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Baileys Chocolate Truffles

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Rich, creamy, and intensely bittersweet, these Baileys chocolate truffles are pure, all-encompassing bliss.

Baileys Chocolate Truffles

Rich, creamy, and bittersweet, truffles are mouthfuls of pure, all-encompassing chocolate bliss. And the beauty of them, for those of us who watch what we eat, is that they’re so intense, you really only need one to satisfy your sweet tooth. Though they look fancy, these chocolate truffles are easy to make — seriously, we’re talking one bowl and a microwave! The only tricky part is rolling them because the chocolate is prone to melting from the warmth of your hands (but I have some tips below to help you master that).

“These are blissful indeed – and easy to make.”

Becky

What You’ll Need To Make Baileys Chocolate Truffles

Truffle ingredients including Baileys, heavy cream, and cocoa powder.

Chocolate plays nicely with booze, so a swig of Bailey’s Irish Cream takes these truffles up a notch. However, if you’d like to make them alcohol-free or kid-friendly, go ahead and replace the Baileys with more heavy cream. Finally, the taste of the truffles is dependent on the quality of chocolate you start with, so be sure to use a good one.

Step-by-Step Instructions

To begin, combine the heavy cream, Baileys, butter, and salt in a medium microwave-safe bowl.

Bowl with heavy cream, Baileys, and more.

Microwave on high power until the mixture comes to a boil, 70 to 80 seconds. Watch that it doesn’t boil over. Add the chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds to melt.

Chocolate melting into a bowl of Baileys mixture.

Using a whisk, stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

Whisk stirring melted chocolate into a Baileys mixture.

The mixture should be glossy and smooth. Refrigerate until completely firm, about 3 hours or overnight (to speed this chilling process up, pour the mixture into a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate).

Bowl of glossy chocolate sauce.

Place your coating(s) on a plate. Note that I don’t use straight confectioners’ sugar. I mix it with an equal amount of cocoa powder, as the cornstarch in confectioners’ sugar can give the truffles a slightly “off” taste. Remove the chilled truffle mixture from the refrigerator.

Bowl of chocolate next to a plate of truffle coatings.

Using a small spoon, scoop out about 2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture. Dust your fingertips with the cocoa powder or the confectioners’ sugar/cocoa mixture. Use your fingertips to shape into a rough ball. Quickly and gently roll in your palms to form into a smooth ball, then roll in your topping of choice. (If the chocolate starts to melt from the warmth of your palms, drop the truffle into the cocoa or confectioners sugar/cocoa mixture and lightly coat, then continue rolling.)

Person rolling a truffle in cocoa powder.

Place the truffles in a single layer on a plate or in a storage container, cover, and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving (and keep in mind that they’ll get too soft if left out at room temperature for too long). The truffles will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

Plate of chocolate truffles with various coatings.

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Baileys Chocolate Truffles

Rich, creamy, and intensely bittersweet, these Baileys chocolate truffles are pure, all-encompassing bliss.

Servings: 30 1-inch truffles
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes, plus 3 hours to chill

Ingredients

  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream (okay to substitute heavy cream)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Pinch salt
  • 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghiradelli, chopped
  • Cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed), confectioners' sugar, finely chopped nuts, or unsweetened shredded coconut, for coating (See Tip)

Instructions

  1. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the heavy cream, Baileys, butter and salt. Microwave on high power until the mixture comes to a boil, 70 to 80 seconds. Watch that it doesn't boil over. Add the chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds to melt. Using a whisk, stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is glossy and smooth. Refrigerate until completely firm, about 3 hours or overnight (to speed this chilling process up, pour the mixture into a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate).
  2. Place your coating(s) on a plate. Remove the chilled truffle mixture from the refrigerator. If you've had the mixture in the fridge for longer than 3 hours, you may need to let it sit out at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes so it's malleable enough to work with.
  3. Using a small spoon, scoop out about 2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture. Dust your fingertips with the cocoa powder or the confectioners' sugar/cocoa mixture. Use your fingertips to shape into a rough ball. Quickly and gently roll in your palms to form into a smooth ball, then roll in your topping of choice. (If the chocolate starts to melt from the warmth of your palms, drop the truffle into the cocoa or confectioners' sugar/cocoa mixture and lightly coat, then continue rolling. You may need to wash your hands in cold water from time to time.) Place the truffles in a single layer on a plate or in a storage container, cover, and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving (keep in mind that they'll get too soft if left out at room temperature for too long). The truffles will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen for up to two months.
  4. Tip: If using confectioners' sugar for coating your truffles, mix it with an equal amount of cocoa powder for best results. When used alone, the cornstarch in confectioners' sugar can give the truffles a slightly "off" taste.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (1 truffle (does not include coating) servings)
  • Calories: 57
  • Fat: 4 g
  • Saturated fat: 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 5 g
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Sodium: 7 mg
  • Cholesterol: 13 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • SO good! Pretty easy however they were really wet after a few hours in the fridge and the coating didn’t really stick. I think I’ll try putting in the freezer next time, maybe overnight?

    • — Lisa on December 23, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Lisa, These are pretty soft as far as truffles go. That said, I think freezing them overnight is fine and may help a bit. 😊

      • — Jenn on December 28, 2023
      • Reply
  • My mixture curled initially and then separated when I added the chocolate, so I have a lumpy globe surrounded by liquid! I’ve put it in the fridge but bot sure what will happen to it!

    • — Elspeth Stewart on December 21, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Elspeth, I’m sorry you had a problem with this! It sounds like your chocolate siezed up. Did the chocolate melt easily when you added it to the liquid mixture? Did you happen to use milk instead of cream or make any other substitutions?

      • — Jenn on December 22, 2022
      • Reply
  • I used Aldi Belgian chocolate chips and Baileys as the recipe is written. I doubled, which might be the problem. I set the double batch overnight and it looks solid but when I went to roll them they look terrible. Too soft. Can I add anything to thicken it at this point?

    I have an old Gourmet Magazine (November 1981) for Chocolate Truffles that uses Brandy instead. A very similar recipe to this but it used 2 TSBP of butter. Everything else is pretty much the same. They also had you add the butter separately after the chocolate mixture set? (which meant setting 2 times). Yours seemed easier with one setting???
    Should I try to add more butter at this point or just dispose and start again? Maybe a single recipe???

    • Hi Deb, sorry you had a problem with these. Making a double batch would not have caused an issue. I suspect the fact that you used chocolate chips (instead of a chopped chocolate bar) and that they weren’t the highest quality chocolate may have been a problem. Also, by nature, these are a bit soft and you need to work quickly once you remove them from the fridge. You could try adding a bit more chocolate to them to see if that helps make them more solid.

  • I love all your recipes. This was super easy to make but very messy to eat. I rolled in the cocoa powder and when you eat them the powder gets all over your hands. I served them at a dinner party and then it got all over my table cloth and napkins. Any suggestions to prevent this?

    • So glad you like the recipes! Sorry to hear these were a bit messy to eat — that’s kind of the nature of the beast with cocoa powder. If you make these again, I’d recommend rolling them in something different like chopped nuts or coconut.

  • I made up the recipe and my wife and I rolled them up together on Mother’s Day, it was a lot of fun and they are very decadent. Thank you for posting this recipe.

  • Looks amazing! Doesn’t the heating of the Baileys reduce/burn off the alcohol to make them “kid-friendly?”

    • Hi Michelle, It doesn’t cook for that long, so not sure the alcohol will all burn off. Also, these taste pretty boozy, so not sure how much they would appeal to little ones.

  • Can I substitute chocolate almond bark for the chocolate bars?

    • I don’t think that will work, Anita — sorry!

  • These are blissful indeed – and easy to make. Because I don’t like rolling candy by hand, I used my smallest cookie scoop and it worked great.

  • Sinfully amazing truffles! I had no idea these were so easy to make…. dangerously easy. 😊

    I’ve now made several batches for lil’ gift giving to friends & family this Christmas. Most times I used the Baileys original as written, but two batches were made with orange liqueur & extra cream. Each time I refrigerated overnight for 12+ hours to firm. I found that while shaping the truffles they often do get very soft quickly and became messy even with extra cocoa powder applied. So I solved that by spooning out the entire bowl quickly into rough unshaped teaspoons of the chocolate onto parchment lined quarter baking sheet. Then I refrigerated those tsp drops for an additional 15-30 mins. Afterwards I followed Jenn’s shaping & coating instructions without trouble. Thank you Jenn for sharing such a wonderful treat recipe!

  • Hi
    I just made these and the mixture didn’t come out smooth like yours, I couldn’t find semi sweet chocolate block so I used Lindt 70% cocoa bar.
    I will see what happens when I refrigerate. It didn’t boil even though I microwaved for almost two minutes in high. But it was quite hot.

    • Hi Maureen, how did the truffles turn out?

      • They turned out great! I couldn’t get the nuts and coconut to stick all over they way that yours did but they are delicious. I also rolled them in Skor bits.

        • So glad they worked out! Thanks for the follow-up. 🙂

  • Hi Jenn,
    I made Smitten Kitchen’s recipe for Irish Cream. Will that work in this recipe as an equal substitute for the Bailey’s? Thank you!

    • Sure — enjoy!

  • If I want to increase the amount of Baileys in the truffles, should I decrease the amount of cream used? In addition, can I substitute Chambord, Kahlua or Cointreau for the Baileys?

    • Sure, Ingrid, you could just cut back the amount of cream if you want to use more Baileys. The case would be the same with Kahlua. If you want to use Chambord or Cointreau, you’ll need a little less of them as they both are more intense in flavor.

  • Hi Jenn,

    I was just wondering if I can substitute semisweet chocolate for milk chocolate?

    • I don’t recommend it, Chloe – the truffles will be too soft to handle. Sorry!

  • Can I use milk chocolate instead?

    • Sorry, Immy – milk chocolate won’t work here.

  • Perfect truffles to make ahead and have on hand for the Holidays. Thanks Jenn. Fingers crossed that my husband remembered to order your cookbook for Christmas for me.

  • Jen, could you use Ghirardelli’s semi-sweet chips instead of the solid chocolate? Thanks.

    • — Carla Westerman
    • Reply
    • Hi Carla, I’d recommend sticking with the solid chocolate here – chocolate chips are made with stabilizers to help them retain their shape when heated, so they’re not the best option for this. Sorry!

  • Jenn, Believe it or not ,I do not have a microwave. Can I make it on top of the stove with a double boiler or non stick sauce pan? Thanks!! Vicki, New Hope, Pa.

    • Sure, Vicki – a double boiler is ideal.

  • I’m in Australia & having a hard time finding semi sweet chocolate? What do you recommend I buy?

    • Hi Tracy, I wonder if semi-sweet chocolate is just referred to with a different name? That said, you’re essentially looking for a chocolate that indicates on the package that it contains between 60 and 70 percent cacao. Hope that helps!

  • Hi Jenn,
    I let my mixture sit in the fridge overnight and just finished rolling them. These were a joy to make and taste wonderful too! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    • — Lauren Skinner
    • Reply
  • Hi Jen,

    How do you think these would be with crushed graham crackers either mixed in or coated with?

    Thank you!

    Lisa

    • Hi Lisa, I think these would be tasty coated with graham cracker crumbs! Please LMK how they turn out. 🙂

    • Hi Lisa, I think they would be really good coated with the crumbs. 🙂

  • I tried these twice now, and they never hardened…..same issue as other writer. How are some folks finding them perfect, and some having it not work at all?

    • Sorry to hear you had a problem with these, Brenda! Did you make any changes to the recipe?

      • Hi Jenn,
        I just tried making these today. It was difficult for me to roll it to ball. I took it out from the freezer and try rolling it using my fingers but it quickly turned mush making it very challenging to shape it to ball. Is there any trick that i can use to better handle this? Could it be because I heated the butter and cream for less than a minute?
        I added orange extract and it was delicious. Was wondering if i can add hazelnut extract?

        • Hi Siti, Sorry you had a problem with these getting mushy as you tried to roll them. If you try them again and the chocolate starts to melt as you roll the truffle, drop it into the cocoa or confectioners sugar/cocoa mixture and lightly coat, then continue rolling.) And yes, you could add a tiny bit of hazelnut extract – just keep in mind that a little goes a long way. 🙂

  • Hi jenn!
    Just trying this recipe out like right now. My mixture is currently resting in the fridge! I was wondering if these could be dipped into only chocolate to get a crackly chocolate shell on the outside instead of rolling in the toppings?
    Thanks in advance!

    • Sure, Vanita – that will work. 🙂

    • I allowed these to set in the fridge overnight (i used callebaut couverture chocolate) but these didnt set up as expected. When i tried to make the truffles they ended up like chocolate mush. And ive followed the recipe to the T. What went wrong?

      • Hi Vanita, Did you by chance use milk chocolate as opposed to semisweet?

        • Hi jen, No they were dark callets.. 54. 5% cocoa. Still unsure what went wrong.

          • Hi Vanita, that’s a bit of a head-scratcher as the proportions I use in the recipe are pretty standard. Some recipes use more cream which can create challenges with them setting but that shouldn’t be the case here. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!

            • — Jenn
          • Hi Vanita, did you weigh the Callebaut or did you use a cup (volume)? Asking because 1 cup of Callebaut does not weigh the same as 1 cup of other chocolates.

            • — Maz
    • Hi Vanita – this is how I’m used to eating them from upscale restaurants and candy stores. Can you tell me what chocolate you used to coat them? And any other tips you can provide. I would LOVE to make Gran Marnier truffles in addition to the Baily’s truffles.

      • — Carrie K. on October 29, 2023
      • Reply
  • Can you add an orange liqueur? How much? More cream needed? What about other flavored liqueur?

    • Sure, I’d probably use 1 tablespoon orange liqueur plus 1 tablespoon more cream. And I’d use that same formula for other flavored liqueurs. Hope that helps!

  • These were amazingly easy to make and even easier to eat! Will definitely be making again, and possibly playing with other flavours.

    • — Savannah Russell
    • Reply
  • Wow! These were so easy to make and absolutely delicious.

    I made one batch exactly as the recipe specified, which were amazing. Then I made a second batch without the Bailey’s (using extra heavy cream as specified) but I added a little orange extract and OMG they were so good!

  • Hi Jen, Do these freeze well? Thank you!

    • Yes, Malak, they freeze nicely for up to 2 months. Hope you enjoy!

      • These were absolutely phenomenal!! Thank you so much !!

  • Made these for my husband for valentine’s day. They were easy and very tasty! For one of my dips, I used PB2. It didn’t stick as well as the cocoa powder sugar mixture. Will make them again.

  • I made these for the first time and they were so easy and delicious! I only got about 21 truffles out of the recipe but I would highly recommend them. Thanks for another great recipe Jenn!

  • Can I use a sweet rum cream like Rum Chata instead of the Bailey’s?

    • Sure, Sandra – I think that’d work beautifully. I’d love to know how they turn out.

  • Hi Jen,
    We don’t have a microwave so would this work melting ingredients in a double boiler/bowl over pan on stove?
    Thanks

    • Sure, Miriam, that will work. Hope you enjoy!

  • Do you think PB2 could be used to roll these little gems in?

    • Sure! I’d love to know how they are with the PB2!

  • Can Grand Marnier be substituted for the Bailey’s?

    • Sure, Debra – although you might use a bit less (and more cream) since it’s a bit stronger. I’d love to know how they turn out if you try it.

  • Could I substitute Kaluha for the Bailey’s?

    • Definitely!

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