These 5-ingredient Circus Animal Cookie Truffles are a sweet no-bake dessert just like your favorite childhood cookie! Filled with circus animal cookies and cream cheese, then coated in candy melts and decorated with nonpareils, this bite-sized dessert is one that can’t be beat!
Circus animal cookie truffles are like a childhood dream come true in dessert form! Imagine the classic circus animal cookies we all loved as kids, but transformed into decadent, bite-sized treats. These truffles are a perfect blend of nostalgia and sweet, making them an instant crowd-pleaser at any gathering!
Bring these Circus Animal Cookie Truffles to birthday parties, cookouts, and potlucks! If you’re looking for more bite-sized treats to bring along, try my Strawberry Cheesecake Balls, or if you’re looking for more of that circus animal cookie flavor, try my Circus Animal Rice Krispies Treats!
Circus Animal Cookie Truffle Ingredients
These truffles only require five ingredients, making it easier than ever to recreate this childhood classic! All you need to make this recipe is:
- Circus Animal Cookies
- Cream Cheese
- Pink melting wafers
- White melting chocolates
- Rainbow nonpareils
All About Circus Animal Cookie Truffles
Taste: Circus Animal Cookie Truffles taste JUST like the classic frosted animal cookie! The crumbled cookies mixed with cream cheese not only bind the filling together, but the flavors compliment each other perfectly! (Almost) Every recipe gets better with chocolate, and that’s why we dunk these truffles into a creamy, chocolatey, and candy-like coating!
Texture: These Truffles are soft and creamy on the inside and have a crunch when you bite into them! The candy-coated shell combined with the crunchy nonpareils gives you something nice to bite into before you jump into the tasty and soft center!
How To Make Circus Animal Cookie Truffles
STEP ONE: Blend the circus animal cookies in a food processor until crumbled finely. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Combine the two ingredients and blend using a hand mixer until a dough-like consistency has formed. Cover and let chill for one hour.
STEP TWO: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and begin forming balls. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the balls, and roll them gently in the palms of your hands to create perfect little spheres. Set these 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
STEP THREE: Melt your candy melts in two separate bowls using a double boiler method or melting in the microwave.
STEP FOUR: Using a fork, gently drop each ball one at a time into the melted candy or chocolate. Carefully rotate the ball so every surface gets lightly coated in chocolate. Lift the ball out of the bowl and allow the excess to drip off before returning the ball to the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
STEP FIVE: Immediately sprinkle nonpareils onto each ball once they’re dipped. Allow to set until the coating is completely hardened before serving and enjoying!
Can I Freeze Circus Animal Cookie Truffles?
Yes, you can freeze these truffles in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Separate each ball with a small piece of parchment paper to avoid the candy melts and chocolate sticking to itself in the freezer and while thawing.
Why Is My Dough Crumbling Apart?
Your dough may be crumbling apart because it was not chilled long enough. Allow the dough to chill for the full hour to properly keep its shape to avoid crumbling during the dipping process.
Can I Use A Different Chocolate For Dipping?
Sure! You can use any flavor of chocolate you’d like, from dark to semi-sweet. This recipe calls for white chocolate and pink candy melts to really capture the fun of Circus Animal Cookies!
Tips & Tricks
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up!
- Sprinkle each truffle immediately with nonpareils after dunking so they stick to the chocolate before it dries.
- Roll the balls again in your hands before you dunk them in chocolate to get perfectly round balls each time!
- Use a food processor to crumble the animal cookies finely to avoid any major clumps of cookies inside your truffles.
- Heat the candy melts LOW and SLOW to avoid the candy melts seizing and thickening.
Storage Instructions
Store these truffles in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and enjoy them for up to 5 days!
Circus Animal Cookie Balls
EQUIPMENT
- Medium mixing bowl
- Hand mixer
- Baking tray
INGREDIENTS
- 15 ounce Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies fine crumbs
- 8 ounce block cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 10 ounce bag Ghirardelli vanilla melting wafers
- 12 ounce bag Wilton bright pink candy melts
- Rainbow nonpareils
INSTRUCTIONS
- Use a blender or food processor to pulse the circus animal cookies into fine crumbs. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the circus animal cookie crumbs and fold into the cream cheese. Then mix on medium-high speed using a hand mixer until it forms a cookie dough consistency.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a 1 ½ cookie dough scoop to scoop even sized balls and then roll each one in the palms of your hands until smooth and round.
- Melt the vanilla melting wafers using a double boiler or melt in a bowl in the microwave. Make sure to heat it on low and stir occasionally so the melts do not seize and thicken.
- Dip each cookie ball fully and tap the fork on the side of the to remove any excess coating. Place back on the baking sheet.
- Add sprinkles immediately on each one before it hardens. Repeat with half of the cookie dough balls.
- Now for the next set, melt the pink candy melts and dip each cookie ball fully with a fork. Tap the fork to remove the excess coating. Add sprinkles immediately on each one before it hardens.
- Allow to set fully before serving, about 10 minutes. Enjoy!
