Description
Delicious and festive Reindeer Oreo Balls made with crushed Oreo cookies, cream cheese, and coated in rich dark chocolate. These bite-sized treats are decorated with pretzel antlers, candy eyes, and a candy nose to resemble adorable reindeer, perfect for holiday parties and celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Mixture
- 45 Oreo Cookies (about 1 (18oz.) package)
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
Chocolate Coating and Decorations
- 15 ounces Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers
- 2 cups pretzel twists, broken in half
- 48 candy eyes
- 24 M&M's or Red Hots for the nose
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Tray: Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside to keep the balls from sticking.
- Crush Oreos: Place the 45 Oreo cookies in a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse until they become fine crumbs.
- Mix Cream Cheese: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on high speed to beat the softened 8-ounce cream cheese block until it is smooth and creamy.
- Combine Oreo Crumbs and Cream Cheese: Add the Oreo crumbs to the mixing bowl and blend on medium speed until the mixture is well combined and uniform.
- Form Balls: Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the Oreo mixture and roll it between your palms to form smooth balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking tray.
- Chill Balls: Place the baking tray with the Oreo balls in the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours to firm up.
- Melt Chocolate: Melt the 15 ounces of dark chocolate wafers in a double boiler over low heat or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring frequently until smooth.
- Dip Balls in Chocolate: Use a fork to dip each chilled Oreo ball into the melted chocolate. Tap the fork gently on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate, then place the coated ball back on the baking tray.
- Add Pretzel Antlers: Insert two broken pretzel pieces about ¼” to ½” deep into each chocolate-coated ball to create antlers.
- Decorate Face: Place one M&M or Red Hot candy on the front of each ball for the nose, holding it for about 10 seconds to let the chocolate set slightly. Then attach two candy eyes just above the nose.
- Repeat and Set: Repeat dipping and decorating with the remaining balls. Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it melted and smooth. Allow all reindeer Oreo balls to completely set at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or refrigerate to speed up hardening.
- Storage: Keep the finished Oreo balls refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Notes
- Any flavor of Oreos can be used; just use the same amount of about 45 cookies.
- Store leftover Oreo balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating chocolate carefully is important to maintain a smooth coating without burning.
- Chilling the balls before dipping helps them hold their shape and improves coating adherence.
- Using a cookie scoop ensures uniform-sized Oreo balls for consistent results and presentation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
