These Gingerbread Cake Truffles are spiced, dipped, and ready to steal the show. You’ll learn how to turn soft gingerbread cake into bite-sized truffles coated in silky chocolate. It’s an easy recipe with a strong payoff. And you won’t need advanced skills or special tools.
This is a holiday truffle recipe that uses real gingerbread cake not cookie crumbs or store-bought shortcuts. That difference shows in the texture. Each bite is soft, spiced, and rich with molasses. These are proper Christmas truffles. Homemade. Full-flavored. And reliable.
You’ll also walk away knowing when to use dark chocolate instead of milk, how to adjust the sweetness with powdered sugar, and why cream cheese brings it all together. If you’re looking for Gingerbread Truffles that keep their shape, coat smoothly, and taste like December, this guide was written for you.
A Holiday Cake That Transforms into Truffles
This recipe begins with a soft gingerbread cake. Flour holds the structure, but spice brings the character. Ground ginger leads the mix, followed closely by cinnamon. Cloves and nutmeg add warmth, not heat. The balance is deliberate.
Molasses gives the cake its rich depth. It also locks in moisture. I’ve tried versions that swap it out for honey or maple syrup, but none delivered the same dense, chewy bite. Molasses wins here, every time. Pair that with hot water, and you’ll notice the cake bakes evenly, no raw pockets or tough crusts.
Softened butter adds structure and carries the flavor of the brown sugar. That hint of caramel makes the cake feel festive before you even reach the filling. If you’ve made gingerbread cake before, you’ll notice this version is tighter in crumb. That’s intentional. Loose cakes make messy truffles.
The Filling: Cream Cheese or Sugar?
Once your cake cools, it crumbles easily between your fingers. That’s when the filling starts. Cream cheese is the backbone. It binds the crumbs and softens the spice without overpowering it. I prefer a plain, full-fat block style for consistency.
Here’s where you can adjust. If you want a sweeter center, add powdered sugar. Some do. Some don’t. I find the plain cream cheese version works well when you’re coating the truffles in milk chocolate. But if you lean toward dark chocolate, a bit of sugar helps keep the flavor balanced.
Here’s a tip I stand by:
When I used milk chocolate, the added sugar in the filling was too much. But with dark chocolate, the extra sugar rounded things out. So if you’re unsure which chocolate you’ll use, consider adjusting the sweetness based on that choice.
Coating and Topping: The Final Layer Counts
Melted chocolate does more than cover these truffles. It sets the stage for texture. I keep milk chocolate around for softer, sweeter results. But when I want contrast, I use dark. Either way, I stir in a teaspoon of coconut oil to make the coating smoother.
You’ll want the truffles cold before dipping. That shock of warm chocolate on a chilled center sets the shell fast. Less mess. Cleaner finish. More control. It’s a small detail that changes everything.
Once dipped, I like to sprinkle crushed gingersnaps on top. You can also try sea salt flakes or a thin white chocolate drizzle. If you’re already planning to make Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies, save a few bits of cookie to crumble over the truffles.
How to Serve Gingerbread Truffles at Christmas
These gingerbread truffles hold up well at room temperature for a few hours. I’ve placed them on cookie platters alongside Gingerbread Wreaths and iced shortbread trees. They don’t get sticky. They don’t collapse. That makes them easy to plate.
I’ve also packed them in cellophane bags as gifts. A dozen per bag, tied with ribbon. They hold their shape in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month. Just let them sit out 10 minutes before serving.
These also work well at dessert tables. Their size makes them easy to grab, and you can vary the topping on each to give guests some choice. Use crushed gingerbread on some, drizzle white chocolate on others, and leave a few plain with just dark chocolate.
Related Gingerbread Recipes You Might Like
If you’re working through your December baking list, here are more options to fill your tray:
- Gingerbread Truffles with White Chocolate
- Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
- Gingerbread Wreath
- Gingerbread Cake
Each has a different finish, texture, or flavor balance—but they all share the same holiday soul.
Save This and Share Your Gingerbread Story
If you make these, I’d love to hear how they turned out. Did you go dark chocolate or milk? Add sugar to the filling or skip it? Leave a comment and let’s compare notes.
Also, save this to your Christmas Desserts board so you can find it when you’re ready to roll and dip. These Gingerbread Cake Truffles are simple to make, easy to gift, and always welcome at a December table.
Gingerbread Cake Truffles Recipe
These Gingerbread Cake Truffles are the ultimate holiday bite, rich, spiced gingerbread cake mixed with frosting, rolled into balls, and dipped in silky melted chocolate. Whether you call them Gingerbread Truffles, Christmas Truffles, or bite-sized gingerbread treats, they’re perfect for cookie trays, gift boxes, or festive dessert tables. This easy gingerbread truffles recipe is ideal for beginners—no baking from scratch required if you use leftover cake or boxed mix. Covered in dark or milk chocolate and optionally topped with sprinkles, these gingerbread truffles for Christmas are sweet, spiced, and indulgent. A must-try Christmas truffles recipe for your next holiday celebration!
Ingredients
- FOR THE GINGERBREAD CAKE
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup molasses
- ½ cup hot water
- FOR THE TRUFFLE FILLING
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar (optional for extra sweetness)
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE COATING
- 16 oz milk or dark chocolate chips or melting wafers
- 1 tsp coconut oil (optional, for smoother coating)
- OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
- Crushed gingersnap cookies
- Sea salt flakes
- White chocolate drizzle
Instructions
- PREPARE THE CAKE BATTER: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and line an 8x8-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and molasses until well combined.
- BAKE THE GINGERBREAD CAKE: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the hot water, and mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before proceeding.
- MAKE THE TRUFFLE DOUGH: Once the cake is completely cool, crumble it into fine crumbs using your hands or a food processor. In a large bowl, mix the crumbs with softened cream cheese until the mixture is evenly combined and sticky. Add powdered sugar if you prefer a sweeter filling. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- CHILL THE TRUFFLES: Refrigerate the truffle balls for at least 1 hour or freeze them for 20 minutes to firm them up for dipping.
- COAT THE TRUFFLES: Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth. Use a fork or dipping tool to dip each truffle into the melted chocolate, allowing any excess to drip off before placing them back on the parchment.
- ADD TOPPINGS AND SET: While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle crushed gingersnaps, sea salt flakes, or drizzle with melted white chocolate if desired. Let the coated truffles set completely at room temperature or refrigerate them to speed up the process.
Notes
Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month. For smooth dipping, make sure truffles are cold and the chocolate is fully melted and fluid.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 207Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 29mgSodium 133mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 1gSugar 20gProtein 3g
