Oreo Balls
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Oreo Balls are what I make when a cookie tray or a gift box needs something that looks like real effort and takes almost none. Crushed Oreos and cream cheese blend into a fudgy, no-bake filling, and a white chocolate shell gives each one its crack.
I make a batch whenever the holiday baking list is already long, because none of it touches the oven. The thing that decides whether they turn out neat is getting the filling properly cold before you dip, and that is where most people rush.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The kitchen stays cool. The filling is mixed, chilled, and dipped, so nothing goes near the oven even in a long baking session.
- Three main ingredients do the work: Oreos, cream cheese, and white chocolate, with any toppings left up to you.
- They travel without smudging. The hard chocolate shell keeps them neat in a tin or on a platter, so they suit potlucks and gift boxes.
- You can make them ahead. Roll and dip them days before, or stash a batch in the freezer.
- They take any decoration. Candy canes at Christmas, pastel sprinkles in spring, or a plain chocolate drizzle.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
- Oreos. Regular Oreos give the cookie-dough flavor that defines these. Weigh them rather than counting, since package sizes have crept down over the years and the filling needs the full amount to bind. Double Stuf throws off the ratio and leaves the mixture too soft to roll.
- Cream cheese. Use block cream cheese, full-fat, softened to room temperature. The spreadable tubs hold extra water and give you a filling too wet to shape. Letting it sit out about 30 minutes is enough to blend it in without lumps.
- White chocolate. A proper white chocolate bar or white almond bark melts smoother and sets harder than white chips, which carry stabilizers that can seize. If chips are all you’ve got, thin them with a little neutral oil once melted.
- Toppings, if you use them. Sprinkles, crushed Oreos, or a chocolate drizzle are all optional finishes. On a vegetarian table, some sprinkles get their shine from confectioner’s glaze (shellac) or their red from carmine, both insect-derived, so check the label if that matters to you or your guests.
How to Make Oreo Balls
A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs
Pulse the whole Oreos, filling and all, in a food processor until you have fine, even crumbs with no big shards. Finer crumbs give a smoother filling. A processor is the fastest way there, but it isn’t essential, and the FAQs cover what to use instead if you have none in your kitchen.
Mix in the cream cheese
Add the softened cream cheese to the crumbs and mix on medium-low speed until there are no dry pockets and the texture looks like thick cookie dough.
It should taste like cookie dough; that cream cheese and crushed-Oreo filling is what I pack into my no-bake mini Oreo cheesecakes too. Scrape the sides so it combines evenly.
Roll and chill
Scoop about a tablespoon or around 20 grams each at a time and roll into one-inch balls between your palms, setting them on a parchment-lined sheet as you go.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, until they are firm all the way through. You can roll them and keep them covered in the fridge up to two days before dipping, which is how I break this over two evenings before a party. They have to be properly cold before the chocolate, or the coating slides off.
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Key Lime Bars
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ No-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
∙ Raspberry Cheesecake
...and much more!
Melt the white chocolate and dip
Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in short bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Let it cool for a minute so it stays fluid but not scalding on the chilled balls. Dip each chilled ball with a fork, let the excess drip, and set it back on the parchment.
Decorate and set
While the coating is still wet, top with crushed Oreos, sprinkles, or a drizzle. Leave them at room temperature until the shell hardens, about 15 to 20 minutes, or speed it up in the fridge.
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Key Lime Bars
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ No-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
∙ Raspberry Cheesecake
...and much more!
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- Get the balls properly cold before dipping. Chill for at least an hour, and ideally keep them cold the moment they meet the chocolate. A warm ball softens into the coating and slides off the fork.
- Cool the melted chocolate for a minute. Chocolate straight from the microwave can soften the ball on contact. A short rest keeps it pourable without that risk.
- Dip a few at a time. Keep the rest in the fridge and bring out a small batch, so they stay firm while you coat.
- If the shell cracks, it is a temperature clash. A very cold ball meeting warm chocolate, or a swing in and out of the freezer, can split the coating as it sets. Letting the balls sit a couple of minutes out of the fridge before dipping helps.
- For a less sweet result, go darker or smaller. A semisweet or dark coating balances the sweet Oreo-and-cream-cheese filling, and smaller balls tip the ratio back toward the cookie.
Recipe Variations
- Golden Oreos or a seasonal flavor swap straight in for the classic cookie, and I’ve made it both ways with no change to the method.
- When the white coating feels too sweet, I dip them in dark or semisweet instead, and I’ve found it sets just the same.
- Almond bark is my shortcut for the shell; I’ve used it plenty, and it melts smoothly and hardens firmly with no added oil. If you would rather slice one dessert than roll two dozen, my no-bake Oreo cheesecake carries the same flavor in a sliceable form.
- Folding freeze-dried raspberry into the filling gives a berry edge against the chocolate, though I haven’t tested this version, so add it gradually and keep the mixture firm enough to roll.
How to Store Leftovers
Keep Oreo Balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze them for up to two months. I layer them between sheets of parchment so the shells don’t stick together. To serve from frozen, thaw them in the fridge for a few hours. They taste best cold, straight from the refrigerator.
Because the filling is cream cheese, treat them like any perishable at a gathering. Out of the fridge, they are good for about two hours, or one hour if the room is warm, above 90°F (32°C), after which they should go back in the cold or be discarded. For a potluck, carry them in a cooler or on ice and set them out close to serving time.
What to Serve With Oreo Balls
Oreo Balls are rich, so I like something sharp or fresh beside them. Cold strawberries or raspberries cut the sweetness and look good piled on the same platter.
On a holiday tray, I set them next to reindeer chocolate bark so there is something crunchy in the mix, and when I want a second make-ahead dessert on the table, a no-bake strawberry cheesecake holds its place next to them without competing. A mug of hot chocolate or a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream turns a few of them into a proper dessert.
FAQs
About 20 minutes of hands-on work, then at least an hour of chilling before you dip, and another 15 to 20 minutes for the coating to set. Most of the time is waiting, not working.
Only for a short time. Because they are made with cream cheese, keep them refrigerated and set them out no longer than two hours, or one hour if the room is above 90°F (32°C). Return any leftovers to the fridge after serving.
Crush the cookies in a sealed bag with a rolling pin, or run them through a blender in batches. Aim for even crumbs with no big shards, since that is what keeps the filling smooth once the cream cheese goes in.
Usually the balls are too warm or the chocolate too hot. Chill the balls until firm, let the melted chocolate cool for a minute, and dip a few at a time so each one stays cold.
Yes. Freeze the coated balls in an airtight container for up to two months, and thaw them in the fridge before serving. They keep their texture well.
More No-Bake Desserts to Share
If you liked how easily these came together, here are a few more no-bake treats I turn to for parties and gatherings.
- Mini Biscoff Cheesecake. What I make when I want the same bite-size, make-ahead idea with spiced Biscoff instead of Oreo.
- Biscoff Cheesecake. The full-size version for when you’d rather make one big dessert than roll a whole tray of individual ones.
- Malteser Cheesecake. My pick for a malt-and-chocolate crowd, and it holds up the same way at a party.
- Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup. Where I go when I want something spoonable and a little showy to round out the table.
Ingredients
- 38 Oreo cookies
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup white chocolate melted
- vegetable oil (optional, as needed to thin the melted chocolate coating)
Toppings
- Oreo crumbs
- melted chocolate
- sprinkles
Video
Instructions
- Place the Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form.38 Oreo cookies
- Add the softened cream cheese and mix on medium-low speed (or pulse in the processor) until smooth and fully combined. Scrape down the sides to ensure an even mixture.8 ounces cream cheese
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture (around 20 grams each) and roll into 1-inch balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days, until firm.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate according to the package instructions. If it’s too thick, stir in a small amount of vegetable oil until smooth.1 cup white chocolate
- Dip each chilled ball into the melted chocolate using a fork or skewer, allowing the excess to drip off. Place back onto parchment paper.
- While the coating is still wet, top with crushed Oreos, sprinkles, or drizzle with melted chocolate.
- Let the coated Oreo balls sit until the chocolate hardens, then serve or store in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
