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This Christmas truffle recipe offers the perfect solution for using up excess candy canes or starlight peppermint hard candies. Made with dark chocolate, peppermint oil, and crushed candy cane pieces, these candy cane truffles are ideal for festive celebrations, or for enjoying either before or after the holiday season!
Why Make This Christmas Truffle Recipe?
This simple rolled truffle recipe requires just a handful of ingredients: chopped dark chocolate, peppermint oil, whipping cream, unsweetened cocoa powder, and crushed candy canes. Chilling aside, these mint chocolate treats require just 30-45 minutes of prep time (a few minutes to make the ganache, and a few more to roll and coat the truffles) so they’re perfect for bringing to a last-minute party, too.
Plus, because I’ve used cocoa powder and crushed candy canes to coat these peppermint truffles (rather than enrobing them in tempered chocolate) even the most novice chocolatemakers can tackle this Christmas truffle recipe. Kids can also get in on the action and help with the rolling and coating the truffles. A messy-but-fun family project!
Rolling the Candy Cane Truffles
I experimented with rolling my truffles directly in candy cane pieces (no cocoa powder) but found the finished product a little bit too sticky. The cocoa powder acts as a buffer between the ganache and the crushed candy canes, reducing mess while adding a nice bittersweet note to balance out the peppermint.
When rolling the balls in crushed candy canes, the cocoa powder will eventually start to mix with the candy pieces. I suggest rolling the truffles in two batches, and swapping out the candy canes for a “clean” bowl about halfway through.
If desired, you can double the amount of crushed candy cane pieces to more fully coat the truffles.
Helpful Tools for Making This Christmas Truffle Recipe
These Christmas truffles are easy to make using whatever tools you have on hand (a metal bowl, a whisk, and a teaspoon, and you’re pretty much good to go!) However, there are a few tools and supplies that will make prep easier, reduce mess, and yield more polished results. These include:
A 1-inch melon baller or a small cookie scoop will come in very handy when portioning the ganache. (If you don’t have either of these, use a measuring spoon or standard metal teaspoon instead.)
Silicone baking mats are great for lining your tray (and less cleanup afterward!) If you don’t have silicone mats, line your plate or tray with baking parchment.
A double boiler for melting the chocolate. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can make a bain marie (hot water bath) by placing a metal mixing bowl over a large stock pot filled with simmering water. This is what I usually do!
For prettier presentation (and less mess) serve your candy cane truffles in paper truffle cups. They come in brown and white, as well as fun Christmas patterns and colors.
If you don’t have one, I highly recommend buying a teeny tiny saucepan, ideally around 4-5 inches in diameter. I find a tiny saucepan very helpful for warming small amounts of cream, such as the 1/2 cup required for this recipe.
Crushing the Candy Canes
To make the candy cane pieces, place unwrapped canes in a sealed ziploc bag. Crush with a kitchen mallet, hammer, wooden rolling pin, or the back of a metal ladle.
Do not do this directly on the countertop! Place a thick folded kitchen towel between the plastic bag and the countertop to avoid damaging the surface.
For this recipe, it’s best to crush the candy canes as finely as possible. Some larger (1/4-inch) chunks are fine, but you don’t want very large pieces of candy. They won’t stick to the truffles, and they’ll be too difficult to bite.
Christmas Truffle Recipe Tips and Tricks
Although I’ve listed the “total time” for this recipe as three hours, it’s mostly passive (chilling) time. Making the ganache only takes about 15 minutes, plus another 20-30 minutes to roll and decorate the truffles.
Chilling time will vary depending on the type of dark chocolate you use, as well as the temperature of your refrigerator. My ganache firmed up nicely about two hours of chilling time.
Choose natural peppermint oil (not extract) for this recipe. My go-to is the LorAnn Oils brand, but any good-quality peppermint oil will work. You can use extract if it’s the only thing you happen to have on hand, but you’ll want to adjust the quantity because extracts are not as strong as oils.
I added edible foil stars and edible glitter to my truffles for a festive finishing touch. You can substitute other decorations (edible silver leaf, Christmas sprinkles, nonpareils, red and green edible glitter) or omit the decorations.
Although I often recommend couvertures for my chocolate recipes, this one is so simple that just about any dark chocolate will work. You can also mix chocolates—it’s a good recipe for using up bits and pieces left over from bags and bars of different chocolates. I used a fairly basic bar of 56% Belgian dark chocolate from the baking aisle at the grocery store, and it worked well.
Christmas Truffle Recipe Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
The peppermint ganache can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. Cover bowl with clingfilm/plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to scoop and roll. If your chilled ganache is extremely firm, you may need to allow it to sit at room temperature and/or use a melon baller dipped in boiling water to portion out the truffles.
If planning to roll balls in advance, I suggest working up to the cocoa powder step only. Layer cocoa-coated balls between sheets of parchment and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use, then roll in crushed candy canes just prior to serving.
Other Christmas recipes you might enjoy:
Dark Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Ganache
Bakery-Style Mint M&M Cookies
White Chocolate Peppermint Bark
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Candy Cane Truffles
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12-14 1-inch round truffles 1x
Description
An easy Christmas truffle recipe featuring peppermint oil and pieces of crushed candy cane. The perfect candy cane truffles for any festive celebration!
Ingredients
140 grams chopped dark chocolate (1 cup)
120 milliliters whipping cream (1/2 cup)
2–3 drops natural peppermint oil, or to taste
65 grams finely crushed candy canes (1/3 cup)
2–3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling the truffles
Edible glitter and edible foil stars, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
Add chopped dark chocolate to a bain marie or double boiler.
Melt over low heat, stirring gently, until completely melted.
Meanwhile, add whipping cream to a small saucepan. Gently warm cream over medium-low heat, until steaming. (Do not boil.)
Whisk the warm cream into the melted chocolate.
Remove from heat and whisk in the peppermint oil.
Cover bowl and transfer to the refrigerator to chill, at least two hours or until firm.
Line a small tray or plate with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
With a 1-inch melon baller, scoop the ganache into equally-sized portions (you should have 12-14 total). Use your hands to roll each portion into a ball.
Roll balls in cocoa powder. Transfer to prepared tray to chill for 15 minutes.
Roll chilled balls in crushed candy cane pieces, using your fingers to push the larger candy pieces into the chocolate as necessary. Some of the chocolate ganache will still be visible.
Sprinkle with foil stars and edible glitter, to finish.
Place each candy cane truffle in a paper truffle cup.
Serve immediately, or transfer to the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Store leftover truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Allow truffles to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Chilling Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Chocolate
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Sweets