This no bake Christmas truffles recipe is a huge time saver: one cookie-crumb base becomes eight different flavors. The truffles are egg-free and, with the right ingredients, dairy-free too.
Just cook a sugar syrup, melt in the margarine, stir in ground cookies and divide the dough. Then play with flavors: nuts, coconut, chocolate, orange, coffee or rum. How do you get eight kinds of Christmas sweets out of one bowl?
How to Make No Bake Christmas Truffles
The base is a syrup of water and sugar in which the margarine is melted. You pour it over the ground cookies. The cooled dough (about 6 lb / 2.7 kg in total) is divided into 8 parts and each is flavored differently.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 60 min (including flavoring)
- Cooking time: 10 min
- Servings: about 150 truffles, depending on flavors
- Difficulty: Medium (it takes organization)
- Calories: about 50 to 70 kcal per truffle
- Trend: No bake / Vegan-friendly / Time saver
Ingredients
Base dough (makes 8 flavors)
- 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) water
- 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cups (500 g) stick margarine, about 4 1/2 sticks (use vegan butter sticks for a vegan version)
- 8 cups (1 kg) finely ground plain cookies, about (check the label for a vegan version)
Flavor ideas (for 1/8 of the dough, about 12 oz / 340 g)
- 1 cup (100 g) finely ground walnuts (1. Walnut)
- 1 cup (80 g) shredded coconut plus 1.75 oz (50 g) melted white chocolate, vegan if needed (2. Coconut)
- zest and 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (50 ml) juice from 1 organic orange (3. Orange)
- 3/4 cup (100 g) ground roasted unsalted peanuts (4. Peanut)
- 1 cup (100 g) ground hazelnuts plus 1 tablespoon chocolate hazelnut spread, vegan if needed (5. Hazelnut)
- 2/3 cup (100 g) raisins soaked in rum, plus 1.75 oz (50 g) melted dark chocolate and a splash of rum or rum flavoring (6. Rum raisin)
- 1 cup (100 g) ground nuts, plus 2 teaspoons instant coffee and 1.75 oz (50 g) dark chocolate (7. Coffee)
- 3.5 oz (100 g) chopped Turkish delight (rahat lokum), plus 1 tablespoon chocolate hazelnut spread (8. Turkish delight)
For coating and glazing
- vegan white and dark chocolate, plus a little oil
- shredded coconut, ground nuts, coffee beans
Instructions
- Pour the water into a large pot and add the sugar. Bring to a boil on the stove, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- When the syrup is boiling, add the margarine and stir until it is also completely melted.
- Take the pot off the heat. Add the ground cookies gradually (ideally in three batches), mixing thoroughly each time.
- You get a thick, compact mass. Let it cool completely at room temperature (this can take up to an hour).
- Divide the cooled dough into 8 equal parts (each about 12 oz / 340 g).
- Put each part in a separate bowl and add the flavorings of your choice (for example, the ideas listed above).
- Walnut: Mix in the ground walnuts.
- Coconut: Mix in the coconut and the melted white chocolate.
- Rum raisin: Mix in the rum-soaked raisins, a splash of rum or rum flavoring, and the chocolate.
- Shape each flavored mixture into balls with your hands.
- Chill the balls in the refrigerator until firm.
- Finally, decorate them: roll them in coconut or nuts, or coat them in melted chocolate.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect No Bake Christmas Truffles
- Check the labels: If you want the truffles strictly dairy-free (vegan), read the ingredients carefully. Many plain cookies are accidentally vegan, but margarines and chocolate hazelnut spreads often contain milk. Use vegan alternatives.
- Dough consistency: If the dough is too soft after adding liquid (for example, orange juice), add a spoonful of ground cookies. If it is too stiff, add a spoonful of rum or juice.
Easy Variations
- Quick version: If you do not want 8 flavors, divide the dough into just 3 parts and make larger batches of walnut, coconut and chocolate truffles.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use less sugar? You can, but the sugar also acts as a preservative and binder here. With less, the dough may not hold together as firmly.
Can I use butter instead of margarine? Yes, but the truffles will no longer be dairy-free. The flavor will be more buttery, though margarine makes the mass a bit softer.
How long do the truffles keep? In an airtight container in the refrigerator they keep fresh for 2 to 3 weeks, so they are ideal for making ahead.
Which cookies should I use? Plain, crisp cookies such as tea biscuits or simple butter-free cookies work well. Grind them finely in a food processor so the dough is smooth.
How do I make a kid-friendly rum version? Soak the raisins in orange juice instead of rum and use rum flavoring only if you want the taste without the alcohol.
This recipe shows that a rich Christmas table does not need days of baking. Store the truffles in the refrigerator.
The recipe is based on a version by Domaći Recepti, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
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