and pulse again until everything is well mixed. After that, use a small cookie scoop to make truffles balls and line them up on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Don’t worry, this isn’t for baking. It’s so you can put them in the freezer for an hour to set 😉
Either I forgot to take photos of these last few steps or I accidentally deleted them from my camera. It will forever be a mystery, but once the truffle balls are set take them out of the freezer and dip them in melted chocolate. If you want to add the crushed candy cane on top be sure to do so right away before the chocolate sets which will happen quickly since they’re so cold! That’s it!
With so many cookies this time of year, it’s kind of nice to take something different to your holiday parties or family dinners. I do know one person who doesn’t care for the delicious chocolate peppermint combination, but I don’t think it’s very common so you should be good taking these to events 🙂
I likely won’t be publishing another post before Christmas so I want to wish y’all a very Merry Christmas!! I hope the holiday is filled with magic and that you’re surrounded by friends and family enjoying the day exactly the way you want to enjoy it!
One of my favorite parts of Christmas day is getting up early before everyone else, having the Christmas tree as the only light in the house, enjoying a cup of tea and reflecting on the true meaning of the holiday and all I have to be grateful for in the truly charmed life I live. I say it every year. I will always look forward to this little bit of time!
Peppermint Oreo Truffles
A simple no bake dessert for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 1 pack Oreo cookies
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 3/4 tsp pure peppermint extract
- 16 ounces melting chocolate
- 2 candy canes finely crushed
Instructions
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Add Oreo cookies to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add cream cheese and peppermint extract and pulse again until all ingredients are well mixed.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop, roll the Oreo mixture into balls and place on baking sheet.
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Place truffle balls in your freezer for at least one hour to chill
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Once chilled, prepare coating and toppings. Add candy canes to a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or flat side of a meat tenderizer – what I used - and melt chocolate in the microwave at 30 second intervals (80% power) stirring between each melting session.
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Drop each truffle ball into the melted chocolate; use a fork to evenly coat and remove from the bowl, tapping off excess chocolate. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy cane before the chocolate begins to set.
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Allow to set completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge Keep truffles in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
If you aren't a fan of peppermint, a friend of mine made these with vanilla extract and topped with sprinkles and they were a big hit!
Have a beautiful day!
