Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Truffles

Chocolates are good any time, but these Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Truffles are good all the time. Rich and luscious, and covered in colorful sprinkles, these truffles are perfect for the chocolate lover. I have heard the leprechauns love them too!

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Homemade chocolate truffles are seriously so easy to make, and who doesn't like to play with chocolate and for these truffles, SPRINKLES! Don't let those high-end candy shops intimidate you because these tasty confections take just 5-ingredients and don't require any special equipment.

This is how easy it is to make these decadent treats, you just pour heated cream over chocolate and butter, stir and chill, then roll and coat with your favorite toppings.

Instead of making truffles with the ganache try making this Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart for a romantic dessert or even a fun dessert for any time. Here's a super-secret tip, just change the sprinkles on top of the whipped cream to fit your occasion.

What is a chocolate truffle?

This is just a simple chocolate ganache that has become firm enough to roll into a ball and is covered in a flavorful topping.

For basic truffles, you need chocolate and cream to make a ganache

• Chocolate –One thing for sure is you want good quality chocolate, the better quality of the chocolate, the better the truffle. Use baking chocolate that will melt smoothly.  Try Scharfen Barger, Ghiradelli, or Callebaut. Get some good chocolate!!!
• Cream –  Heavy full fat cream is necessary for the ganache consistency and the silky creamy texture you want.

To make the truffles creamier add

• Butter – Adds a layer of richness to the chocolate truffles and adding butter makes the truffles firmer.  The butter will chill and firm up in the fridge and gives the truffles a denser consistency which will help when rolling as well, it's butter, it tastes good!

Add flavorings

• You can add a lot of different flavors to the ganache.  Today it's Baileys Irish Cream to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
• If you prefer an alcohol-free recipe just add extra heavy cream instead of the Irish Cream liqueur.
• Try adding vanilla, coffee, raspberry, mint, or other liqueurs like Chambord, Grand Marnier, port,
• or schnapps. There are so many delicious flavors to add.
• For a bit of a crunch add nuts, coconut, or even cacao nibs to the ganache.

5-Ingredients

Rolling truffles in toppings

Today I am using three different colors of sprinkles and when you use these make sure you have enough to roll the chocolate balls in.  The 3-ounce bottles of sprinkles were enough for all 60 of the truffles.  If you are only using one or two colors you may need two bottles of each color.

I thought the green, shimmering gold, and white sprinkles would make these truffles festive. I gotta say, I am in love with the gold color.

There are so many other toppings you can use like - cocoa powder,  powdered sugar, nonpareil sprinkles, coconut, chopped nuts, or graham crackers.

Let's make truffles

Step 1. Heat the cream in a saucepan or microwave

Step 2. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and the butter then let it sit for a minute so the butter and chocolate can start melting.

Step 3. Stir or whisk until the chocolate and butter are melted and the ganache becomes smooth and shiny.

Step 4. Add the Irish Cream and stir again. You will see the ganache start to thicken.

Step 5. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish – or you can keep it in the bowl. The shallow dish allows the ganache to chill faster. Set in the fridge for at least two hours or more, until the ganache is set.

Step 6. Put the sprinkles in bowls that are big enough to roll the truffles around,  and then scoop out the ganache all at once, then roll the scoops of chocolate into smooth round balls.  Finally, roll the ganache balls in the sprinkles.

Truffle Tips

• The chocolate needs to be chopped into small pieces, the smaller the better. Once you pour the cream over the chocolate the cream will start to cool down and if it has to melt large chunks of chocolate there is a chance you will have pieces of unmelted chocolate.
• If by chance you have small pieces of unmelted chocolate just place the bowl in the microwave for 15 seconds, and stir immediately to get the chocolate melted.
• Make sure the cream is hot when you pour it onto the chocolate.
• Use room temperature butter so it will melt quicker.
• When heating the cream, just heat it to boiling, don't let it sit there and boil, otherwise, the cream will be too hot and the ganache won't come together.
• The truffle balls can be a bit sticky when rolling, make sure the ganache is cold and if it is a hot day, just pop the ganache in the fridge for a couple of minutes. Also, make sure your hands are cold. Run them under cold water occasionally.
• If the sprinkles don't stick, roll the ganache ball between your hands to warm it up, and then the sprinkles will stick.

More chocolate recipes you may enjoy

• Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies - intensely chocolate and a family favorite.
• Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, these slice and bake cookies are covered in the prettiest sprinkles.
• Cacao Nib Chocolate Cookies - slice and bake shortbread cookies are easy to make and these cookies have just a hint of sea salt,
• Chocolate Stout Beer Cake, who knew chocolate and beer pair so well together? This bundt cake serves a crowd.
• This Candy Cane Fudge is always a treat so serve it and even give it as a gift at Christmas.

You can make truffles in any size you like, but the easiest way to scoop the ganache is with a cookie scoop and for today's truffles I used the 1' cookie scoop that holds a ½ tablespoon.

My husband is a total Irishman so we make sure to celebrate St. Patrick's day every year, and since these truffles are small we can nibble on them with our Irish coffee and tea. Well in his case it will probably be a pint of Guinness!

Print Pin

5 from 26 votes

Irish Cream Chocolate Truffles

With intensely rich chocolate flavor, these Bailey Irish Cream Chocolate Truffles are rich, smooth, and creamy. They are just luscious bites of chocolaty goodness.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Course Dessert, Candy

Cuisine Confectionary

Prep Time 45 mins

Cook Time 1 min

chill time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 46 mins

Servings 60 truffles

Calories 45kcal

Author Jere' Cassidy

As an Amazon Associate I earn income from qualifying purchases.

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Equipment

• ▢
  Heatproof bowl
• ▢
  small saucepan ½ quart
• ▢
  1 inch cookie scoop

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 ounces dark chocolate chips You can also use a chocolate bar. Use good quality chocolate such as Schaffen Barger or Ghiradelli
• ▢ ⅔ cup Heavy cream
• ▢ ⅓ cup Irish Cream such as Baileys or Carolans
• ▢ 2 tablespoon butter
• ▢ Green sprinkles
• ▢ Shimmering Gold sprinkles
• ▢ White sprinkles

Instructions

Making the ganache

• Place the chocolate chips or the chopped chocolate in a medium-sized heat-proof bowl. The chocolate needs to be chopped fine so it will melt. I even will chop the chocolate chips down to smaller pieces if they are the larger type of chips.
• Cut the softened butter into small pieces and add it to the chocolate.
• Pour the heavy cream into the saucepan and heat over medium heat just to a boil. You can also heat the cream in the microwave, but be careful of it boiling over.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit a minute to start melting the chocolate, then stir or whisk until you have a completely smooth mixture.
• If you have pieces of chocolate that will not melt, microwave the mixture in 15-second intervals until the mixture is smooth.
• Add the Irish Cream and stir well, at this point the ganache will start to thicken.
• Pour the ganache into a flat shallow dish, such as an 8×8 inch baking pan, spread the mixture smooth. Set the dish in the refrigerator chill for at least 2 hours until it is firm. You can let the ganache sit overnight.

Making the truffles

• Place the sprinkles in shallow bowls, big enough to roll the truffles in
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small scoop such as a ½ tablespoon, 1-inch scoop for small truffles, and then scoop out the chocolate mixture and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Now take the ganache scoops and roll them between the palms of your hands to make the balls nice and smooth.
• Roll the balls in the sprinkles to cover. Place back on the baking sheet and repeat making truffles.
• Refrigerate truffles until ready to serve. Store in an airtight refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Notes

You can make the truffles any size you want. I used a 1-inch cookie scoop to measure out the ganache and made 60 truffles. 

60 truffles sound like a lot, but you will usually want to eat at least two truffles per serving.

To make these truffles alcohol-free, replace the Irish Cream with additional heavy cream.

For the sprinkles, you need a good amount to roll the truffles in. For this recipe, I used the three 3-ounce bottles of sprinkles.  A good source to buy sprinkles is your grocery store if they have a baking department. Mine will sell me a pint of sprinkles.

If buying online it really is best to buy in bulk. And if you bake a lot the extra sprinkles can always be used on baked goods like cookies or cakes.

 

More chocolate recipes to enjoy

Chocolate Stout Beer Cake

Dark Chocolate Slice and Bake Cookies

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies with Cacao Nibs

Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart

 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.2g | Fat: 2.5g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 4mg

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About Jere’

From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending.  Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory recipes with all my baking friends.