Homemade Peppermint Chocolate Truffles

I didn’t grow up making truffles—they seemed like something only fancy chocolatiers could pull off. The kind of thing you’d buy in a gold box, not make in your own kitchen on a Tuesday night.

Turns out, I was totally wrong. Peppermint chocolate truffles are actually pretty simple to make at home. Yes, you need good chocolate and a little patience while they set, but the actual steps? Not complicated at all. You’re basically melting chocolate with cream, adding peppermint, letting it firm up, and then coating the balls in more chocolate or cocoa powder. That’s it. No fancy equipment needed, and definitely no culinary degree required.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For truffles, you’ll want to use good quality couverture chocolate rather than regular chocolate chips, as it contains more cocoa butter and melts more smoothly. The recipe calls for chocolate with 55-70% cocoa content, which gives you some flexibility depending on how sweet or intense you want your truffles to be. If you prefer a sweeter truffle, stick closer to 55%, but if you like a more grown-up, less sweet flavor, go for something in the 65-70% range. You can find couverture chocolate at specialty baking stores or online, and brands like Callebaut, Valrhona, or Guittard are solid choices that won’t break the bank.

Options for Substitutions

While truffles are a bit finicky, there’s still some room to work with what you have:

• Couverture chocolate: If you can’t find couverture chocolate, regular high-quality chocolate bars will work. Just look for something with similar cocoa content (55-70% for the ganache, and any good semisweet chocolate for coating). The texture might be slightly different, but your truffles will still taste great.
• Heavy cream: You can use half-and-half in a pinch, though your ganache will be a bit softer. Avoid using milk as it won’t set properly.
• Peppermint extract: Feel free to swap this with other extracts like vanilla, orange, or almond for different flavor profiles. You could also use 2-3 tablespoons of peppermint schnapps or crème de menthe for an adult version.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter works fine – just skip the sea salt in the recipe to keep the flavor balanced.
• Candy canes: Any hard peppermint candies work here. You can also skip the topping entirely and just roll the truffles in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, or crushed nuts.
• Cocoa powder: Regular unsweetened cocoa powder from the grocery store works perfectly fine if you don’t have specialty cocoa powder.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making chocolate truffles is adding the butter while the ganache is still too hot, which can cause it to separate and become greasy – wait until the chocolate mixture cools to around 90°F before stirring in the softened butter for a smooth, creamy texture.

Another common error is not chilling the ganache long enough before rolling, so give it at least 2-3 hours in the fridge until it’s firm enough to scoop without sticking to everything.

When dipping your truffles in the melted chocolate coating, make sure the chocolate is tempered properly (around 88-90°F for dark chocolate), otherwise it won’t set with that nice snap and glossy finish.

Finally, don’t skip letting the rolled ganache balls come to cool room temperature before dipping them – if they’re too cold from the fridge, the temperature difference can cause the coating to crack or develop condensation.

What to Serve With Peppermint Chocolate Truffles?

These truffles are perfect on their own as an after-dinner treat, but they’re also great alongside a cup of hot coffee or espresso to balance out the sweetness. If you’re serving them at a holiday party, set them out on a platter with other desserts like shortbread cookies, brownies, or fudge for a nice variety. They also pair really well with a glass of red wine or even hot chocolate if you want to go all-in on the chocolate experience. For a fun presentation, arrange them in small paper cups or on a decorative plate dusted with extra cocoa powder.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your peppermint truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I like to place parchment paper between layers so they don’t stick together. They taste amazing cold straight from the fridge, or you can let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving for a softer, creamier texture.

Freeze: These truffles freeze really well for up to 3 months. Just arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers. Perfect for making ahead during the holidays!

Serve: When you’re ready to enjoy frozen truffles, let them thaw in the fridge for a few hours or at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. They’re best served slightly chilled so the chocolate coating stays firm and doesn’t get too soft in your hands.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3250-3550
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 250-280 g
• Carbohydrates: 300-330 g

Ingredients

For the ganache:

• 12.7 oz dark couverture chocolate (high-quality, 70% cacao preferred)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (cold)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 tsp peppermint extract (or 1 tbsp fresh peppermint leaves, finely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

For the coating:

• 300 g semisweet couverture chocolate (tempered for glossy finish)

For the topping:

• chopped candy canes (crushed into 1/4-inch pieces)
• cocoa powder

Step 1: Prepare the Peppermint Ganache Base

• 12.7 oz dark couverture chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Chop the dark couverture chocolate into small, uniform pieces (about 1/4 inch) and place in a heatproof bowl.

In a small saucepan, combine the cold heavy cream and sea salt, then heat over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer—you’ll see small bubbles forming around the edges.

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl with a lid or plate, and let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute to allow the residual heat to soften the chocolate.

This gentle approach ensures the chocolate melts evenly without scorching.

Step 2: Emulsify the Ganache with Flavor and Richness

• ganache from Step 1
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter

Remove the cover and stir the chocolate-cream mixture gently with a spatula until completely smooth and glossy—this takes about 1-2 minutes of steady stirring.

Once smooth, add the peppermint extract (or fresh chopped peppermint leaves) and mix thoroughly to distribute the flavor evenly.

Add the room-temperature butter in small pieces, stirring until each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next; this creates a silky, luxurious texture.

I prefer using extract over fresh peppermint for a more concentrated, uniform minty flavor throughout.

Step 3: Chill the Ganache Until Scoopable

• ganache from Step 2

Pour the finished ganache onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or into a shallow container, spreading it evenly to a thickness of about 1 inch.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until the ganache is firm enough to scoop but still pliable.

The ganache should hold its shape when scooped but not be rock-hard—this makes rolling into balls much easier and prevents cracking.

Step 4: Shape the Ganache Into Truffles

• chilled ganache from Step 3

Remove the chilled ganache from the refrigerator and, working quickly so it doesn’t warm too much, use a small melon baller or two spoons to scoop out portions and place them on a clean sheet of parchment paper.

Using your hands (lightly dusted with cocoa powder if they stick), gently roll each portion into a smooth sphere about 3/4 inch in diameter.

If the ganache becomes too soft while working, chill it again for 10-15 minutes; I like to chill the shaped balls for another 30 minutes before dipping to ensure they hold their shape during coating.

Step 5: Temper the Coating Chocolate and Prepare for Dipping

• 300 g semisweet couverture chocolate

Temper the semisweet couverture chocolate according to the manufacturer’s instructions (this typically involves melting, cooling, and reheating to specific temperatures for a glossy, snappy finish).

Once tempered, pour the chocolate into a narrow, deep bowl suitable for dipping—it should be deep enough for the truffle to be submerged easily.

Working with tempered chocolate ensures a professional-looking coating with a satisfying snap and prevents the chalky appearance of untempered chocolate.

Step 6: Dip, Decorate, and Set the Truffles

• chilled truffles from Step 4
• tempered chocolate from Step 5
• chopped candy canes

Using a dipping fork or small fork, gently lower a ganache ball into the tempered chocolate, submerge it for 1-2 seconds, then lift it out and tap gently on the rim of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.

Place the coated truffle on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Immediately sprinkle a few crushed candy cane pieces on top of each truffle before the chocolate sets (within 10-15 seconds).

Repeat with remaining ganache balls, then allow all truffles to set at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

For a double-coated look, dip each truffle a second time once the first coating has set, then top again with crushed candy canes.

Step 7: Finish with Cocoa Powder and Store

• set truffles from Step 6
• cocoa powder

Once all truffles are completely set and any remaining chocolate has hardened, roll half of the truffles in cocoa powder for a contrasting presentation and elegant finish (this step is optional—leave some plain if you prefer).

Gently place them back on a clean sheet of parchment paper.

Store the finished truffles in an airtight container at cool room temperature (or refrigerated for up to 2 weeks); avoid placing them in the freezer as temperature fluctuations can cause the chocolate coating to bloom.

Homemade Peppermint Chocolate Truffles

Delicious Homemade Peppermint Chocolate Truffles recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings 30 truffles

Calories 3400 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the ganache:

• 12.7 oz dark couverture chocolate (high-quality, 70% cacao preferred)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (cold)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 tsp peppermint extract (or 1 tbsp fresh peppermint leaves, finely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

For the coating:

• 300 g semisweet couverture chocolate (tempered for glossy finish)

For the topping:

• chopped candy canes (crushed into 1/4-inch pieces)
• cocoa powder

Instructions

 

• Chop the dark couverture chocolate into small, uniform pieces (about 1/4 inch) and place in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the cold heavy cream and sea salt, then heat over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer—you'll see small bubbles forming around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl with a lid or plate, and let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute to allow the residual heat to soften the chocolate. This gentle approach ensures the chocolate melts evenly without scorching.
• Remove the cover and stir the chocolate-cream mixture gently with a spatula until completely smooth and glossy—this takes about 1-2 minutes of steady stirring. Once smooth, add the peppermint extract (or fresh chopped peppermint leaves) and mix thoroughly to distribute the flavor evenly. Add the room-temperature butter in small pieces, stirring until each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next; this creates a silky, luxurious texture. I prefer using extract over fresh peppermint for a more concentrated, uniform minty flavor throughout.
• Pour the finished ganache onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or into a shallow container, spreading it evenly to a thickness of about 1 inch. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until the ganache is firm enough to scoop but still pliable. The ganache should hold its shape when scooped but not be rock-hard—this makes rolling into balls much easier and prevents cracking.
• Remove the chilled ganache from the refrigerator and, working quickly so it doesn't warm too much, use a small melon baller or two spoons to scoop out portions and place them on a clean sheet of parchment paper. Using your hands (lightly dusted with cocoa powder if they stick), gently roll each portion into a smooth sphere about 3/4 inch in diameter. If the ganache becomes too soft while working, chill it again for 10-15 minutes; I like to chill the shaped balls for another 30 minutes before dipping to ensure they hold their shape during coating.
• Temper the semisweet couverture chocolate according to the manufacturer's instructions (this typically involves melting, cooling, and reheating to specific temperatures for a glossy, snappy finish). Once tempered, pour the chocolate into a narrow, deep bowl suitable for dipping—it should be deep enough for the truffle to be submerged easily. Working with tempered chocolate ensures a professional-looking coating with a satisfying snap and prevents the chalky appearance of untempered chocolate.
• Using a dipping fork or small fork, gently lower a ganache ball into the tempered chocolate, submerge it for 1-2 seconds, then lift it out and tap gently on the rim of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Place the coated truffle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle a few crushed candy cane pieces on top of each truffle before the chocolate sets (within 10-15 seconds). Repeat with remaining ganache balls, then allow all truffles to set at room temperature for about 30 minutes. For a double-coated look, dip each truffle a second time once the first coating has set, then top again with crushed candy canes.
• Once all truffles are completely set and any remaining chocolate has hardened, roll half of the truffles in cocoa powder for a contrasting presentation and elegant finish (this step is optional—leave some plain if you prefer). Gently place them back on a clean sheet of parchment paper. Store the finished truffles in an airtight container at cool room temperature (or refrigerated for up to 2 weeks); avoid placing them in the freezer as temperature fluctuations can cause the chocolate coating to bloom.