Flavor of the Month: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

The Flavor of the Month for February was chocolate!  In a month containing a holiday celebrated with large, heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolate goodies, this seemed quite appropriate :-) 

Unfortunately, I have to admit that I'm not a member of the chocolate worshipers. While the sheer idea of chocolate causes some to start salivating, I could really take it or leave it. I don't really have any specific reasons for this as I like certain things - chocolate chip cookies, milk chocolate in most forms, but chocolate just doesn't hold that desirability in my book.

Enter these chocolate chip cookie dough truffles.  Between the chocolate chips in the dough and the outer chocolate coating, they have enough chocolate to technically qualify as chocolate. And they definitely fit the bill of delicious! They also made the perfect post-exam treat. Especially when it's one of those exams that you'd rather forget...

My younger brother actually came up with this recipe around Christmas and my family devoured them. I do have to warn you that they make a ton! When my brother made them, he got somewhere between 3-4 dozen. I apparently made mine smaller because I had closer to 5-6 dozen (it's tough to get an exact count when you have to make sure they "taste okay"). The cookie dough has no eggs, so there's no worry about eating raw eggs. Nevertheless, it's probably better to keep these refrigerated. It also adds another step into sneaking one out of the container. I have to sneak into the fridge as well as the kitchen :-)

You've got to try these out even if you don't technically have anywhere to take them. We all need a little treat every once and awhile, and who doesn't love cookie dough - with just a little bit of chocolate :-)

(Printable Recipe) 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles
From Trent S. (my brother)

Ingredients:
2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. skim milk (or soy milk)
1 c. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
chocolate and vanilla almond bark

Beat butter and sugars and in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.

When dough is firm enough to handle (it may help to lightly flour your hands), form dough into 1″ balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. 

Melt chocolate candy coating in a double boiler or in microwave according to package directions. Using forks or a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap fork on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. When firm, can decorate with more melted chocolate. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week (though good luck making them last that long). 

Craving more chocolate? Head over to the Flavor of the Month post at Bake at 350 to check out what others made!