Chocolate Orange Truffles are rich and creamy, smooth, and decadent bite-sized balls that are a delicious after-dinner sweet treat. This no-bake recipe is so quick and easy to prepare using 5 simple ingredients and can be made utilizing the microwave – no fancy equipment needed.
Easy Homemade Chocolate Orange Truffles
Homemade Chocolate Orange Truffles taste a little bit like my favorite Lindt Lindor candies, with their hint of orange that makes them deliciously different from a traditional chocolate truffle.
This dark and decadent dessert recipe is so easy and can be prepared in minutes, simply by melting dark chocolate in the microwave with cream and fresh orange flavor, chilling the mixture, and rolling the ganache into bite-size balls that are coated in sugar or cocoa.
The rich dark chocolate pairs perfectly with the bright notes of citrus; each morsel is a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth bite of bliss! Great for gifting, sharing, or savoring one at a time, these Chocolate Orange Truffles taste better than anything you can buy.
For more tasty truffle recipes, try my Nutella Truffles, Cookie Dough Truffles, and Strawberry Shortcake Truffles.
Why We Love This Chocolate Orange Truffles Recipe
- Quick and easy to make.
- Only uses 5 simple ingredients.
- No special equipment or candy thermometers needed.
- Gluten-free, perfectly portioned, bite-sized snack.
- These candies are much more economical than a store-bought box of chocolates.
- Perfect for packaging to give as edible gifts.
- Serve them on Mother’s or Father’s Day, holiday parties, or as an after-dinner dessert.
Ingredients
- Heavy cream
- Fresh orange zest
- Pure orange extract
- Dark chocolate chips
- Granulated sugar
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Substitutions and Additions
- Change The Chocolate: You can substitute milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips for the dark chocolate chips.
- Swap The Sugar: You can roll your balls in cocoa powder, sprinkles, crushed nuts, coconut, or sanding sugar to coat the finished truffles.
- Fun Flavors: Feel free to skip the orange flavorings and add a few teaspoons of instant coffee powder or a teaspoon of peppermint extract instead. For a fun variation, you can even add your favorite flavored liqueur.
Recommended Tools
- Medium size microwave safe bowl
- Whisk
- 1 tablespoon cookie scoop
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
How to Make Chocolate Orange Truffles
Chocolate Orange Truffles are quick and easy to make in minutes — no baking necessary. A hint of orange makes these sweet treats decadently delicious and perfect for sharing or gift-giving.
- Make The Ganache Mixture: Heat the heavy cream in the microwave and then whisk in the orange zest and orange extract. Add the chocolate chips to the cream mixture and stir until completely melted.
Pro Tip: You can return the bowl to the microwave and heat it in 15-second intervals if the mixture is not warm enough to completely melt the chocolate. - Chill: Cover the smooth chocolate and chill in the refrigerator for 30 – 35 minutes.
- Roll The Truffles: Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the chocolate and roll each ball in the granulated sugar to completely coat.
- Set and Serve: Place the truffles on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Enjoy!
Tips
- You can heat the heavy cream on the stovetop, rather than heating it in the microwave.
- Make sure your heavy cream is hot before adding in the chocolate, otherwise it won’t melt!
- When zesting the orange, try avoiding the white pith as much as possible.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the truffles for up to 3 months. Place the truffles in a freezer safe container. Allow the truffles to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
These truffles must be stored in the refrigerator. Since the ganache filling contains cream, truffles can spoil if you leave them on the counter. Remove them from the fridge about 10 minutes before serving to allow them to soften a little.
If your chocolate mixture is too hard to roll after removing it from the refrigerator, leave it at room temperature for a few minutes. If it gets too soft as you are rolling the balls, you can return it to the fridge for a short time.
Yes, you can also coat the truffles in melted chocolate. The best method to coat these balls in chocolate is to use a fork and gently tap any excess on the side of the bowl.
I like to use a toothpick to remove excess melted chocolate from the bottom of the fork and then gently push the truffle onto a baking sheet to harden before serving.
Other Easy No-Bake Balls Recipes
- Birthday Cake Oreo Balls
- Pecan Pie Balls
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Energy Balls
- Easy Monster Cookie Oatmeal Power Balls
- Mint Oreo Truffles
- Lemon Oreo Truffles
- Raspberry Truffles
- Kahlua Balls
Chocolate Orange Truffles
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tbsp fresh orange zest (plus more for optional garnish)
- 1½ tsp pure orange extract
- 12 ounce package dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for rolling the truffles in)
Instructions
- Add the heavy cream to a medium size microwave safe bowl.
- Heat the cream for 1 minute in the microwave.
- Whisk in the orange zest and orange extract.
- Add the dark chocolate chips to cream mixture, and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated. You can return the bowl to the microwave and heat in 15 second intervals if the mixture is not warm enough to completely melt the chocolate.
- Once the chocolate mixture is smooth, cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 30 – 35 minutes. This will chill the chocolate enough to be molded.
- Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, or a tablespoon to scoop out the chocolate.
- Roll the chocolate in the granulated sugar to completely coat.
- Place the truffles on a lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the truffles for up to 3 months. Place the truffles in a freezer safe container. Allow the truffles to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- You can heat the heavy cream on the stovetop, rather than heating it in the microwave.
- Make sure your heavy cream is hot before adding in the chocolate, otherwise it won’t melt!
- When zesting the orange, try avoiding the white pith as much as possible.
- You can substitute milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips for the dark chocolate chips.
- You can substitute cocoa powder or sanding sugar to roll the finished truffles in.
Sounds Yummy