This recipe for brownie batter truffles was originally part of a sponsored post. Some links are affiliate links that earn me a commission if you purchase through them.
With the holidays approaching, I’m once again dreading the “What do I give the teachers?” conundrum. For me, it isn’t just about giving to the teachers.
Not only do Little Miss and Mister Man each have two teachers because of moving for different subjects, but she receives speech therapy, he has sessions with the social worker, there’s the gym teacher, the art teacher, the music teacher, two band instructors, the two librarians, the office staff, and the list goes on.
I finally talked myself into counting it up the other day.
Eighteen. Eighteen coaches and teachers gifts I intend to get. I simply can’t afford to get them all $10 or $25 gift cards. Go ahead. Do the math.
Instead, over the years, I created gifts – especially for the staff that no one remembers. These gifts are hugely popular but don’t make my wallet run screaming for the hills.
I’ll often still include a gift card for some of those who have had a larger impact on the wee ones, but I don’t feel obligated to include one for every person, and that’s worked beautifully.
Over the years, I’ve made chocolate drizzled popcorn, homemade hot fudge sauce, and more. Last year’s chocolate chip cookie dough truffles were by far the best received, so of course I had to one up myself and make brownie batter truffles this year.
Making truffles isn’t too difficult, and though it takes a little time, it’s infinitely more rewarding than running to a store to buy them. Have you seen where truffles are $2.50 apiece or more now? Ouch!
I love this more than simply handing over gift cards, and many of them tell me they do, too. This year, I upped the ante by making them a little more trendy by packaging them in a mason jar wrapped in burlap, and I’m so pleased with how these all turned out.
Brownie Batter Truffle Making Tips
Because these are eggless, there’s no concern about eating them (see the note on flour below), which is the first win. The second is that you don’t have to be perfect when you make them.
Though you always want your truffles to be relatively round, you don’t have to be perfect. Why? Because you either dip them in chocolate – which smooths out so many imperfections – or dip and then roll in shredded coconut.
Lastly, because you make the batter, scoop them and then chill them, you can make them over a period of days rather than being tied to complete your project all in one go. I know everyone has time challenges this time of year.
One word of warning, however. If you’re like me and can’t resist doing a taste test while baking, know that they require time for the flavors to meld.
When I tested them immediately after mixing my ingredients together, I was a little concerned that I’d created something not quite up to my standards. I persevered, however, and they were amazing once I’d dipped them in chocolate and served them later.
Don’t panic if you don’t quite get the brownie batter flavor at first.
This recipe makes 4 dozen truffles, but it’s possible a few have been eaten along the way. Am I the only one who taste tests just to be sure recipes turn out right?
If you’re a chocolate aficianado, I have your back. The same holds true if you love edible cookie dough. Check the bottom of this article for more of my favorite recipes and holiday gifts.
Is it safe to use raw flour?
You can make it safe if you are concerned. A major grocery chain just had a recall of flour for possible E coli contamination.
You have three easy options, although you know growing up we never even considered this. Times change so much!
The goal is to heat flour to 160 degrees to kill E coli and other potential bacteria. Be careful, as you can burn flour if you heat it too much. And any flour you heat like this doesn’t work well for baking, so only use it for nonbaked items like edible cookie dough.
Microwave it: Place your flour into a microwave safe bowl. Heat it for 50 seconds and check the temperature. If it isn’t 160 degrees, heat again in 20 second intervals until a candy thermometer shows 160 degrees.
Bake it: Place your flour onto a cookie sheet and bake it in your oven at 250 degrees for 7 minutes. Again, make sure the temperature of the flour reaches at least 160 degrees.
Buy heat treated flour: Yes, this is totally a thing! You may not own a candy thermometer or you may not want to chance burning the flour or not getting it to 160 degrees. You can buy flour now that has already been treated to kill E coli and any other bacteria, making it safe for use in no bake recipes. Just remember to not use it in your baking recipes, as it doesn’t work right!
Brownie Batter Truffles Recipe
Melt the butter. If your cream cheese isn’t completely softened, add it to the melted butter to help soften and melt it a little.
In a mixing bowl, add the cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, and cream cheese.
On low speed or using a spatula, mix until thoroughly combined. Because cocoa powder is so fine, it is easy to have it fly out of your bowl.
Add the melted butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and espresso. Start on low speed, mix until the ingredients are mostly combined.
Turn up the speed gradually to ensure everything incorporates evenly. The dough will be thick and slightly shiny.
Using a small scoop, scoop out truffles onto a tray with parchment paper or a silpat. They don’t need to be perfect circles, and they can be close to each other. Using a small scoop, you should end up with 48 brownie batter truffles.
Using clean hands, gently pick up and roll each truffle into a smooth sphere. If there are small cracks or lines, this is fine, as the chocolate will cover these.
Replace each rolled truffle onto your cookie sheet. When you have finished them, place the tray in your fridge to chill for an hour.
Near the end of that hour, chop your chocolate, then carefully melt it in a double boiler or in a heavy pan over low heat, stirring regularly. When the chocolate still has just a few chunks, remove it from the heat and stir until it is smooth from the residual heat.
Using a fork, carefully dip each truffle into the chocolate. Once you coat it, lift the truffle with your fork and shake the fork using small but quick motions low over your melted chocolate to ensure all the excess chocolate falls off.
Scrape the bottom of the fork against the edge of your bowl or pan to remove the last extra chocolate, then use a second fork turned over (rounded side up instead of down) and carefully use the edge of the tines to push the truffle off the first fork and back onto your tray.
Pro tip: Since I first started making these, I invested in a set of chocolate tools. This makes chocolate truffles so much easier, and they cost me less than $10.
Chill again before serving to ensure the chocolate shell has thoroughly hardened. These store in your fridge for two to three weeks in a tightly sealed container.
Brownie Batter Truffle Options
While the brownie batter truffles are amazing just encased in a robe of chocolate, sometimes you want to add something else. Your options are limitless from chopped nuts to cocoa powder to coconut flakes, and more.
If you wish to dip in coconut, prepare a plate with a cup of coconut flakes. Work through the coconut to ensure you have no lumps before you start dipping the truffles in chocolate.
With any topping, prep a plate of approximately one cup of topping. After you dip the truffle in chocolate, push your truffle into the plate with the coconut, nuts, etc, and use your fingers to carefully roll it in through.
Bounce it in your hand a couple times to let the excess coconut or nuts fall off and then return to the tray or to a cooling rack while you finish your other brownie batter truffles.
If you plan to use cocoa powder, skip dipping the truffles in the chocolate, as it’s too soft. Instead, roll the brownie batter truffles directly into the cocoa powder.
How to decorate brownie batter truffles for a gift
To make mine pretty as a gift, I decided to place my truffles into a mason jar because they are so in this year. I used a small piece of burlap to cover the un-pretty top of my mason jar and then tied a silver ribbon around that.
You can find so many colors of burlap now, and you can easily find one that will match your mood and season. I chose a silver ribbon rather than green or something Christmas-y.
This lets me avoid my gift shouting Christmas, but I think it still has a strong holiday flair. I can’t wait to start handing them out!
The biggest trick for me in the past has been cutting my burlap and having it not unravel. I’m not the best at cutting in straight lines without a lot of help, and my burlap used to constantly start to unravel when I would use it.
That makes it look less professional. I may not spend a ton of money on my gifts, but I still want them to look like I did! Check out my quick tutorial on how to easily cut burlap in a straight line and ensure it doesn’t unravel.
Think this strategy might be right up your alley? I adore my brownie batter truffle, and I have even more ideas shared below.
So what are your best homemade holiday gifts?
More truffle recipes and homemade gift ideas:
- Snickerdoodle truffles
- Chocolate chip cookie dough truffles
- Brown sugar cookie dough truffles
- Peppermint sugar scrub
- Brown sugar cookie sugar scrub
- Peppermint bark
- Traditional truffles
Brownie Batter Truffles
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon espresso
- 12 ounces Baker's Chocolate
Instructions
- Melt butter. Add cream cheese to melted but not hot butter and set aside.
- In mixing bowl, add cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, flour, and salt, then stir to distribute. Add butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and espresso. Starting on low speed, mix until the ingredients are combined.3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 8 ounces cream cheese, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon espresso
- Scoop truffles onto tray with parchment paper or a silpat with a small size scoop.
- Roll each truffle into a sphere. When finished, refrigerate tray for an hour.
- Chop your dark chocolate, then carefully melt in double boiler or heavy pan over low heat, stirring regularly. Remove from heat when a few lumps remain, and continue stirring until fully melted.12 ounces Baker's Chocolate
- Carefully dip each truffle into chocolate. Shake off excess chocolate, and return truffle to tray.
- Chill again before serving to ensure chocolate shell has thoroughly hardened.
Notes
- You can also add shredded coconut to the outside of the truffles for additional flavor and texture. Add one cup of coconut to a plate and ensure there are no clumps. After dipping in chocolate, push your truffle into the plate with the coconut and use your fingers to carefully roll it in the coconut. Bounce it in your hand a couple of times to let the excess coconut fall off and then return to the tray or to a cooling rack while you finish your other brownie batter truffles.
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
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These look so good! I tried them the other day, and my family was in love. Total keeper recipe, thank you.
I’m so glad you liked them! My kids beg me to make these all the time – who doesn’t like brownies?
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These look amazing. YUM!
Thanks, Paula! I loved them, and I’m looking forward to making more!
Oh My not only do these look and sound delicious but what a great gift. So yummy. this would be something i would enjoy getting.
I’m glad to hear that. They were so much fun to make, and I love finding things people will enjoy rather than just more “stuff.”
These look fabulous! I love that added touch of a thin drizzle over the truffles – perfect for gift giving. Thanks for sharing your tip on how to cut burlap, too! I would have never thought about pulling that strand out before cutting – so smart! #client
Trust me, the pulling out for burlap was something it took me a long time to figure out. I could NEVER cut it straight, and it always unraveled as I was working with it.