If you want to surprise your favorite chocolate lover with some homemade candy, then you must try our amazing chocolate mint truffles recipe. These decadent, melt in your mouth dark chocolate truffles are flavored with peppermint extract and covered in white and dark chocolate. For a quicker finish you can also roll them in cocoa powder.
These scrumptious little treats are the perfect after dinner dessert, but can also be served at parties or wrapped in a decorative box and given as a gift. Since our Andes mint truffles are both vegetarian and gluten free, they can be enjoyed by most everyone.
Even though these white and dark chocolate mint truffles taste incredible on any day of the year, they can also easily be decorated to match most holidays by adding color to your white chocolate and topping them with colorful sprinkles.
❤️ WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS MINT TRUFFLE RECIPE
✔️ Only 3 ingredients and 3 optional ingredients.
✔️ Easy to make without tempering chocolate.
✔️ Truffles make great gifts and holiday treats.
CHOCOLATE MINT TRUFFLES INGREDIENTS
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for the chocolate mint truffles recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Dark Chocolate: Any kind of semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate bar works well here. Even though chocolate bars usually guarantee a smoother ganache, chocolate chips can be used here in a pinch.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Heavy cream, heavy whipping cream or double cream work well to make ganache. Do not substitute half and half or your ganache won't set properly.
- Peppermint Extract
- Andes Mints (optional)
- Chocolate Melting Wafers (optional): We like using dark chocolate and white chocolate Ghirardelli brand.
INSTRUCTIONS
This section shows how to cook peppermint chocolate truffles, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.
CHOP THE CHOCOLATE: Chop the dark chocolate bars and place the chocolate pieces in a small heat-proof bowl.
HEAT THE CREAM: Simmer the cream in a small saucepan, heating just until it comes to a boil. You can also microwave the heavy cream just until simmering rather than heating it on the stovetop.
POUR OVER CHOCOLATE: Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate.
COVER WITH A PLATE: Put a large plate or lid over the bowl to trap the heat. This will melt the chocolate.
WHISK UNTIL SMOOTH: Once the chocolate is melted (about 5-7 minutes) whisk the chocolate/cream mixture until it turns into a glossy chocolate ganache. If needed, microwave the mixture for a few seconds at a time and stir until smooth if some of the chocolate has not melted all the way.
ADD PEPPERMINT EXTRACT: Then add peppermint extract and whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth.
CHILL: Place the ganache in the refrigerator or freezer for about 2 hours to firm up.
🔴 TIP: You can refrigerate the truffles ahead and coat them on the day you want to serve them.
SCOOP GANACHE: Using a scoop or a melon baller, scoop tablespoons of the firm chocolate ganache.
ROLL INTO BALLS: Then roll the ganache between your hands to form round balls.
PLACE ON SHEET PAN: Place the formed truffles onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
CHILL: Put the truffle balls back into the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes longer.
MELT CHOCOLATE WAFERS: Meanwhile, melt the dark and white chocolate melting wafers in 2 separate bowls. Microwave each bowl for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval, until smooth and melted through.
COVER WITH CHOCOLATE: Set a truffle onto a fork (do not stab with the fork). Dip one truffle at a time into the melted chocolate, coating on all sides, then lifting from the chocolate.
FINISH COATING WITH CHOCOLATE: Tap the fork gently to shake off excess chocolate and then set on a sheet of parchment paper. Coat half the truffles with dark chocolate and half of them with white chocolate. Allow chocolate to set.
DECORATE: Transfer the remaining melted chocolate into a small ziploc bag or piping bag. Snip off the corner of the bag and drizzle melted chocolate over the tops of the set truffles.
🔴 TIP: You can refrigerate the truffles ahead and coat them on the day you want to serve them.
CHOP MINTS AND TOP TRUFFLES: Chop Andes Mints into small pieces. Place a few pieces on top of each truffle to decorate.
TIPS FOR THE BEST MINT TRUFFLES
Follow these tips to make the best mint chocolate truffles.
✔️ Choose good chocolate. You can make truffles with any chocolate but we think they taste better when you start with good chocolate.
✔️ Be careful with the heavy cream. Cooking the heavy cream at too high of a temperature or for too long can cause it to scald.
✔️ Use a melon baller. A melon baller scoop makes uniform truffles. You don't need one but it's a handy tool to use.
✔️ A little mint goes a long way. If you're used to using extracts like vanilla, you may play a little fast and loose with measurements. Mint can be very overpowering if you add too much so make sure you measure.
✔️ Microwave the chocolate candy melts for the outer coat. Microwave the candy melts in 20-30 second increments, stirring in between. When there are just a few bit unmelted, stop microwaving and stir until it's all melted. Do not add water to your chocolate melts because it will cause the chocolate to seize up and not be usable.b
STORAGE TIPS
Refrigerate: Store your homemade chocolate truffles in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Freeze: Try freezing your peppermint truffles in a single layer first (on a plate or cutting board). As soon as they are solid you can transfer them to a freezer safe container or bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Use parchment or freezer paper if needed between layers to keep them from sticking together.
Defrosting: Allow frozen truffles to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
MORE TRUFFLE RECIPES
If you love easy chocolate truffles you'll enjoy our Molten Chocolate Muffins or Chocolate Mint Muffins.
RELATED RECIPES
We love peppermint truffles and we also love some of these other recipes and think you will as well.
- PEPPERMINT BARK - The perfect combination of soft and crunchy, sweet and creamy, this is hands down the best peppermint bark you will ever make.
- MINT OREO COOKIE ICE CREAM - This super easy, egg free mint oreo ice cream is super tasty just as is or topped with chocolate syrup.
- LAYERED CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT FUDGE - You only need 4 ingredients to make this perfectly silky and simply amazing holiday treat.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Unfortunately half and half cannot be used to make truffles. Heavy cream, heavy whipping cream or double cream work well to make ganache. If you substitute half and half your ganache won't set properly.
It sure can! You can easily make the ganache the day before you roll, coat and decorate your truffles. Do not store the ganache in the freezer overnight, because you won't be able to roll frozen solid ganache.
For Valentine's Day or Mother's Day, add some red or pink food coloring to your white chocolate and sprinkle with red and pink sprinkles.
On St. Patrick's Day you can dye your white chocolate green and top your truffles with green sprinkles.
Top your truffles with red, white and blue chocolate drizzle for Independence day and add some star sprinkles.
To give these Andes truffles a christmasy twist, top them with some crushed candy canes.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 4oz dark chocolate bars - chopped
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 12 Andes Mints
- 10 oz dark chocolate melting wafers - we like Ghirardelli
- 10 oz white chocolate melting wafers or chips
Instructions
- Place chopped dark chocolate pieces in a small heat-proof bowl.
Simmer the cream in a small saucepan, heating just until it comes to a boil.
Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate.
Put a large plate or lid over the bowl to trap the heat. This will melt the chocolate.
Once chocolate is melted (about 5-7 minutes) add peppermint extract.
Whisk chocolate/cream mixture until it turns into a glossy chocolate ganache. If needed, microwave the mixture for a few seconds at a time and stir until smooth if some of the chocolate has not melted all the way.- Place the ganache in the refrigerator or freezer for about 2 hours to firm up.
Scoop tablespoons of the firm chocolate ganache and roll it between your hands to form round balls.
Place the formed truffles onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Put the truffle balls back into the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes longer.- Meanwhile, melt the dark and white chocolate melting wafers in 2 separate bowls.
- Microwave each bowl for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval, until smooth and melted through.
Set a truffle onto a fork (do not stab with the fork). Dip one truffle at a time into the melted chocolate, coating on all sides, then lifting from the chocolate.
Tap the fork gently to shake off excess chocolate and then set on a sheet of parchment paper.
Coat half the truffles with dark chocolate and half of them with white chocolate.- Allow chocolate to set.
Transfer the remaining melted chocolate into a small ziploc bag or piping bag. Snip off the corner of the bag and drizzle melted chocolate over the tops of the set truffles.
Chop Andes Mints into small pieces. Place a few pieces on top of each truffle to decorate.
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