How to Make Homemade Ferrero Rocher Truffles ~ this is it guys, the ultimate decadent treat made right in your own kitchen! These DIY hazelnut chocolate truffles are going to make you VERY popular with friends and family…
This might be the recipe of the season! who knew you could make a homemade chocolate hazelnut truffle just as decadent and delicious as the ones in the iconic gold wrappers?
I’m as indie-minded as the next food blogger, I love to come up with brand new recipes and bold combinations that you haven’t thought of before…but sometimes it’s all about tradition. This idea came to me after I picked up a box of the famous truffles and got a bad case of sticker shock at the checkout counter. Those things are expensive! But when it comes to chocolate, you can often make homemade versions of commercial treats even better at home, because you control the quality of ingredients. My Homemade Thin Mints totally outshine the Girl Scouts’ version, plus, I was able to make a gluten free Thin Mint, and a white chocolate Thin Mint.
For these copy cat Ferrero Rocher truffles I used a dark chocolate hazelnut spread, and dark chocolate, which I like even better than the milk chocolate originals.
These are not difficult to make at all, but there are a few steps. You could easily roast your nuts and set up your ingredients ahead of time to streamline the process.
You’ll need some whole hazelnuts, chocolate hazelnut spread, chocolate, and some wafer cookies. It helps to have a small scoop and a candy dipping fork. Oh, and don’t forget a rag…this can get a little messy.
TIP: You can make your own chocolate dipping fork by removing the 2 middle tines from a plastic fork, leaving the outer two in place. It holds the candy securely while allowing the excess chocolate to drip away.
Roasting hazelnuts brings out their amazing flavor. You’ll reserve 24 whole nuts for the centers of your truffles, and chop the rest.
TIP: To remove the skins, just wrap them in a clean dishtowel and rub…the bitter skins will fall right off.
Look for whole hazelnuts at Trader Joes, specialty stores, and always online, at Amazon. Some large grocery stores carry them in bulk, especially around the holidays, so be sure to ask.
TIP: Don’t be tempted to buy hazelnuts in the shell for this recipe, they’re a particularly tough nut to crack and you’ll wear yourself out before you even begin.
After chilling, scoop out little balls of your filling and push a whole hazelnut into the middle. Form the chocolate around the nut to completely enclose it.
Give your turffles a first coat of crushed nuts and wafer cookies. Then back they go into the freezer to firm up.
The cold truffles will get a final dunk in rich chocolate that’s been mixed with some crushed hazelnuts, and then a dusting of crushed nuts on top.
TIP: I find it’s handy to use a spoon to help completely coat the truffles with the melted chocolate.
I like to keep mine chilled until ready to eat.
Want to get really fancy? You can buy gold foil candy wrappers on Amazon and present your truffles in style!
How to Make Homemade Ferrero Rocher Truffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole hazelnuts, plus 24 whole hazelnuts for candy centers
- 1 cup of crushed wafer cookie crumbs
- 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread, such as Nutella, that has been refrigerated for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- 3 cups dark chocolate chips
- 2 Tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Put the hazelnuts on a dry baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, giving the pan a shake once or twice during that time.
- Let the nuts cool, and then rub them in a clean dish towel to remove the bitter skins.
- Grind the nuts in a food processor until they are finely ground, but don't grind them too far or you'll get hazelnut butter! I like to pulse the machine until I get the results I'm after. Remove the nuts to a bowl.
- Put the crushed cookies in another bowl. Combine half of the chopped nuts with the crushed cookies and mix well.
- Use a small, 1 inch scoop to form small balls of the chilled hazelnut spread and push a whole hazelnut into the center. Bury the nut and then roll each ball in the nut/crumb mixture. Make sure to get each truffle well coated. Set the balls onto a foil lined baking sheet.
- When you have finished with all the balls, place the baking sheet in the freezer for one hour, until the truffles are very firm.
- Meanwhile heat the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave for one minute. Stir, and then, if necessary, microwave for additional short spurts of 15 seconds, stirring in between, until completely melted.
- Set aside 2 tablespoons of the remaining crushed nuts for garnishing your truffles, and then mix the rest into the melted chocolate.
- Line a fresh tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. I like to keep the truffles in the freezer until I'm ready to dip them, so I remove a few at a time and work in batches. Dip each truffle into the chocolate, let the excess drip off, and set on the lined tray. Dust with crushed hazelnuts.
- The truffles will firm up eventually at room temperature, but I like to put them in the refrigerator to harden, and then you can set them on a tray, or package them however you like. I store them in the refrigerator until I'm ready to serve or gift them.
Notes
- You may need to remelt your chocolate if it starts to thicken during the dipping process. It's possible that you may need to melt additional chocolate to get all the truffles coated.
- I used dark chocolate chips for convenience, and because I like the flavor, but you could get extra fancy and use a top grade chocolate for the ultimate homemade Ferrero Rocher Truffles
don’t forget to pin these Homemade Ferrero Rocher Truffles!
What kind of wafer crumbs do you use?
I use whatever brand they have where I happen to be shopping, but I think Nabisco is the most common brand.
Sorry to have to ask, but would those be Nabisco Nilla wafers? I’ve googled Nabisco wafers and the only results that come up are “Nabisco Famous Chocolate wafers.” What also comes up are those fragile sugar wafers that are filled with creme, but that doesn’t seem right. Thanks!
Yes, it’s the fragile ones, filled with vanilla cream.
Thank you!! Didn’t seem right, so I’m glad I asked!!!
I know, it does seem a little strange, but they work!
WOW!! Ferrero Rocher chocolates are a tasty treat but how wonderful to make them at home with DARK chocolate. Yum.
Is it really necessary to have the crushed wafers because the part of the Ferrero Rocher that I don’t enjoy is that wrap of wafer? Maybe I could go ‘waferless’. What do you think?
Thanks for the great idea. Can’t wait to ‘have a go’.
No one reproduces the chocolate wafers in a gluten free version. And I could bake them myself, but that stretches the recipe to lots more work. So, I was wondering if chocolate Rice Krispies would work. I have always liked the Lindt chocolate truffles better, but I just realized that the ingredients contain a barley syrup that I can’t process! I was crushed! So now these might become my go-to treat instead. I will experiment because gluten free often means experimentation! I’m just wondering what you think. I hate wasting expensive ingredients. Although, now that I think about it, I should check the caramel package label too! It’s always something. 🙂
I really like the idea of the Krispies, Alene, let us know if you try that.
I am so making them…. thank you, they look better simply because dark chocolate will make the sweetness relaxed a bit.
I like the original but I love DIY’s.
Have fun!
Think crushed chocolate graham crackers could sub for the wafer cookies?
You could try, Amanda, the only thing is that I’m not sure they’d have that same ‘crunch’. The wafer cookies are super crunchy. Report back if you use them!
Originally I wondered if Rice Krispies would work.
These look UNBELIEVABLE! Can’t wait to surprise my husband with them this weekend, as Ferrero Rocher are his favorite chocolates 🙂
This is absolutely genius!! I was perusing the internet looking for some small treat I could make my mother when she comes to visit and I saw this – Search over! Homemade Ferrero Rocher? PERFECTION! Pinning to make! Cheers!
Enjoy!
You are the most creative blogger ever! These look amazing and my son-in-law would flip if I made these for him. How delicious!
Thanks Tricia 🙂