As the Oreo cookies break down in the food processor, the crumbs go from rough and uneven to a fine, dark powder. That change matters once they meet the cream cheese and peanut butter: the mixture becomes cohesive enough to roll, with chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups tucked through every bite. These Reeses Oreo Balls have a soft, rich center and a smooth semisweet chocolate shell.
I like that the whole batch starts with a handful of familiar ingredients, but the finished truffles feel special enough to set out on a dessert table. The part worth taking your time with is the texture of the mixture before it’s rolled. Beat the cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth, then mix in the fine crumbs and candy pieces until everything is evenly combined. Once the balls are firm from their first chill, they’re much easier to dip, and the chocolate sets into a neat shell around the creamy center.
Kitchen Note
Keep the 36 portions close in size as you roll them. Even-sized balls chill and coat at about the same pace, so you won’t have some waiting around while others are still soft.
Save these Reeses Oreo Balls for a dessert tray: creamy Oreo-peanut butter centers tucked under a smooth chocolate shell.
Why Fine Oreo Crumbs Make These Truffles Hold Together
The crumb texture does more than make the center look uniform. Fine crumbs mix evenly into the softened cream cheese and peanut butter, giving the mixture a consistent structure that’s easy to portion and roll. Coarse pieces leave harder bits throughout the center, and larger cookie chunks can make a ball less tidy to shape.
That’s why I pulse the cookies until they look like fine crumbs before mixing them with the other ingredients. You don’t need to remove the cream filling; the whole cookies go into the food processor. Once the crumbs are added, mix until you can’t spot dry pockets or streaks of cream cheese. The chopped peanut butter cups bring their own little bites of texture, so the cookie base doesn’t need extra-large pieces to feel substantial.
What Each Ingredient Brings to the Oreo-Peanut Butter Center
- Oreo cookies — The chocolate cookies and their filling provide the base flavor and body. Use the whole cookies; separating the filling changes the mixture. For a gluten-free version, choose gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies and use the same weight.
- Cream cheese — A softened block blends smoothly with the peanut butter and helps the crumbs become a rollable mixture. Block cream cheese is easier to work with here than whipped or tub-style cream cheese, which is softer and can make the mixture too loose.
- Creamy peanut butter — Its smooth texture blends into the cream cheese without leaving crunchy bits in the center. Creamy almond butter can stand in for it, though the Reese’s cups still contain peanuts, so that swap doesn’t make the truffles peanut-free.
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — Finely chopping the cups lets their peanut butter-and-chocolate flavor show up throughout the center without leaving big pieces that catch as you roll. Chopping them finely by hand is enough; you don’t need to process them with the cookies.
- Semisweet chocolate chips — Semisweet chocolate gives the shell a darker, less sugary contrast to the sweet center. Chips melt conveniently for dipping; dark chocolate chips also work if you prefer a more bittersweet coating.
- Refined coconut oil — This helps the melted chocolate flow around each ball in a thinner coating. Refined oil keeps its flavor neutral; a neutral vegetable oil can work in its place, though the finished shell may set a little softer.
From Cookie Crumbs to a Set Chocolate Shell
Pulse the Cookies Until Fine
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper before you start shaping the mixture. Add the Oreo cookies to a food processor and pulse until the crumbs are fine and even. Pause to check for larger pieces rather than stopping while the mixture is still coarse. Uniform crumbs blend more smoothly into the cream cheese mixture.
Mix, Portion, and Chill the Centers
Beat the softened cream cheese and creamy peanut butter until smooth, then mix in the Oreo crumbs and finely chopped peanut butter cups. Scrape and mix until the ingredients are evenly combined, with no dry crumbs left in the bowl. Scoop the mixture into 36 portions, roll each portion into a ball, and set them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour, until the balls feel firm.
Melt the Chocolate Without Scorching It
Put the semisweet chocolate chips and refined coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring after every interval. Keep stirring as the chocolate softens so the heat spreads through the bowl instead of concentrating in one spot. Stop when the mixture is smooth; overheated chocolate can turn thick and grainy instead of coating the centers cleanly.
Dip and Let the Coating Set
Dip each chilled ball into the melted chocolate, turning it until it’s coated, then let the excess drip back into the bowl. Return the coated ball to the parchment-lined baking sheet. If the centers soften while you work, keep the remaining balls chilled and dip them in batches. Refrigerate the finished truffles for about 20 minutes, until the chocolate coating is set.
Easy Ways to Change the Cookie or Chocolate
Make Them Gluten-Free
Swap the Oreo cookies for the same weight of gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies. The cookie crumbs are the only part of the mixture that needs to change; the center will still have the same peanut butter and candy pieces, though the exact texture can vary a little by cookie brand.
Use a Darker Chocolate Shell
Replace the semisweet chocolate chips with dark chocolate chips and keep the refined coconut oil. The more bittersweet shell cuts through the sweet center and makes the peanut butter cup pieces stand out.
Make the Centers Smoother
Leave out the chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for a smoother, less candy-like center. The Oreo, cream cheese, and peanut butter mixture still rolls into balls; you’ll just lose the little chocolate-and-peanut-butter pockets.
Storage and Serving
- Refrigerator: Store the finished balls in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The centers stay creamy, while the chocolate shell remains firm when chilled.
- Freezer: Freeze the balls in a single layer until solid, then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.
- Serving: These are best served chilled. Take out the number you plan to serve and keep the rest refrigerated.
Questions I Get Asked About Reeses Oreo Balls
Reeses Oreo Balls
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.
- Beat the cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth.
- Mix in the Oreo crumbs and chopped peanut butter cups until evenly combined.
- Scoop the mixture into 36 portions, roll each into a ball, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm.
- Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave at 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth.
- Dip each chilled ball in the melted chocolate, let the excess drip off, and return it to the baking sheet.
- Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, until the chocolate coating is set.
