Chocolate Orange Truffles – Just 3 Ingredients! (+VIDEO)

These chocolate orange truffles are silky smooth, rich, creamy, decadent, and so easy to make!

What makes these the best chocolate orange truffles?

Just 3 ingredients and quick to whip up at home.
Unbelievably fudgy texture that absolutely MELTS in your mouth!
They taste like Godiva dark chocolate truffles and will impress all your guests.
The fancy orange chocolates are a beautiful and festive option to elevate any Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or holiday dessert tray.

Readers also love these Coffee Truffles

Key ingredients

Orange zest – The recipe calls for zest of one orange. This is equal to about two teaspoons of fresh orange zest.

Chocolate – To achieve the optimum taste and smoothest texture, use high quality chocolate baking bars. Chocolate chips are not ideal for truffles, because they contain emulsifiers and stabilizers that result in a more gritty texture once melted.

For the most velvety truffles, I recommend dark chocolate with 55% to 70% cocoa solids.

To make vegan orange truffles, choose dairy free chocolate bars. You can make keto truffles by using sugar free chocolate bars.

Cream – The chocolate ganache base requires either heavy cream or full fat canned coconut milk. Lite coconut milk, skim milk, or almond milk will not work here.

Want more orange? Try this easy Orange Smoothie

Step by step recipe video

Dark Chocolate Orange Truffles (Easy Dessert)

How to make chocolate orange truffles

Start by lining a baking tray or cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Set aside.
Using a sharp knife, chop the chocolate very finely. Place chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl, and set it aside as well.
Heat the cream or coconut milk, in a saucepan on the stove top or in the microwave, until it begins to simmer Do not boil, which could cause the cocoa butter to separate.
Remove from the heat, and stir in half of the orange zest, reserving the other half.
Immediately pour the hot liquid over the chocolate. Allow to sit for two minutes.
Gently stir the chocolate mixture with a spoon, until shiny and completely smooth.
Allow the bowl to come to room temperature. Then cover and chill in the refrigerator until firm and scoopable, about one hour.
Scoop tablespoon sized amounts of chocolate ganache with a spoon or mini cookie scoop. Roll into balls with clean hands.
Place chocolate orange balls on the prepared tray. Optionally, roll each in cocoa powder, cacao nibs, crushed walnuts or pecans, or chocolate sprinkles.
Refrigerate until firm.
If desired, dip each homemade chocolate orange truffle in melted dark, semi sweet, or white chocolate.
Garnish with remaining orange zest and optional sea salt. Let sit until the chocolate coating hardens. Enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Milk Truffles With Orange Zest

Troubleshooting

Help! My chocolate never fully melted.

This can happen if the chocolate is not chopped finely enough or if the cream or coconut milk is not hot enough.
Fix it by microwaving the entire bowl of semi melted chocolate ganache in ten second increments, stirring after each until the mixture is smooth.

My chocolate ganache is too soft or sticky to roll balls.

Depending on the temperature of your refrigerator and the humidity in the air, you may need to chill the bowl longer than one hour.
If the chocolate is still not firm after two hours, or if it becomes too soft while you are in the process of rolling balls, freeze the bowl for ten to fifteen minutes.

Why did the truffle mixture separate?

If the cream comes to a boil before covering the chocolate, the high heat may cause the cocoa butter to separate from the solids.
Prevent this by removing the cream from the heat when it is at a simmer, not boiling.
Or fix separated ganache by slowly reheating the mixture and stirring in an additional ounce of finely chopped chocolate.

How do I prevent my hands from getting messy?

This is part of the fun. Embrace the mess, and have wet paper towels nearby to clean hands between rolling.
Or you can wear food safe, disposable gloves, which keep the ganache from sticking to your hands.

Storing leftover chocolate orange truffle balls

To stay fresh, store leftover truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For the classic truffle texture, I like to take the orange chocolates out of the fridge about fifteen minutes before serving.

Or freeze for up to two months, and thaw at room temperature before enjoying. (You may eat them straight from the freezer if you prefer.)

They can be left unrefrigerated while transporting to an event or serving at a party. Just be sure to keep the truffles in a cool, dry place so they do not melt.

These healthy, antioxidant packed fruit and chocolate truffles are so intensely good, leftovers never last long!

Serving suggestions

Chocolate orange truffles are a wonderful dessert on their own. Enjoy two or three as an after dinner treat, letting each opulent bite melt on your tongue.

They are also great as garnishes for cupcakes or cakes, like this Vegan Chocolate Cake.

Or arrange on a dessert charcuterie board, along with a array of cookies, candies, berries, nuts, fudge, toffee, or other sweets.

Looking for a creative gift idea for the holidays or Valentine’s Day? Make DIY boxes of chocolates by wrapping individual truffles in foil or placing each in a mini cupcake liner.

DIY Chocolate Orange Truffle Recipe (Dairy Free, Vegan)

The recipe was adapted from my Chocolate Truffles and Homemade Chocolate Bars.

1. Line a baking tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Very finely chop the chocolate. Place it in a medium heatproof bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat the cream on the stove top or in the microwave, just until it begins to simmer.
4. Turn off the heat, and stir in half of the orange zest.
5. Immediately pour over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for 2 minutes.
6. Stir chocolate ganache with a spoon until smooth and shiny.
7. Let the bowl come to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate about 1 hour, until firm and easy to scoop.
8. Use a mini cookie scoop or a spoon to take out tablespoon sized amounts of chocolate. Roll into balls with your hands.
9. Place on the prepared tray. You may roll truffles in cocoa powder, crushed nuts, or other toppings if you wish.
10. Refrigerate until firm.
11. If desired, dip the chilled chocolate orange truffles in melted chocolate.
12. Garnish with the remaining orange zest. If coated in chocolate, allow to sit until the chocolate shell hardens.
13. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.