Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate Truffles are smooth and creamy chocolate truffles, decorated to look like pumpkins and packed with pumpkin spice flavor! These clever truffles have a secret–when you add them to hot milk, they dissolve and make the most delicious pumpkin spice hot chocolate!
On one hand, it feels a little early in the year to be posting pumpkin recipes.
On the other hand, my local craft stores have had Halloween supplies out for at least a solid month by now, so I’m just trying to keep up with the Michael’s and JoAnn’s of the world. Also, my family drinks hot chocolate year-round, so this one has been in heavy rotation at our house lately, and you deserve to have the same. Also also, pumpkin spice is freaking delicious and should be an anytime flavor.
In conclusion, we’re doing this pumpkin thing, so haters to the left. <——-
These clever little Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate Truffles are two desserts in one. They’re truffles, yes, filled with pumpkin spice flavor and decorated to look like adorable miniature pumpkins. (pause for squealing here) A whole platter of them, all lined up in cute little rows, would make a perfect fall party treat or edible gift.
But. BUT! Add them to a mug of hot milk, whisk whisk whisk, and you have a delicious cup of pumpkin spice-flavored hot chocolate. Dessert recipes that do double duty? Sign me up!
Making these is surprisingly easy, too! If you can microwave and whisk things, YOU can make them! They get those signature pumpkin ridges from a very fancy tool I call a “wooden skewer,” although a long toothpick would work just as well. No fancy-pants equipment here!
In fact, the only “specialty” ingredient I used was some broken bits of chocolate batons for the pumpkin stems, and that’s only because I had them left over from the Black Forest Cake I made earlier in the year. You could just as easily cut up a chocolate bar into small shards and use that for the stems instead.
The best way I can think to describe these truffles is COZY. One bite and you’ll want to be wearing fuzzy socks in front of a fire, guaranteed. (Bear skin rug entirely optional.)
When you’re done stuffing yourself silly with the regular truffles, heat up a glass of milk until it’s hot but not boiling. Drop a truffle into the cup, make like Bob Marley and stir it up, little darling, and in a few moments you’re holding a rich mug of pumpkin spice hot chocolate! Of course you COULD just drink it plain, but I’d be a bad food blogger if I didn’t suggest you top it with a bit of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ready to make some candy magic? Check out the how-to video, then find the printable recipe down below!
Troubleshooting Tip:
Please make sure you are measuring the chocolate by WEIGHT. It calls for 18 oz of chocolate, as measured on a kitchen scale. I’m specifying this because I get a lot of questions about this, especially from Americans who are used to using cup measurements, and who have been taught that 8 oz is 1 cup.
It is true that 8 fluid ounces (of liquid) is 1 cup, but it is NOT true that 1 cup of every substance weighs 8 ounces on the scale. In fact, 1 cup of finely chopped chocolate is about 6 ounces. If you try to make this recipe by measuring the chopped chocolate in cups, using the “1 cup = 8 ounces” rule, you will shortchange the chocolate and end up with a very soft truffle mixture that will be hard to roll.
If you do end up with a ganache that is too soft to roll, you can warm it up and whisk in a few additional ounces of melted chocolate, then let it chill again. Adding more chocolate will firm up the ganache and hopefully save your truffles!
🍁More Pumpkin Desserts You’ll Love:
If you love pumpkin as much as I do, check out my collection of pumpkin dessert recipes! Here are just a few of my favorites:
Pumpkin Pie Mousse Cups
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients
- 18 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 8 fl oz heavy cream, (1 cup)
- 2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, or more to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz orange candy coating melts
- Chocolate batons, or chocolate shards for the pumpkin stems
Instructions
- Combine the semi-sweet chocolate, heavy cream, cocoa powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on full strength for 1 minute, then whisk well. If any chocolate chunks remain, return to the microwave and heat in 15-second bursts, whisking well after each interval, until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Press a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the chocolate, and refrigerate the bowl for about 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop and roll.
- Dust your hands with a light coating of cocoa powder. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop a golf ball-sized ball of chocolate into your hands, and roll it into a smooth, even ball. (If you want to use a scale, each truffle should be about 1.75 oz.) You should get 14 large truffles from the batch.
- If the balls are very soft, return them to the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before proceeding. Otherwise, use a wooden skewer, and press it into the sides of the truffles, giving the sides of the truffle ridges like a pumpkin. Refrigerate if necessary, until the truffles are firm.
- Melt the orange candy coating in the microwave, stirring until completely smooth. Press a long toothpick firmly into the top of one of the truffles, and holding it by the toothpick, dip it in the orange candy coating until the truffle is completely covered. Let the excess drip back into the bowl, and gently scrape the bottom of the truffle against the lip of the bowl.
- Place the dipped truffle on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or waxed paper, and gently twist the toothpick to remove it from the truffle. (If necessary, you can hold the truffle down in place with a second toothpick while you twist.) While the coating is still wet, break off a piece of a chocolate baton or a shard of chocolate, and press it into the hole left by the toothpick to be the pumpkin’s stem.
- Repeat with the remaining truffles, until all are dipped and decorated. Refrigerate the tray briefly to set the orange candy coating, for about 15 minutes.
- The truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. For the best taste and texture, serve them at room temperature. To turn them into hot chocolate, heat 8 oz of milk in a mug. Add a pumpkin spice truffle to the hot milk, and whisk until the truffle melts and you have a mug of rich hot chocolate. For the ultimate indulgence, top the hot chocolate with a swirl of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Video
Recipe Notes
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?
Nutrition
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Sounds wonderful! Any ideas for Christmas flavors? Maybe snowballs, hmmmmm.
Sounds awesome! I think peppermint chocolate would be really good!
These are so cute! I can’t wait to give these out to people. Thanks for sharing!
So glad you love them!!
My first time making truffles and they never got firm enough to roll in a ball I’m not sure what I did wrong but after three hours in the fridge it was still gooy I tried a few hours in the freezer too
So sorry to hear that! Usually when this happens, it’s because the ratio of liquid to chocolate is off. I would ask if you are sure the ingredients were measured properly. Additionally, milk chocolate usually sets softer than chocolate, so if you substituted that for dark chocolate, there’s a chance it set softer, though it still should have gotten firm. I would double check if there was more liquid than there should have been! Let me know if this helps at all and if you are able to make them again! If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out. Again, so sorry it didn’t work out.
Elizabeth
in slovenia we don’t have the creamer from your recipe…what can i substitut it with ? Love the recipe thoe.
Hi! You can substitute it with an equal amount of heavy cream or whipping cream! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Hi! You can replace it with equal amounts of heavy cream or heavy cream. Let me know how it works out!
I know the recipe calls for the creamer but can you sub it out for something else instead??
Yes, you can use an equal amount of heavy cream or whipping cream!
I will be making ours nut free. You don’t even mention if the orange chocolates or any of it is nut free. So many children have nut allergies and you should have been more careful in letting mothers know that this is NOT nut free or if it is state that it IS NUT FREE. I have removed so many companies from my list of products I buy. I need to know if any of this has nuts in it. My daughter would like to make these today.
Hi Debra, This recipe, as written, does not call for any nut products. The orange coating I used is Mercken’s brand, although Wilton also makes a similar product. The coatings do not contain nuts as an ingredient, although I cannot speak to whether they are packaged in facilities that also process nuts.
Nut allergies, egg allergies, gluten intolerance, and other food illnesses are all serious medical issues that I do not have personal experience with, and I would not feel comfortable including allergy disclaimers on my recipes for this reason. I trust that my readers who do have these medical issues will use their best judgment and doctor’s advice when scanning a recipe’s ingredients and deciding whether it is appropriate for them.
Are any of your recipes nut free?
My husband made them last night. They never set up…and I have melted looking goo with orange Merckens coating on them…horrid looking. I love them so much. How do you know how much to cut back on the liquid? Thank you for any help. Oh, and I did not roll them all out so what could I add to make them not so soft now? More cocoa?
Hi Debra, Thank you for all of the nut information–I’m sure there are other readers who will appreciate it! I can imagine what a struggle it is to safely feed your family while worrying about cross-contamination etc. I would feel terrible if I gave someone incorrect information about ingredient safety and they had a bad reaction, which is why I shy away from endorsing any of my recipes as allergy-friendly. It’s definitely an area I need to learn more about.
Re the texture of the truffles, I’m sorry to hear they didn’t work out for you! If the truffles are too soft, you can warm up the truffle mixture and add more melted chocolate. Whisk it in well, and it should set up harder. Did you measure the chocolate by weight and the liquid by volume?
I just wanted to clarify that Merckens is not nut free unless it comes from one retailer in New Hampshire I believe. I will get the company name and post it to you. They get the bags and repackage them in smaller bags in a nut free facility. It has been a God send. I love your ideas and hope to make more with my granddaughter. She was so disappointed in her pumpkins but we will try agan with less creamer. Thanks for being honest about your recipes…and nut issues. I can adjust here on my end…but many moms would not think of that issue…it is a hard problem for my granddaughter who is severely allergic.
Love this idea! Can’t wait to try it. I make homemade truffles every year and never thought about this application. I have a few family members that are lactose intolerant though.. I don’t think water would be a good sub for the milk…maybe almond milk…let you know how it goes.