These sweet treats go by many names including Oreo balls, chocolate covered Oreo balls, Oreo truffles, and Christmas balls. Whatever you like to call them, they are delicious and delightfully easy to make. These oreo balls have only 3 ingredients and are made with gluten free Oreo alternatives.
Gluten free alternatives to Oreos
Disclaimer: Everyone has a different tolerance for gluten and reacts differently to products. Make sure to do your own research before trying a new gluten free product.
If you are making gluten free Oreo balls, you first have to find a good gluten free alternative to Oreos. I have tried a few gluten free Oreo alternatives and so far my favorite has been Glutino brand chocolate vanilla creme cookies. Glutino cookies are a little harder than standard Oreos and have a little extract crunch to them, but the taste is very similar. I always use these Glutino cookies to make my chocolate covered Oreo balls.
Making Oreo balls without a food processor
The easiest way to make Oreo balls is to use a food processor to crush the Oreos and incorporate the cream cheese. That does not mean that a food processor is required. In fact, I often make these Oreo balls without my food processor because I do not want to dirty my food processor. Here are a few options for making gluten free Oreo balls without a food processor.
- Rather than using a food processor to crush your Oreos, you can crush them using a potato masher and a large mixing bowl. This is the method I generally use to make my Oreo balls. I simply put my Oreos in a large mixing bowl with a flat bottom then mash them using the potato masher.
- You can also put your Oreos in a plastic bag and crush them using a tool with a heavy head like a meat tenderizer or a hammer. This method also works well, you just have to make sure to crush them on a sturdy surface that will not be damaged by the force of your tool. I use this method when I am making a lot of Oreo balls so I can crush more Oreos at once.
Melting chocolate for Oreo balls
After you crush your Oreos and incorporate the cream cheese into them you will have to melt some chocolate and dip the Oreo balls in chocolate. I am going to talk about melting chocolate in the microwave. It can be tricky to melt chocolate in the microwave without allowing the chocolate to seize up or burn. Here are a few tips for melting chocolate in the microwave.
- Some types of chocolate are made specifically for melting. Melting chocolate and chocolate chips are not the same thing. Many people do not realize this, but chocolate chips are made to withstand heat and retain their shape when heated so they are not great for melting. You should use melting chocolate if you can. If you cannot find melting chocolate, chocolate chips will work too. I have definitely made Oreo balls with chocolate chips in a pinch.
- Make sure the bowl you melt your chocolate in and the spoon you use to stir the chocolate are completely dry. Excess water will make the chocolate more likely to seize up.
- If you add a little vegetable shortening to your chocolate during melting, it will make the chocolate smoother and more easy to manage. This will make it easier to dip your Oreo balls.
- Make sure to check your chocolate frequently when you are cooking it. You want to stir your chocolate every 5-15 seconds when you are microwaving it to check the consistency. It is easy to burn chocolate in the microwave.
- Do not wait for the chocolate to be completely liquified to take it out of the microwave. After you take the chocolate out of the microwave it will still be warm and continue to melt. Wait until 70-80% of the chocolate has melted then take the chocolate out of the microwave and stir it until it melts.
Modifications to Oreo balls
Here are some modifications you can make to the oreo balls if you are looking for a little variety
- The easiest modification to make to chocolate covered Oreo balls is to change the type of chocolate you dip them in. Try alternating between white chocolate dipped Oreo balls, milk chocolate dipped Oreo balls, and dark chocolate dipped Oreo balls to see which you like the most.
- Another way to modify Oreo balls is to add additional ingredients to the Oreo and cream cheese mixture. Crushed candy cane pieces make a good addition around the holidays and go particularly well with white chocolate. Nuts are another good addition. Try adding hazelnuts if you like Nutella. You can even substitute some of your cream cheese for Nutella.
Making Oreo balls look good
I generally use the microwave to melt chocolate for Oreo balls. The difficulty with using the microwave as opposed to a burner setup is that the chocolate starts to cool as you are dipping your Oreo balls. As the chocolate starts to cool, it can be difficult to get that nice smooth coating you are used to seeing in pictures. As the chocolate starts to melt I start to add some texture to my Oreo balls. I like to use a spoon to swirl some chocolate around the top in circles. This looks intentional and hides otherwise difficult to conceal textures.
Gluten free Oreo balls
Ingredients
- 10 gluten free Oreos (I recommend you use Glutino brand)
- 1 tbsp cream cheese
- 2/3 cup melting chocolate (I used milk chocolate, but you can use white chocolate or dark chocolate if you prefer)
Instructions
- First you need to crush your Oreos. The easiest way to do this is by using a food processor. If you do not have a food processor there are other options, check out my section above on crushing oreos without a food processor
- Mix the crushed Oreos and the cream cheese then roll the mixture into 10 small balls
- Place these Oreo and cream cheese balls on a baking sheet and freeze them for at least 30 minutes. This will help the Oreo balls maintain their texture when you dip them in chocolate
- Melt your chocolate in the microwave in a small bowl. This should take somewhere between 30 and 60 seconds. Check out my section about melting chocolate in the microwave for tips on making sure the chocolate does not burn
- Dip the Oreo balls in chocolate then set them out on a baking sheet
- Freeze the chocolate covered Oreo balls for another 30 minutes to harden the chocolate. Store in the refrigerator when you are done
Cleanup tips
When you are cleaning up dishes with melted chocolate on them, always clean the chocolate off in hot water. If the chocolate is cooled, it is a mess to get off your dishes. If you use hot water the chocolate will melt and slide right off!
Other recipes you will love
Are you looking for another easy truffle recipe? Check out this recipe for chocolate raspberry truffles. These truffles are made with coconut oil and coconut milk so they are vegan and dairy free.
Are you looking for another fun recipe for vegan truffles? Check out this recipe for vegan coconut truffles. These truffles are made with coconut milk, coconut oil, and shredded coconut so they are packed with lots of creamy coconut flavor!
Are you looking for more easy to prepare gluten free desserts? Then you absolutely need to check out this recipe for no bake Nutella fudge with hazelnuts. This recipe has only 5 ingredients and takes only a few minutes to throw together!
