Oreo Truffles

This recipe is originally from Kraftfoods.com, and is one that I use all the time around Christmas or special occassions. They're fun little treats that you can really dress up.

Ingredients:
3 cups Oreo cookies, finely crushed
1 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 pkg. (8 squares each) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted (I typically only use 1 1/2 pkgs.)
Melted almond bark (for drizzling over the top of finished truffles), chopped nuts, additional crushed Oreos, or sprinkles to decorate tops of truffles.

Mix 3 cups of cookie crumbs with the cream cheese until well blended. I use my food processor to crush up the Oreos, and soften up the cream cheese further by beating it in my stand mixer for a while. Then I add the Oreos with the mixer still running, just a little at a time until well blended.

Shape into 42, 1-inch balls and place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. I use two baking sheets to accomodate all the truffles. Once I'm finished filling one sheet, I stick it in the fridge to let the oreo/cream cheese set while I'm filling the second sheet. When I'm done filling the second sheet I swap and let the second sheet set while I continue on to the next step with the first sheet.

Dip balls in melted chocolate; return to wax paper-covered baking sheet. Place back into the fridge and continue the same process with the second sheet.

If you choose to top your truffles with crushed oreo, nuts, or sprinkles, do so directly after dipping. If using a drizzling of almond bark, allow chocolate to set first. I drizzle almond bark by simply using a small ziploc with the corner snipped out.

**Alternative to dipping** - instead of dipping in melted chocolate, you can coat the truffles with powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder.

Enjoy! :)