As soon as I set each dipped truffle back on the parchment, I immediately add the sprinkles. If I wait even 30 seconds, the chocolate sets and the sprinkles bounce right off. I usually work in small batches of 5 or 6 so I can sprinkle quickly. After I finish dipping them all, I chill them again until the chocolate hardens completely. The final result is a tray full of glossy, festive truffles that look far fancier than they actually are—and they taste like a holiday dream.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I’ve tested this recipe three different ways—using natural peanut butter, chunky peanut butter, and creamy—and creamy peanut butter hands-down gives the smoothest, most nostalgic filling. Chunky peanut butter makes the texture uneven, and natural peanut butter separates too easily. Stick with regular creamy peanut butter and your truffles will turn out perfectly smooth.
Another trick I learned after many batches is to freeze the truffle balls before dipping. The very first time I made these, I dipped them at room temperature, and they melted into soft blobs and fell apart into the chocolate. Chilling firms them enough to withstand dipping and gives you that beautiful round shape every time.
If your white chocolate starts to thicken while you’re dipping, don’t panic—I’ve had this happen more than once. Just pop the bowl back in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir it smooth again. Adding even a tiny splash of oil (¼ tsp) can also revive thickening chocolate, but don’t add too much or the coating won’t set properly.
Finally, invest in parchment paper. Wax paper can sometimes cause the truffles to stick, especially if the chocolate pools around the bottom. Parchment guarantees a clean release and keeps the bottoms looking smooth. I learned this when half my early truffles glued themselves to wax paper and tore apart when I tried to lift them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I made the mistake of using cold butter once, thinking the mixer would break it up anyway. It didn’t. It left little lumps in my filling that never smoothed out, and the texture was all wrong. Make sure your butter is soft—room-temperature soft—before mixing.
Another mistake is skipping the chilling stage. I know it’s tempting to rush straight to dipping, especially when the kitchen smells like peanut butter candy heaven. But room-temperature filling melts too quickly and creates messy, misshapen truffles. Even 10–15 minutes in the freezer makes a huge difference.(See the next page below to continue…)