Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

 I first saw this recipe on Trisha Yearwood's cooking show. Frankly, I don't know anyone who doesn't like cookie dough, so I knew I would have to try it. Then when I went to look up the recipe, I found several different cookie dough truffle variations from several different websites. Hmm... do I stick with TY's recipe or try one of the others??? They all look pretty similar. I wonder what the difference is. I noticed that all the recipes had all the basic cookie ingredients but they all had something else instead of adding a raw egg (which is the reason everyone says not to eat regular cookie dough). So I decided to try a recipe that adds sweetened condensed milk instead of the egg. It was good, but you could definitely taste the creamy flavor of the milk. As much as I love sweetened condensed milk, it was not what I was hoping for in a cookie dough. So I went back to TY's recipe, which uses applesauce instead of the egg. THIS was the one. See? I should have just stayed with my original plan and made this one in the first place! The applesauce gives you the moisture and texture of regular cookie dough, but it doesn't change the flavor. Delicious!! I loved them so much, I had to make another batch! They're the perfect treat for gift giving or entertaining around the holidays. I'm sure your family and friends will love them too! 

2/3 cup (1 1/3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Semisweet dipping chocolate wafers

In an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce and vanilla together until smooth. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together, and with the mixer running, slowly add to the butter mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips. Scoop out the batter using a teaspoon or mini ice cream scoop and roll it into balls. Place the dough balls about an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and transfer them to the freezer for 30 minutes to let the dough set up.
While the dough is chilling, melt the chocolate wafers in a double boiler or a metal bowl over a pan of simmering but not boiling water. Remove the chilled dough balls from the freezer. Using two spoons, dip the balls one at a time in the melted chocolate, rolling them to coat fully. Returned the dough balls to the paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Tips:

As you're making these, keep in mind that you really want to make them very small. Basically you want to make them small enough to be able to just pop one in your mouth. I've found that most times, especially at a holiday party, people just want a taste, not a big honkin' CHUNK of cookie dough that requires several bites. If they want more, they can just have another one! Or three!

TY's recipe uses dipping chocolate mixed with almond bark for the dipping, but I just used the dipping chocolate, as I've listed above.

For a little variation, try dipping the truffles in white chocolate or milk chocolate instead of the semisweet. 

For a little extra touch, drizzle each dipped truffle with another kind of chocolate in a contrasting color. Drizzle a semisweet dipped truffle with a little white chocolate over the top. Or vice versa!