Cheesecake Truffles
It’s “Cookie Time!” Everyone’s baking and all excited about it. Me, not so much, but every December my friends host a fun Cookie Exchange Party so I pull out my Kitchen Aid and get to work. If I even consider taking a pass, my kids lobby hard to keep me in the game. They anticipate the array of creations that come home after the event, knowing that there will be cookies more elaborately decorated, intensely flavored or flat-out more adventurous than any in my repertoire.
This year a “no-bake” recipe caught my eye early in my planning and I just couldn’t shake the thought of it. The recipe was for Cheesecake Truffles promoted by Philadelphia Cream Cheese and I promise that it was more than the lack of oven time that appealed to me. The “truffles” are actually little mini cheesecakes that I thought would be a great entry in the Exchange.
As you will see, these Cheesecake Truffles are not likely to win the “Best Looking” category but the taste is spot on and “Most Creative” could be calling my name. Give them a try and let me know if you think they’re a winner. In the meantime, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I will see you in 2017!
Cheesecake Truffles
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 graham cracker, finely crushed
- 1 oz. Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in medium bowl with mixer until blended.
- Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition.
- Freeze 1 hour or until cream cheese mixture is firm enough to handle.
- Shape cream cheese mixture into 40 balls, using about 1 rounded tsp. cream cheese mixture for each ball. I used a small cookie scoop which worked well, and left the bottoms flat.
- Place in single layer in shallow pan; refrigerate 15 min. or until firm.
- Melt chocolate as directed on package.
- Dip bottom halves of cheese balls, 1 at a time, in graham crumbs; place, crumb sides down, on waxed paper-covered plate.
- Drizzle with melted chocolate; refrigerate 15 min. or until firm.
- I doubled the recipe to make enough for the Cookie Exchange and it worked out well.