15 December 2011

Gingerbread Cookie Dough Truffles


Last weekend I bought one of those gingerbread house kits. We decorate one every year and use it as a centerpiece for Christmas. And every year I look at it and relive one of the most horrifying events of my (sheltered) life, but I still keep buying a gingerbread kit. What could be so horrifying, you ask?

I usually refer to it as the "Ant Incident of 'Ought Seven."

Or, "the day I called my husband on the phone and I was so hysterical he couldn't understand what I was saying."

Or, better yet, "the year the ants invaded my house and filled up my gingerbread house kit and I didn't know it until I opened it on the kitchen table."

We'd been having an ant problem for awhile, something to do with cold weather and rain and the neighbors behind us installing a swimming pool. The ants weren't in the kitchen, they were in the bathrooms. And the office. And then, the linen closet where I was storing my "it's not sealed even though it looks like it is" gingerbread house kit.

Every single towel in that linen closet was full of ants. They were on the walls. On the floor. Trails, trails everywhere.

Hence the hysterical phone call to my husband.

To this day, ants creep me out. My daughter thinks it's funny to joke and say, "hey mom! There's an ant on the kitchen counter!"

It's not funny. Really, it's not. Because there is never just one ant.

Strangely, I'm not creeped out by gingerbread house kits. But I'm wary of them. Very wary.

Gingerbread I'm not wary of? These truffles.

I think these were one of the easiest truffles I've ever made. I have realized it is so much easier to dip stuff in chocolate when it is winter and not 85 degrees in my house.

I used a King Arthur brand Gingerbread box mix for my cookie dough. I won it last month from Flour Me With Love and was dying to try it. I don't know if you can buy King Arthur mixes near you, but almost every major brand at the grocery store makes a Gingerbread mix with a cookie variation on the back.


The most important part of making the cookie dough is do not use the egg called for! You don't want to kill your recipients, just make them fat. Substitute the egg with a tablespoon or so of water, just until the mix comes together, like this:


Roll the truffles into little balls and chill until firm, about 30 minutes. (Unless you're cheap like me and refuse to turn on the heater.)


Melt your almond bark or white chocolate melts and dip, dip, dip away.


I topped mine with little gingerbread men sprinkles that were in one of those multi-sprinkle packs. I was giving these away and wanted everyone to know what was inside, but you could use any sprinkle you want, of course. I'm a sprinkle lover, not a dictator.


Package up to give as gifts or keep them for yourself. After trying them I'd wish I'd made them for me!


And in the meantime, I'd keep an eye on the gingerbread house kit. You just never know.

It's the last week of the 12 weeks of cookies!



Gingerbread Cookie Dough Truffles

by Crazy for Crust
Keywords: gingerbread Christmas truffle
Ingredients (about 3-4 dozen, depending on)
  • 1 box gingerbread cookie mix (any brand), plus ingredients called for to make the mix EXCEPT NOT THE EGG.
  • 1 package of white almond bark or white chocolate melts.
  • Sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
  1. Mix cookies according to box directions, substituting about 1 tablespoon of water for the egg. Mix until the dough comes together into a large ball.
  2. Scoop tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened, about 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, melt your almond bark according to package directions. (I like to keep mine warm while I dip over an electric griddle set at 200 degrees and covered by two kitchen towels.)
  4. Dip each ball into the white chocolate. Tap to remove excess and place on a new cookie sheet. Garnish with sprinkles and chill until firm.
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This recipe may be linked with:
MondayMingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of DessertsTuesday2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology), Mushki Loves My Stuff (Mushki Loves), Totally Tasty Tuesdays (Mandy's Recipe Box), Talent Show Tuesday (Chef in Training). WednesdayMrs. Fox's Sweet Party (Mrs. Fox's Sweets) Made It On Monday (Lark's Country Heart), This Chick Cooks.  ThursdaySweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy), Tastetastic Thursday (A little nosh), Sweet Temptations (Talking Dollars and Cents). FridaySweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate). SaturdaySweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos). SundayA Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters), Strut your Stuff Saturday (Six Sisters' Stuff), Moms Crazy Cooking






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