Chocolate Truffle Cookies
These chocolate truffle cookies are the answer to every holiday cookie plate (and chocolate craving) in the history of ever! Easy and crazy delicious, they taste delicious for days and are amazing chilled.
Is it too early to start talking about holiday cookies? Neighbor cookie plates? Secret midnight baking projects JUST FOR YOU because it’s the holidays and you need a chocolate fix to help get you through the craziness of the season?
All scenarios are acceptable here when it comes to these chocolate truffle cookies.
They are easy. Decadent. Crazy, crazy delicious. And here’s a little tip for you: not only do they taste great for days, they are positively dangerous straight out of the refrigerator.
The pictures really don’t do these delectable chocolate truffle cookies justice. The inside of these cookies are dense (in a good way) and slightly fudgy and surprisingly truffle-like for a baked cookie.
Rolled in cocoa powder before baking and then powdered sugar after baking, these are different than many other rolled drop-style cookies. They aren’t going to flatten while baking. And that’s exactly how they should be!
Normally puffy cookies coming out of the oven can cause a cookie freak out session when you were expecting perfectly flattened, crackly top cookies. But if you can resolve in your mind before making these that you want those rounded mounds of chocolate truffle cookie goodness, you’ll be in good shape (emotionally…but the physical part is debatable after welcoming these cookies into your life).
Now if your cookies ARE flattening, we have a problem. As indicated in the recipe, if that’s the case, chill the dough and that will help. For the record, I’ve made these cookies dozens of times over the last eight years and they turn out just like these pictures every time.
Buried in the archives of my site, a couple of you recently commented on how these are some of your favorite cookies, and that, in turn, reminded me that it was high time to bring these special truffle cookies out of their eight year solitary confinement in the archives. I don’t think they’ve gotten their deserved attention.
Because they honestly taste great for several days, they are the perfect cookie to make for the holidays as an offering to friends or neighbors on the almighty cookie plate or to keep stockpiled in the refrigerator for holiday parties or emergency chocolate cravings.
I once made these for a group of cute + rowdy 5-year old boys, and I urge you not to make the same mistake. Not only was my entire kitchen covered in the powdered sugar remnants (they may be delicious, but they aren’t the cleanest eating cookie), but the gourmet truffle texture and high-quality chocolate I used in the recipe was totally lost on the little rascals. I should have pulled out the Oreos instead. 🙂
Whether or not you’re really ready to accept that holiday baking is most definitely upon us, these chocolate truffle cookies are ready and waiting for YOU!
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Chocolate Truffle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (283 g) 2 1/2 sticks salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (228 g) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (28 g) unsweetened or Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (57 g) sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (320 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (340 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, regular or mini size
- About ⅓ cup (28 g) cocoa powder, for rolling
- About ⅔ cup (76 g) powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
- In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and powdered sugar, adding the sugar in slowly so that it doesn’t puff everywhere and transform your kitchen into a white mess. Mix until evenly combined. Sift the cocoa powder and salt into the butter/sugar to avoid lumps and mix until well combined, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract until just combined. With the mixer on low, blend in the flour until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- If your kitchen is very warm and the dough is hard to handle, refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes before rolling. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball lightly in the cocoa powder and place on the baking sheet. Do not flatten the cookies. The cookies will not spread very much (especially if the dough has been chilled).
- Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. They will just barely be set but you don’t want to over bake or they will be dry. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature, dip the tops or roll each cookie in powdered sugar until completely coated. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator (they taste amazing chilled).
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Baking Bites
Recipe originally posted March 2010; updated with new pictures, recipe notes, commentary
This is my favorite cookie!!! Have made these so so many times and always loved by all!! Was wondering if you thought these could be made into bars?? For the lazy times when I don’t feel like rolling cookies??
I don’t know, honestly, as I haven’t tried it. But it’s certainly worth a try!
Do I have to roll it in cocoa before I bake them? Will there be a big difference?
No, you can leave it off.
So delish! Definitely the cookie version of a truffle – tried for the first time today and already got asked for the recipe 🙂
My 75 year old father in law said these are the best chocolate cookies he’s ever had. They are delicious!
Amazing texture! They are too sweet for my taste..
Are these ok to serve not chilled?? I just put them in the oven for a cookie swap then read the part about refrigerating them ♀️
They should be fine (i just prefer them cold).
Could you use cacao powder in this recipe instead of cocoa powder?
I haven’t tried that, sorry.
These are so good! I especially love them when they are made with Greek yogurt. I am a fan of soft cookies, and these are just chocolate scrumptiousness. I use a mix of milk and semisweet chocolate chips. Yum!!!
OH my goodnes. Mel!! I finally got around to making these, and I don’t be know if it was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me or the worst. They are AMAZING!!!! From the fridge, you weren’t kidding me!
Yay! So happy you loved them, Josie!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I use salted butter.
Mine totally flattened 🙁 no idea why. The dough was very stiff, I am pretty sure I added enough flour. Kitchen was 60*, I even still chilled the dough for a bit. I have triple checked the recipe, no idea why these flopped. So sad. I’ve made countless of your recipes, they always turn out amazing! If you have any tips about these ones let me know. I’m in SLC, UT area, not sure if it’s elevation? I always use freshly ground while white wheat. I’ve never had issues baking with my ww flour.
I use freshly ground whole white wheat flour as well and mine turned out great. Did you measure the flour by weight?
Wow! These are so good and your directions were perfect. I made these for a cookie exchange and they were the hands-down favorite among the 10 or so cookies there. I’ve given some to friends and they love them as well. They are very rich and chocolatey, and as others have said, similar to a truffle. This recipe is a keeper, thank you!
Thank you so much for the review, Eileen!
I made these last night and I already know they have a spot in the cookie rotation. Only complaint is that they are very messy to make and even more messy to eat but that could just be me.
Hi Mel, My 16 year old LOVES truffles but does not care for powdered sugared coated anything (with a family of 5, I needed just one more accommodation to suit everyone to add to the list!). Would these cookies still be worth it if we skipped rolling them in powdered sugar or is that an integral part of the flavor? Thanks! Erin
Hey, Erin, I think they’d be fine. They won’t be as sweet and the texture will be a bit different, but the cookie part itself is super yummy so I’d definitely still try it.
I preferred rolling them in Baker’s Sugat if that helps. Definitely a different texture but I preferred it (and less mess!).
Mel, thanks for this recipe! You never disappoint!!! I added peppermint extract and wished I had thought to buy candy canes to crush for the rolling. Guess I’ll have to make them again!
Love the idea of rolling them in crushed candy canes!
You are no joking when you say these are delicious out from the fridge!!! So Delicious!!!
Dangerous, huh??
I made these this weekend to take to a little get together. They were amazing! Thank you!
So happy to hear that – thanks, Laurie!
These were dangerously addicting!! I will definitely be making them again and again. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks, Alex!
These cookies have been very well received by everyone I’ve made try one! I think next time I might like to try adding a little cinnamon/cayenne to make more of a Mexican hot chocolate cookie. But they were really good as they were.
Thanks, Leslie! Adding cinnamon or cayenne sounds amazing!
How do you think these would be with the ghiardelli caramel chips???
Yum!
These were fantastic. Thanks for bringing them out of the archives. Great for a chocolate lover. Mine spread a little more than your picture, but the consistency was still great. The recipe yielded almost 4 dozen cookies when I aimed for 1 inch balls, so maybe I will try them a little bigger next time. I agree the picture doesn’t do them justice and that they really are reminiscent of a truffle. I did prefered them better room temp (vs chilled). Thought the chocolate flavor was a little stronger and the texture was more truffle-like this way. I can understand why you have so many readers that love this recipe. Very unique!
Thanks for the review, Juliet!
Do these freeze well as either balls of pre shaped dough or already baked cookies?
The unbaked dough freezes well…but if you freeze them after baking, I wouldn’t roll them in powdered sugar until they are thawed.
We tried these today using regular sour cream and they failed. 🙁 The dough seemed firm enough but after baking they were all spread out, flat and gooey. It’s not even possible to roll them in powdered sugar or really even eat them since they are so gooey. We baked them for 10 minutes. The dough tasted fabulous though!
Hey Rebecca – just out of curiosity, how do you measure your flour? It sounds like the cookies may have needed a bit more flour (also, did you chill the dough?)
Never too soon! I started my Christmas treat baking (and freezing) the first week of November!
Help! I tried these and no matter what I do, they spread. I chilled the dough overnight and still the same result. Any suggestions?
Hey Liz – what kind of sour cream or yogurt did you use? Full fat? Low fat? Was it pretty runny? Also how do you usually measure flour? Sounds like maybe the dough needs a bit more flour. How much are they spreading? Completely flat?
I used full fat sour cream, I measure my flour by pouring it into my measuring cups and then leveling off. I’m going to try to add more flour, but the dough is pretty stiff, so we’ll see how that goes, ha ha. They aren’t completely flat, just about half the height of the original ball and a thing ring around the base.
Mel! Added just a little more flour, and they turned out great!! Thanks!
Glad they ended up ok!
Hello, Mel. Love your blog! Would it be okay to use (plain) Greek yogurt in these cookies? Can’t wait to try these!
I think so!
Do you use a cookie scoop for these? If so what size scoop. I have notice if I don’t use the same one as you then my cooking times are off!
Love your site and all your recipes!
I use my #40 scoop for these but slightly underfill it.
I’m confused. Do the cookies have to be stored in the refrigerator. In other words, can they be left at room temperature on the cookie trays for several days?
Yes, they are fine at room temperature.