Firmly entrenched in Hannukah and only two days away from Christmas, there are only the small details remaining to be dealt with. When to start frying up the latkes, what color bows should top off packages, whether or not the good china should come out… But you can’t always be sure that things will run smoothly. Someone always ends up throwing a wrench into the works, one way or another. With all the holiday insanity, it’s disturbingly easy to forget gifts for an important family member, or realize at the last minute that you didn’t make enough cookies to go around. Was there too much dough consumed before it made it into the oven? Did the dog snag some? Regardless, it may be time for Plan B: Make gingersnap truffles.
Very similar in construction to oreo truffles but with a delightful seasonal bent, you could easily create a small army of these sweet morsels in a matter of minutes, before anyone suspects that things ever when awry. Hopefully you won’t need a backup plan… But it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.
Gingersnap Truffles
8 Ounces Vegan Gingersnap Cookies
1/2 Cup Vegan “Cream Cheese”
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
8 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate, or 1/2 Cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder*
Place all of the cookies in your food processor or blender, and let it rip. Grind them down to a slightly coarse but even powder, and you should end up with about 1 2/3 cups of crumbs. In a separate bowl, soften the “cream cheese” so that it spreads easily, and mix in the maple syrup and vanilla. Once smooth an homogeneous, add in the crumbs. You may need to use your hands to get everything evenly incorporated- When it’s ready to use, it should look like a brand new batch of gingersnap dough. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces and either roll them in cocoa powder, or melt the chocolate and dip them in that. If you’re dipping the truffles, place them on a silpat once enrobed, and allow the chocolate to set completely before serving or packaging. Admittedly, these do get better if you can make them a day or two in advance to let the flavors meld and mellow… But they’re still tasty no matter what!
*You should not use natural cocoa here, because it’s far too bitter. However, if you made a 1:1 mixture of natural cocoa and confectioner’s sugar, that could probably work instead.