Christmas Truffle Recipe Round-Up

Can you believe Christmas is NEXT week?! That's right - just one week away!

If you're anything like me, you need gifts for your neighbors... or your kids' teachers... or random family members who show up at holiday parties... or you just need something deliciously sweet to take your mind off of spending so much time with family over the holidays. ;-)

Whatever the case, these four truffle recipes are sure to hit the sweet-tooth spot AND be a big hit at all holiday gatherings.

Last year, I made all four of these truffles, packaged them up all nice and neat in these adorable Christmas tins (from Dollar Tree - holla!), used mini muffin wrappers to individually hold them... and I took them across the country for my family to eat devour after Christmas dinner. The four different truffle flavors are: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Gingerbread, Egg Nog, and Peppermint Chocolate. YUM.

This year? Yeah, that hasn't happened yet. Don't get me wrong: I want them. But I just got over a terrible sinus infection ordeal that involved a middle of the night trip to the ER on base... and taking care of Annabelle and making gobs of Etsy orders to ship out in time for Christmas has left me feeling less than motivated to do anything else before we head out on our road trip next week. Who knows? Maybe the feeling will strike, and I'll whip one or two of these up... but I promise you won't regret it if you make all four. They're worth it. 

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER TRUFFLES

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                             

Cooking Time: 1 hour (chill time)

Yield: 2 dozen truffles

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 tbsp butter, melted

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• 1+ cup powdered sugar

• 2 tbsp marshmallow fluff (optional)

• 8 oz chocolate candy coating

Directions

1. Melt butter in the microwave.

2. In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, butter, and marshmallow fluff, and stir well to combine.

3. Using a spatula to mix, gradually add 1 cup of powdered sugar, adding more until dough is no longer sticky.

4. Whip peanut butter mixture until no longer clumpy looking.

5. Roll dough into a large ball, and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

6. Roll one inch balls from dough, and place on a cookie sheet.

7. Return the dough balls to the refrigerator.

8. Melt chocolate candy coating according to package directions.

9. Line another baking sheet with wax paper.

10. Dip dough balls into chocolate, and place on the wax paper to dry.

11. Refrigerate truffles when finished. 

GINGERBREAD TRUFFLES

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                             

Cooking Time: 1 hour (chill time)

Yield: 2 dozen truffles

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

• 8 oz ginger snap cookies

• 12 oz white chocolate chips

• decorations (optional)

Directions

1. Line cookie sheet with wax paper.

2. Finely crush ginger snaps in a food processer.

3. Add cream cheese, and pulse until combined.

4. Refrigerate for a half hour.

5. Form into one inch balls, and place on cookie sheet.

6. Insert a toothpick in each one, and freeze for 30 minutes.

7. Melt chocolate chips, stirring often to avoid burning.

8. Use toothpick to dip each ball into melted chocolate, and then remove toothpicks.

9. Use decorations to cover the toothpick holes if you want!

EGG NOG TRUFFLES

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                             

Cooking Time: 1 hour (chill time)

Yield: 2 dozen truffles

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar

• ¾ cup eggnog

• ½ cup butter

• 1 tsp rum flavoring

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• 1 cup marshmallow cream

• 3 cups white chocolate chips

• 1 bar white vanilla/almond bark

• 1 tbsp nutmeg, for garnish

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring sugar, eggnog, and butter to a rolling boil for two minutes.

2. Remove from heat, and mix in rum flavoring and 1 tsp nutmeg.

3. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl, and stir in marshmallow cream and white chocolate chips. Mix until completely melted and incorporated.

4. Refrigerate for one hour.

5. Roll mixture into one inch balls, and freeze for one hour.

6. Melt vanilla/almond bark, and dip each ball until coated.

7. Immediately sprinkle a small amount of nutmeg on each one (as you go so they don’t dry).

8. Allow to set in refrigerator for another 30 minutes. 

PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                             

Cooking Time: 1 hour (chill time)

Yield: 2 dozen truffles

Ingredients

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 cup chocolate chips, melted

• ½ tsp peppermint extract

• 1/3 cup crushed candy canes

Directions

1. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.

2. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring often so they don’t burn.

3. Add melted chocolate and peppermint extract to cream cheese mixture, and beat until smooth and well combined.

4. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

5. Roll into one inch balls.

6. Roll balls in crushed candy canes.

*Note: don’t roll in candy canes until the day you’re serving.

Do you like truffles?

What is your favorite kind?

Do you LOVE all the Christmas desserts like me?

    

The Month of May

May is not over quite yet, but it sure has flown by! I remember last May... leading up to Dan's Air Force Academy graduation and our wedding. The end of the school year and all the craziness that comes along with it.

This year has been slightly calmer, but I think May will always just be one of those months for us. It holds so many events of years' past, and Timehop sure doesn't help.

I have been aching to re-live last May. It was seriously such a magical month. But no worries - this month has been pretty great too! ...with the exception of another ER visit.

We bought some supplies to get started decorating Baby Cookie's room...

We went out together for Cinco de Mayo... don't worry, mine's a virgin daiquiri.

I had some hot cocoa to soak up the last few moments of cooler weather...

Gilligan was handsome as always... he loves hiding in the windows. 

I had another trip to the ER for kidney stones. This time, they admitted me to Labor and Delivery since that's where you go after 20 weeks, and I was 22 weeks. They didn't really know what to do, though... because they do babies, not kidney stones. 

We drove an hour to Columbus to watch Dan's old flying team from the Academy practice and compete at Nationals. It was so cool because I was never able to attend a competition when Dan was on the team because I was always busy teaching... so it was a lot of fun seeing them! 

I made delicious (and super easy!) cookies to take to the flying team... don't worry, I'll share the recipe for these bad boys soon! 

We pretended to be healthy eaters by devouring this berry salad. Just kidding. We both love fruit. We just eat a lot of other desserts too to balance it out. ;-) 

See? Carrot cake muffins stuffed with cream cheese. SO good. I'll share the recipe for these soon as well. 

I was trying to take a selfie with Smudge in our backyard last week... and somehow, this is the best we could get. He just wouldn't look at the camera and instead wanted to block my face. Maybe he was sparing you guys. 

On a random Monday night, we decided we had a hankering for something sweet (go figure, right?), so we went to our backyard fire pit and made s'mores. So worth it! And we had a great time sitting out there in the dark talking. 

How has May been for you?
Do you have one month that always seems busier than others?


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Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Cupcakes: Recipe

Happy Friday! It's almost the weekend! The first thing you should do is check out my giveaway post from earlier this week and make sure you enter to win a fun set of kitchen pun magnets! The giveaway ends tonight at midnight, so don't wait!

Today, I'm sharing one of my all-time favorite cupcake recipes. I LOVE cupcakes, so you know this is a good one if it's a favorite of mine. Oh yeah - and my husband LOVED them too.

I know I'm not the only person in the world who loves chocolate and peanut butter together, but my addiction may be a little overboard. I have devoured Reese's peanut butter cups since I was a kid, and I love mixing peanut butter with chocolate. I often buy chocolate flavored peanut butter just for fun, and it's awesome. This recipe combines all things amazing, and I promise, it won't let you down. 

I mean, come on. Just look at the ooey-gooey peanut butter balls that melt inside the cupcakes. SO FREAKING GOOD. You have to try it.

And topping it with a peanut butter cup? Just adds to the whole chocolate peanut butter element, AND it looks cute!

and now for the best part... the recipe! 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Cupcakes

PEANUT BUTTER BALL INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract


CAKE INGREDIENTS

• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs


FROSTING INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cool whip, thawed
• Reese's peanut butter cups (for decoration)


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Line cupcake tins with 24 liners.
3. Make the peanut butter balls:
   - combine all ingredients
   - beat on medium speed until dry but sticking together
   - roll into one inch balls
   - chill in the freezer while you make the batter.
4. Make the batter:
   - combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl
   - in a liquid measuring cup, stir together sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract
   - in large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about two minutes)
   - beat in eggs, one at a time
   - with mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients
   - mix until just incorporated
5. Scoop 2 tbsp batter into each cupcake liner.
6. Top with chilled peanut butter balls.
7. Add remaining cake batter over the peanut butter balls.
8. Bake for 13-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
9. Let cupcakes cool before frosting.
10. Make frosting:
   - beat together cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter until smooth
   - slowly mix in powdered sugar until smooth and well blended
   - fold in cool whip until well blended and fluffy
   - chill frosting for 10 minutes
   - frost cupcakes
11. Top frosted cupcakes with individual Reese's peanut butter cups

Do you like chocolate and peanut butter together?
What's your favorite flavor of cupcake?


    

Easy Red Velvet Cookies: Recipe

When I first decided that I was going to do the 12 Days of Christmas for my husband, I knew that day one would entail something he loves: baked goods! I didn't want to be that mean lady and just give him ONE, though, just because it was day one... so I made him ONE batch of cookies.

He loves red velvet everything, so I knew these would be a hit. Little did I know that they'd be a hit with me too - because of how simple they are to make! Seriously!

Easy Red Velvet Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tsp cornstarch

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)

• 1 box red velvet cake mix 

• 2 eggs (beaten)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375º.

2. In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine butter, cake mix, and eggs.

4. Roll into one inch balls.

5. Roll balls in powdered sugar mixture.

6. Place balls on baking sheet.

7. Bake for 10-11 minutes - until set. 

8. Store in a Ziploc container.

Make these. Seriously. It'll take you less than 20 minutes, and they are just incredible. 

• Do you like red velvet goodies?
• What is your favorite type of cookie?