Halloween Oreo Truffles with Creepy Eyeballs (No-Bake)
These no-bake Halloween Oreo truffles are made with crushed Oreos and cream cheese, dipped in white coating and decorated with blue or green irises, black pupils and thin red veins. They need just three main ingredients plus tube icing, and a candy-eye shortcut makes them even faster.
Equipment
- Food processor (or zip-top bag and rolling pin)
- Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- 1-tablespoon cookie scoop (optional)
- Deep, narrow microwave-safe bowl or mug
- Fork
- Toothpick
Ingredients
For the Truffles
- 1 package regular Oreo cookies 14.3 oz, about 36 cookies, filling included
- 8 oz full-fat block cream cheese softened
- 16 oz white candy melts, white almond bark or white baking bars for dipping
- 1 to 2 tsp refined coconut oil or vegetable shortening optional, only if the coating is too thick
For the Eyeballs
- 1 small tube blue decorating icing or gel writing-tip tube
- 1 small tube green decorating icing or gel writing-tip tube
- 1 small tube black decorating icing or gel for the pupils
- 1 small tube red decorating icing or gel for the veins
- 36 small candy eyeballs optional shortcut, used instead of drawing the irises and pupils
Instructions
Make the Truffle Centers
- Crush the Oreos. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pulse the whole cookies, filling included, in a food processor until you have fine, even crumbs with no large chunks. Without a food processor, seal the cookies in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin until fine.
- Mix the dough. Add the softened cream cheese and process (or stir with a sturdy spoon or your hands) until the mixture is dark, evenly moist and clumps together when pressed. There should be no streaks of white cream cheese.
- Shape the truffles. Scoop level tablespoons of dough and roll each between your palms into a smooth ball. Place them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. If the dough sticks to your hands, chill the bowl for 15 minutes first. You should have about 36 truffles.
- Chill until firm. Freeze the truffles for 15 to 20 minutes, or refrigerate about 1 hour. They should feel firm but not frozen solid.
Coat the Truffles
- Melt half the coating. While the truffles chill, put 8 oz of the white coating in a deep, narrow microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power in 30-second bursts, stirring each time, until smooth. Stop heating when only a few small lumps remain and stir until they melt. Melt the remaining coating when the first batch runs low. Keep water away from the coating, because even a drop can make it clump.
- Dip in small batches. Keep the other truffles in the refrigerator while you work. Drop one truffle into the coating, turn it with a fork to cover it completely, then lift it out and tap the fork on the rim of the bowl a few times to shed the excess. Slide the truffle onto the parchment with a toothpick. If you are using candy eyeballs, press one onto each truffle now, while the coating is wet.
- Set the coating. Refrigerate the dipped truffles for about 20 minutes, until the coating is hard, matte and no longer tacky.
Draw the Eyeballs
- Draw the irises. Hold a tube of blue or green icing close to the surface of a truffle and squeeze out a round dot about 1/2 inch wide, then lift away. Add a black dot about 1/8 inch wide in the center for the pupil. Alternate blue and green for variety. Skip this step if you used candy eyeballs.
- Add the veins. With the red icing, draw thin, slightly wavy lines from the edge of the truffle toward the iris, branching once or twice. Stop before reaching the iris. Short, fine lines look more realistic than long ones.
- Let the icing set. Leave the truffles at cool room temperature for about 15 minutes, then refrigerate them until serving.
Notes
Time: Hands-on time is about 75 minutes (prep, dipping and decorating). Chilling and setting add about 55 minutes: 20 minutes in the freezer, 20 minutes for the coating to set and 15 minutes for the icing to set.
Ingredient tips: Use regular Oreos with the filling left in. Double Stuf cookies can make the dough softer and may need extra chilling. Use full-fat block cream cheese, not whipped, tub-style or reduced-fat. Candy melts, almond bark and white baking bars melt smoothest. White chocolate chips often melt thicker and may need a little coconut oil or shortening.
Success tips: Make sure the truffles are firm before dipping, and use a deep, narrow bowl for a smooth shell. If the coating falls from the fork in thick ribbons, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil or shortening at a time. If the shell cracks as it sets, the centers may be frozen too hard, so let them stand for 5 minutes before dipping. Test the icing on parchment first, and wait until the coating is fully set before decorating.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw in the refrigerator. Freezing can affect the icing details, so for the sharpest look, freeze plain coated truffles and draw the eyes after thawing. Keep the container closed for about 10 minutes after taking it out of the fridge to limit condensation on the icing.
Make ahead and serving safety: Coat the truffles a few days ahead and decorate within a day of serving. Because the filling contains cream cheese, do not leave the truffles at room temperature for more than 2 hours. At a party, set out a few at a time and keep the rest chilled.
Allergens: Contains wheat, milk and soy. Check labels on the cookies, coating and icing.
Nutrition: Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 of 36 truffles, based on standard ingredient data. Values vary by brand and portion size. The estimate assumes about 12 oz of the 16 oz coating ends up on the truffles and excludes the decorating icing and optional candy eyes. Cholesterol, potassium, vitamin A, calcium and iron are rough estimates.
Calories per serving: ~125 kcal (estimated)