Irish Cream Oreo Truffles
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My favorite Oreo truffles have a splash of Irish cream instead of cream cheese for a decadent treat! They’re very easy to make, especially with the help of a food processor, and fun to dip and decorate as you wish. You can definitely taste the liqueur! These will be a hit with the grown-ups at any St. Patrick’s Day gathering.
If you’re looking for an easy, decadent, and pretty treat for sharing, look no further. These little bites have finely crushed Oreos, a splash of rich Irish cream, and a smooth chocolate coating to wrap it all up. It’s an irresistible combination!
Oreo truffles or “Oreo balls” are certainly nothing new, but most recipes call for mixing the cookie crumbs with cream cheese, which is just not personally my favorite. Moreover, when we lived overseas years ago, standard American-style cream cheese was pretty difficult to find. Luckily, it turns out Oreo balls without cream cheese are totally possible, and even open the door to a different flavor—like Irish cream!
Even just a few Tablespoons of liqueur will absolutely infuse the cookie crumbs to create a boozy-tasting bite. If you’re looking for a truly kid-friendly treat, I suggest making my leprechaun bark or St. Patrick’s-themed Rolo pretzel candies instead.
How To Make Oreo Truffles Without Cream Cheese
I initially published this recipe way back in 2018, but the original photos still do a good job of capturing the process! It can help to see the consistency you’re going for that makes it easiest to bind the mixture together into scoop-able balls.
So here we go, step-by-step. Blitz 24 Oreos in a food processor (photo 1). Open the lid to check on them and contemplate what gave that one lone Oreo an outsized will to survive the spinning blade (photo 2). Alas, it too must go.
Once all the Oreos are fine crumbs, add 1/4 cup of Bailey’s or another Irish cream and pulse again until the mixture comes together into a dough-like ball (photo 3). Add one more Tablespoon of liqueur if it’s not coming together.
Scoop and roll the mixture into small balls (photo 4). If you make them a scant Tablespoon each, one batch will yield about 15 truffles. Chill in the fridge for about one hour or in the freezer for 10-15 minutes so they are nice and firm when it’s time to dip and drizzle (photos 5 and 6).
Tips and Tricks for Dipping Chocolate
I think the dipping part of this is often the most intimidating. But it really is easier than it seems, and a few tricks really help!
- Use chocolate designed for melting and dipping. I use Ghirardelli wafers, which are so easy and taste great. In contrast, chocolate chips have additives that make them specifically resistant to melting—that’s how they keep their shape in cookies and so forth—so trying to melt chips is frustrating and can result in a less smooth texture.
- Set out parchment or waxed paper as a drying surface. Do this ahead of time so there’s no panic when your hands are full and the chocolate is hardening.
- Melt the chocolate in a relatively deep bowl. Just a Pyrex prep bowl or large liquid measuring cup works well. You want to have plenty of room.
- Use a fork or dipping tool. This wire candy tool is so handy—it lets you easily dunk and turn each ball, tap off excess coating, and roll it off smoothly to dry.
- Get creative with the extra. You’ll have some melted chocolate leftover, because otherwise it would be impossible to smoothly coat the last few truffles. Dip or drizzle it onto extra Oreos, strawberries, pretzels, marshmallows, dried fruit, etc.
Finishing Touches
Sprinkles: If you want to add sprinkles, chopped nuts, or Oreo crumbs, those should be sprinkled on top right away after dipping so they adhere to the chocolate while it’s still wet. I added gold sprinkles to half of the batch shown here and left the others plain.
Chocolate-on-chocolate Effect: If you want to do a tone-on-tone effect, for instance with white chocolate drizzled over dark, it’s best to wait until the first coating sets fully, and only then melt and drizzle the contrasting chocolate.
More Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day
- Rosemary Cheddar Irish Soda Bread
- Caraway Irish Soda Bread Muffins
- Butter Lettuce Salad with Castelvetrano Olives
- Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
- Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting
Irish Cream Oreo Truffles
Ingredients
- 24 Oreo cookies
- 4-5 Tablespoons Irish cream liqueur such as Bailey's
- 10 ounces chocolate melts for dipping
- sprinkles, Oreo crumbs, etc. optional for decorating
Instructions
- Using a food processor if possible, blitz the Oreos into very fine crumbs.24 Oreo cookies
- Add Irish cream and pulse until the mixture comes together into a thick, dough-like ball.4-5 Tablespoons Irish cream liqueur
- Scoop and roll the mixture into small, round truffles and place on a plate or lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 1 hour, or freeze for 10-15 minutes.
- When the truffles are chilled and firm, melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. One at a time, dip chilled truffles into the melted chocolate using a fork or dipping tool. Allow some excess chocolate to drip off, then place back on the lined baking sheet, or a sheet of parchment or wax paper.10 ounces chocolate melts
- Add any sprinkles or Oreo crumbs right away so they stick to the chocolate.sprinkles, Oreo crumbs, etc.
- Allow to set at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. Store in the fridge or at room temperature. These keep well for at least 2-3 days. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tips for Rolling: Each truffle shown here is a scant Tablespoon worth of dough. When it comes time to roll them, just use the palms of your hands. It helps to use slightly damp hands, and first press the mixture together to pack it tightly, then roll to smooth out the edges.
- Chocolate Melts: You will likely have some extra melted chocolate, but it’s very hard to dip the last truffles if you don’t melt slightly more than is needed just to cover the truffles. You can use the extra for dipping or drizzling onto extra Oreos, strawberries, pretzels, marshmallows, dried fruit, etc.
- Chocolate-on-chocolate Effect: If you want to decorate these truffles with sprinkles or Oreo crumbs, those should be added right away after dipping so they adhere to the chocolate while it’s still wet. If you want to do a chocolate-on-chocolate effect, for instance with white chocolate drizzled over dark, it’s best to wait until the first coating sets fully, and only then melt and drizzle the contrasting chocolate.
- Storage: If serving at a gathering, I store these in an airtight container in the fridge, then allow to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving. But they’re very flexible. If you like the texture of cold treats, you’ll probably love these truffles straight from the fridge. Alternatively, I’ve found they keep fine at room temperature for at least 2-3 days, as long as your kitchen is not too warm.
Nutrition Estimate
This post was originally published on March 13, 2018 and has been updated with new photos and more detailed how-tos.
First, …”that one lone Oreo an out-sized will to survive” line made me snort out loud. Rarely are food blog posts that snarky and cute.
Second, I’m definitely going to make these, but I think I might try using the Mint Oreos. They are addictive on their own, but adding Irish Cream I feel will make them like crack. I’ll probably have to make my own personal stash cause sharing doesn’t seem like an option.
Ha! I’m glad you enjoyed it. A little snark does us all good. 🙂 And, the idea of these with mint Oreos sounds unbelievable. Like, unbelievably dangerous – I would definitely eat them all. I hope you enjoy and totally sympathize with the desire not to share!
I love Irish cream, and I’ve made oreo irish truffles too few times – the flavor is insanely delicious and the texture is amazing. But my version never loked as good as this one. Perfection!
Thanks so much, Ben, you’re too kind! I did find these guys really dangerous to keep around with that crazy good flavor and texture! 🙂
These are truly the most perfect truffles I’ve seen! Beautiful job!
Thanks so much, Marlee, you’re too kind!
I live in France and I know exactly what you mean for cream cheese optimization. This recipe is really good for St Patrick and a little Buzz wouldn’t hurt us. Our toddlers are now teenagers.
Yes! The struggle is real, haha! Glad I’m not the only one carefully balancing cream cheese usage. 😉
I usually hate making cookie truffles because they can be so time-consuming, but your tutorial makes them look way easier than I’ve seen before. These look so amazing!!
Thanks so much, Tiffany! I know what you mean – I have often balked at the thought of it, especially the dipping aspect, but since I realized some of the tips I put in this post it seems totally do-able, which has opened up a whole new world of dessert! 😉
Love oreos but you have bring up a huge notch by making truffles and then with Irish cream. This is just a lovely bite. Could not have only one.
Thanks so much, Adriana! Yes – I kept saying “just one” and then, uh, well, that didn’t happen. So I had to get them out of my house, HA!
Oh my these truffles look so good and chocolatey! Perfect for St. Patrick’s day too ♥
Thanks so much, Natalie! Yes – like an ultra dense chocolate explosion! 🙂
Oh my gosh! These look so delicious and so easy to make too. I love that you added Irish cream liqueur to it; perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
Thank you so much, Marie!