Chocolate Bourbon Gingerbread Truffles
This recipe is a cross between melt in your mouth dark chocolate truffles and easy cookie truffles. Made with gingersnaps and semi-sweet chocolate chips, these easy chocolate and bourbon spiked gingerbread truffles, taste like the holidays. Pack ’em in a gift box and stick a bow on top! The recipient of your Christmas truffles will be very happy indeed!
My friend, Lois, shared this easy chocolate bourbon cookie truffles recipe with me years ago… and I’m embarrassed to say, it sat in my recipe file, untouched, and ignored for all that time. I’d pull it out at the holidays and think, “I should make these gingerbread truffles for Christmas” and then I’d focus on something else and the opportunity was lost. Until now.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This no-bake Christmas dessert is great for gifting.
- A completely different truffle from anything else you’ve tried.
- It’s quick and easy with no fussy decorating.
- My gingerbread truffles are spiked with bourbon.
- It’s rich but not overly sweet, with a nice spicy gingerbread flavor.
Ingredients:
- Dark or Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Gingersnap Cookies
- Unsalted Butter
- Bourbon
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
I love these truffles because they’re not sugary sweet. The gingersnaps give them a tingly spice, and the bourbon softens the bite. These are entirely different from most cookie-based truffles you may have seen out there. Instead, gingerbread Christmas truffles are a more sophisticated confection.
Gingersnaps are the perfect cookie for these easy truffles. They’re spicy, snappy and mimic that Christmas gingerbread flavor we all love. Use any crunchy store bought gingersnaps for this recipe.
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How to crush gingersnaps for Christmas truffles
The easiest way to make gingersnap crumbs is with a food processor. You can use a mini food processor or a full sized one. Just pulse until the cookies have been reduced to fine crumbs that resemble graham cracker crumbs.
If you don’t have a food processor, place the cookies in a heavy duty zip top plastic bag and use a mallet or rolling pin to finely pulverize the gingersnaps into crumbs. Here’s a video to show you how.
How many gingersnaps do I need for truffles?
Good question. The answer is… I don’t know.
It depends on your gingersnaps. I used the store-brand from my Publix supermarket, and used about 1/3 of the box to make the crumbs. The cookies were about 2″ in diameter and 1/3″ thick. If your cookies are larger, you may need less.
I would start by crushing about half the amount you think you’ll need and then measure in a glass measuring cup to see how much you actually have. Continue to crush the cookies until you have the right amount.
Making bourbon gingerbread truffles
- Melt the butter and chocolate chips together in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Stir constantly, until it’s completely melted, smooth and glossy.
- Remove the chocolate mixture from heat and stir in the gingersnap crumbs and bourbon.
- Mix well and refrigerate for 45 minutes or until the chocolate bourbon and gingerbread mixture firms up.
- Use a one tablespoon measure to portion out a truffle and roll it into a ball. Place the truffle on a parchment lined baking sheet. If the truffles are very soft, refrigerate them for about 10 minutes to help firm them up.
- Roll in the cocoa and powdered sugar mixture or gingersnap cookie crumbs for the finishing touch.
- Refrigerate the cookie truffles until firm.
These spicy, boozy chocolate candies taste best when they’re nearly at room temperature, however, they’re too persnickety to be kept out to store.
How to store chocolate bourbon gingerbread truffles
- After your truffles have set and are firm, transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.
- To serve, remove the truffles and let them sit out at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.
If you’re giving them as gifts (which I highly recommend), wrap the candies in a cellophane bag or small candy box and keep refrigerated until you see your recipient.
FAQs
If your chocolate gingerbread mixture is loose, you can either refrigerate it a little longer or add another 1/4 cup of gingerbread crumbs. Mix well and refrigerate for 10 more minutes, then roll them into balls.
They’ll keep, well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Yes, you can freeze them with a caveat… Don’t roll the truffles in the cocoa powder or gingersnap crumbs before freezing, otherwise the condensation from thawing the candies, will dampen the exterior and ruin the finish.
You can make the truffles in advance, wrap them well and freeze for up to a month. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let them thaw, then roll them in the cocoa powder or gingersnap crumbs.
Tips for enjoying Christmas truffles
You definitely want to make sure to take the cookie truffles out of the refrigerator at least 15 to 20 minutes before enjoying.
Why? The butter needs to be at room temperature in order to give these chocolate bourbon gingerbread candies the proper melt-in-your-mouth quality you expect from chocolate candy.
The combination of chocolate, gingersnaps and bourbon is so festive. It literally tastes like the holidays. It goes great with a dram of bourbon or a cup of hot coffee to enhance the meltiness. It would even go great with a cup of bourbon spiked eggnog.
Put out a plate of gingerbread truffles after Christmas Eve dinner to put the finishing touch on the occasion.
I need to thank Lois for sharing her exceptional gingerbread truffles recipe with me. I know they’ll be an annual holiday treat that everyone looks forward to.
More Christmas truffles and chocolate treats:
- Curried Coconut Truffles and Chocolate Cassis Truffles
- Death By Chocolate Tart
- Chocolate Pots De Crème
- Chewy Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
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Bourbon Gingerbread Truffles
INGREDIENTS:
FOR BOURBON GINGERBREAD TRUFFLES
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs finely crushed in a food processor, about 4-6 ounces of cookies
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
FOR GARNISH:
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup gingersnap cookie crumbs finely crushed in a food processor
DIRECTIONS:
- In a mini prep food processor add the gingersnap cookies and pulse until they’ve been reduced to fine crumbs. Reserve 1 cup for the truffles an about 1/3 cup for the garnish. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter and chocolate chips and heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Add one cup of the gingersnap crumbs and the bourbon and stir well to combine. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 45 minutes.
ASSEMBLE THE TRUFFLES:
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- After the chocolate mixture has firmed up, Use a tablespoon measure to portion out one tablespoon of chocolate gingerbread truffle mixture. Roll it into a ball and transfer to the baking sheet. Continue to roll the truffles until you’ve used all the chocolate filling.
FOR THE COCOA GARNISH:
- Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa together to remove any lumps.
- Roll half of the truffles in the cocoa garnish to coat them well. Transfer back to the baking sheet.
- Roll the other half of the bourbon gingerbread truffles in the gingersnap crumbs to coat them. Return them to the baking sheet.
- Refrigerate the truffles until firm. Transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated.
- To serve, remove the truffles from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving, so they can come closer to room temperature. They’re better when they’re not straight from the fridge, but they do need to be refrigerated for storing.
NUTRITION:
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These are delicious. I made them exactly as written. Can’t wait to share for Christmas dinner 🙂
These were amazing and easy. Definitely something to add yearly to our Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations !
Oh yum, these look delicious and I love how easy they are as well. Just my kind of flavors!
So glad you like them, Caroline!
Pretty truffles! I love bourbon flavor. I just need to find gingerbread cookies to make this.
standard gingersnaps are all you need!
Wow! Gingerbread and bourbon sound amazing together. These are a perfect holiday treat!
GREAT holiday gift idea! Love the idea of chocolate and gingerbread together. I generally don’t like gingerbread because it doesn’t have chocolate. haha!
It does NOW!
Omg this combo sounds perfect!! I am definitely making this for Christmas gifts, thank you so much for the recipe!!