A recipe for when you're craving classic tiramisu but not craving the process of MAKING tiramisu! Tiramisu balls (or tiramisu truffles if you prefer) pack all the flavor you'd find in a classic tiramisu but they come together in around 10 minutes! Roll them in cocoa powder, dip in chocolate, or pick from a ton of other topping options.
what makes these tiramisu balls so good?
- super quick and easy: Start to finish, you'll need about 10 minutes worth of work to make these! They're much easier to make and MUCH MUCH quicker than a regular tiramisu.
- no chill time: These truffles are ready to eat as soon as they're whipped up (unlike tiramisu that needs hours in the fridge to set).
- endless topping possibilities: You can really get creative with what you choose to coat these truffles in (more on that below).
how to make tiramisu balls
I keep saying this, but this recipe is so seriously easy. We can sum all the work up into 3 steps:
- Grind up lady fingers into a fine crumb. You can do this with a food processor, or place the lady fingers in a plastic bag and whack them with a rolling pin.
- Mix in all the ingredients together (minus the cocoa powder).
- Scoop into balls and roll in cocoa powder. That's literally all there is to it!
topping options
I like to roll tiramisu balls in cocoa powder, but it can add some bitterness to them. If you're not a fan, these also taste amazing dipped in white, semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate! If you do want to dip them in melted chocolate, I'd just recommend freezing them for about 15 minutes or until firm. They're a lot easier to dip if they're cold and are less likely to fall apart on you.
You can also roll the tiramisu balls in powdered sugar, sprinkles, coarse sugar, or in black cocoa powder for a Halloween-y twist! A lot of toppings you would use for chocolate truffles would work for these.
tips
- brewing the coffee: You can use any strongly brewed coffee for these tiramisu balls - just make sure you choose a coffee that you enjoy drinking. If you don't like the flavor of the coffee, it will still be noticeable in the tiramisu balls. Also on the topic of coffee: it's very important to allow the coffee to cool completely to room temperature before using. Warm coffee will over soften the lady finger crumbs and melt the cheese, which can lead to an overly soft and mushy truffle!
- choosing lady fingers: Make sure you use the dry and crispy variety of lady fingers and NOT the soft and cakey ones. Soft lady fingers would throw off the moisture level in the tiramisu balls.
- grinding the lady fingers: Make sure the lady fingers are very finely ground (basically the same texture as graham cracker crumbs). They're very delicate, so this isn't difficult to do by hand, but a food processor just makes it easier and faster. Ensuring the lady fingers are finely ground will help ensure an even texture and velvety bite.
- mixing together: Start off with about 2 tablespoons of coffee in the mixture, and once it's all combined, you can check to see if it needs any more moisture. 2 tablespoons is always the perfect amount for me, but it's very easy to add more liquid as needed. If you accidentally add too much coffee, it can be a bit difficult to salvage without increasing the amounts of the other ingredients, but you can try popping the mixture in the fridge to chill for a bit. The cold will firm the mixture up slightly and make it easier to work with.
tiramisu balls storage
Keep tiramisu balls covered tightly with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge until ready to serve. These will keep for about 3 to 4 days.
check out these other recipes!
• Tiramisu Cupcakes
• Tiramisu Cookies
• Actual Coffee Coffee Cake
• Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
watch how to make tiramisu balls
Tiramisu Balls
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 truffles
Description
A recipe for when you're craving tiramisu but not craving the process of making tiramisu! Tiramisu balls (or tiramisu truffles if you prefer) pack all the flavor you'd find in a classic tiramisu but they come together in around 10 minutes! Roll them in cocoa powder, dip in chocolate, or pick from a ton of other topping options.
Ingredients
- 12 Savoiardi lady fingers*
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (3oz / 85g) mascarpone cheese, cold
- 2 to 4 tablespoons strongly brewed coffee, room temperature or cold
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (for rolling)**
Instructions
- Crush lady fingers in a food processor or plastic bag:
If using a food processor, add the lady fingers to the bowl of a medium sized food processor and pulse on and off until very fine.
If using a plastic bag, add the lady fingers to a large plastic bag and seal (leaving a small opening to keep the bag from popping). Use a rolling pin or similar kitchen tool to whack and break the lady fingers up into a very fine crumb. - In a medium bowl, combine the lady finger crumbs, powdered sugar, mascarpone cheese, and 2 tablespoons of coffee.
- Mix together until combined and it easily sticks together if you pinch the mixture. If it's too dry, gradually mix in more coffee until it comes together. If you accidentally add too much coffee and it becomes too soft, pop the mixture into the fridge for about 30 to 60 minutes or until firm enough to work with.
- Scoop out 1.5 tablespoon sized portions of the mixture and roll into balls. This is super easy to do with a small cookie scoop!
- Add the cocoa powder into a small bowl or plate. Drop the tiramisu balls and roll them around in the cocoa to coat. **Note: cocoa powder will add a bit of a bitter flavor. If you're not a fan of that, see below notes for other coating options!
- Serve right away or keep in the fridge until ready to enjoy! These will keep for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Notes
* Make sure to use the lady fingers that are dry and crisp (not the soft and cakey ones). Soft lady fingers will throw off the consistency of the mixture.
** Cocoa powder is my personal favorite topping for tiramisu balls, but it can cause them to taste a bit more bitter. If you're not a fan of the flavor, you can instead coat the balls in powdered sugar, sprinkles, coarse sanding sugar, or dip in melted chocolate! If you want to go the melted chocolate route, I recommend chilling the tiramisu balls in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until firm. It makes it a lot easier to dip them in chocolate if they're chilled and they'll be less likely to fall apart.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Method: No bake
Enjoy!
Cathy says
What a great idea! I love tiramisu and cannot wait to get ingredients to try your recipe!
Heather says
No alcohol in these , is that a choice or does it effect the result ?