Chocolate Dream Cookie Balls

Original Recipe from:  Kay Johnson-Tomblin

This blogs recipe for Cherry Chip Cake Balls has been a favorite of our readers and is the second most viewed recipe to date.  With the success and excitement for the cake balls recipe came the search for the “next” idea that would impress the village.  Well, I do believe this is it….Chocolate Dream Cookie Balls are sweet dreams indeed.  Instead of cake and icing, this recipe uses crushed cookies and pudding rolled into little balls and then dipped in melted chocolate.  Another delicious and decadent treat from my kitchen to yours…..the Village Taste Testers are already giving me ideas for variations using different kinds of cookies!  One big advantage to this recipe over the cake balls is that these take a fraction of the time to make and are very easy to make!  I hope you will give them a try, I know you’re going to love them.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

36 Oreo Cookies, crushed

1 package (3.9 ounces) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

1/2 cup cold Milk

1 pound Milk Chocolate bits (from your local cake decorating supply store)

Crushed Cookie Crumbs, Sprinkles or White Chocolate (melted)

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl beat Pudding and Milk for 2 minutes.  Add Cookie Crumbs and mix well with a wooden spoon.  

Form the Cookie Mixture into small balls (1 inch), I use my hands.  Freeze the cake balls for at least an hour.  Note I like to make the balls the day before and freeze them overnight.

Remove the cookie balls from the freezer and dip in melted Milk Chocolate.  Note:  you want the cookie balls to be frozen during these steps. 

To dip: 

1) Insert a toothpick in each ball, dip and remove toothpick while cooling.  Or….

2)  Drop 3-4 balls into melted chocolate.  Use two forks to roll cookie balls in chocolate until evenly coated.  Remove balls with one of the forks letting excess chocolate drip back into the pan/bowl.

Place on sheets of wax paper and sprinkle with Cookie Crumbs, Sprinkles, or White Chocolate. The chocolate will harden quickly. 

To decorate with While Chocolate:  Melt the White Chocolate while the Milk Chocolate is hardening.  The easiest way to decorate the Cake Balls with the White Chocolate is to dip a whisk into the White Chocolate and twirl the whisk over the Cookie Balls.  Store your finished Cookie Balls in the refrigerator until serving. 

Tips:  I prefer to melt chocolate in a double boiler instead of the microwave.  I feel the chocolate is easier to work with.  If the chocolate gets too thick, usually due to over heating, mix in a couple flakes of Paramount Crystals (available at cake decorating stores), or if not available a few drops of vegetable oil will work in a pinch. 

Variations (substitute Oreos and chocolate pudding):

Vanilla sandwich cookies and vanilla pudding

Peanut Butter sandwich cookies and chocolate pudding

Oreo Mint cookies and chocolate pudding