These are the no-bake 4-ingredient holiday cookie that’s all over Pinterest every Christmas. Crushed sugar cookies + cream cheese rolled into balls, dipped in white chocolate, finished with festive sprinkles. Tastes like the best part of a sugar cookie made portable. Thirty minutes plus chill time, makes 24 truffles, perfect for cookie boxes or hostess gifts or school class parties.
Fun fact: cookie truffles were invented by accident in the early 1990s when Trader Joe’s bakers were figuring out what to do with broken cookies. They mixed the crumbs with cream cheese, rolled them, dipped them, and sold them as truffles. The technique works with any cookie — Oreos, gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, biscoff. The sugar cookie version specifically blew up on Pinterest in 2016 because of how beautiful they look with red and green sprinkles.
Why this recipe works
STORE-BOUGHT COOKIES WIN. Pepperidge Farm, Trader Joe’s, or Lofthouse sugar cookies all work. Don’t waste time baking sugar cookies from scratch just to crush them.
FULL FAT CREAM CHEESE. The fat + tang are what give truffles their soft, fudgy center. Reduced-fat = watery, mushy.
CHILL BEFORE DIPPING. 30 minutes in the freezer makes the balls firm enough to dip without falling apart. Room-temp balls disintegrate in melted chocolate.
Ingredients
Serves 24 truffles.
Truffle base:
1 package (16 oz / 450 g) store-bought soft sugar cookies (Pepperidge Farm Tahoe or similar)
4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Coating:
12 oz (340 g) white chocolate or white candy melts
1 tbsp coconut oil (helps the chocolate stay smooth)
Decoration:
Festive sprinkles (red, green, white, gold)
Crushed sugar cookies (for tops)
Instructions
Step 1: Crush the cookies
Break sugar cookies into chunks and pulse in a food processor until fine crumbs form (no big chunks). About 60 seconds. Reserve 2 tbsp of crumbs for topping.
Step 2: Mix in cream cheese
Add softened cream cheese, vanilla, and salt to the processor. Pulse until a thick, uniform dough forms — about 30 seconds. Should hold together when you squeeze a clump.
Step 3: Roll the balls
Scoop 1-tbsp portions and roll into smooth balls between your palms. Place on a parchment-lined tray. You’ll get about 24.
Step 4: Chill the balls
Freeze the tray for 30 minutes (or refrigerate 1 hour). They must be firm before dipping.
Step 5: Melt the chocolate
Combine white chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between, until smooth. Don’t overheat (white chocolate seizes easily).
Step 6: Dip
Drop a cold ball into the melted chocolate. Use 2 forks to roll it gently to coat. Lift out and tap to drain excess. Place back on parchment.
Step 7: Decorate immediately
While still wet, top each truffle with sprinkles and a pinch of reserved cookie crumbs. The chocolate sets in 5 minutes.
Step 8: Set and store
Refrigerate 15 minutes to fully set. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition information
Calories: 130 kcal per truffle
Protein: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 16 g
Sugar: 12 g
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Pro tips for the best sugar cookie truffles
CANDY MELTS are foolproof. If you’ve never tempered chocolate, use white candy melts (Wilton, Ghirardelli) — they melt smoother and set harder. Real white chocolate is tastier but trickier.
Decorate FAST. Sprinkles must go on within 30 seconds of dipping or they won’t stick. Have them open and ready before you start dipping.
Make any FLAVOR. Use Oreos for chocolate, gingersnaps for spicy, biscoff for caramel. Same technique, infinite variations.
PACKAGING for gifts. Place in mini paper cupcake liners in a tin. Stays fresh 5 days fridge. Looks like fancy bakery gift.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use homemade sugar cookies?
Yes — but they must be SOFT cookies, not crisp. Hard cookies don’t mix into the right truffle texture. Pepperidge Farm Tahoe or similar soft sugar cookies are perfect.
My chocolate seized — what happened?
White chocolate burns at lower temps than dark. Use 50% power on the microwave, stir often. If it seizes, add 1 tsp shortening or coconut oil and microwave 10 more seconds.
How long do they keep?
5 days fridge in an airtight container. Don’t leave at room temp longer than 2 hours (cream cheese).
Can I freeze them?
Yes — 2 months frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. Chocolate may bloom slightly (white film) but flavor is fine.
Can I make these dairy-free?
Sub vegan cream cheese (Tofutti or Kite Hill) and use dairy-free white chocolate (Pascha brand). Result is good if not identical.
