OREO CREAM CHEESE HOLIDAY BALLS

UPDATE!  I made these again a couple of days ago for my Sunday School Christmas party. I didn't buy the Cool Mint Oreo Cookies, but the Reduced Fat ones. I added a teaspoon of mint extract to the mixture (I probably could have added 2 teaspoons).  I also just used the vanilla Candy Melt and Wilton's Holiday Sprinkles.  Once again after scooping the balls using my 1-inch scoop, I put them in the mini baking cups and after refrigerating them for about 15 minutes, I "capped" the tops with the Candy Melt and sprinkled some of the sprinkles on them as I "capped" each one.

I made these last year and my husband fell in love with them.  When Janice and I were trying to decide what to serve at the Women's Christmas Tea, I immediately thought about these Oreo Cream Cheese Balls.

They are so easy to mix up. I just need to learn how to dip them and have them look like the picture I saw last year with the recipe. I have decided after talking with friends, that those are done by professionals. All my friends have trouble with the dipping. This is the first one I made rolling the cookie ball in the Candy Melt and then trying to drop it in the baking cup. It ended up in the cup "bottoms up". 

But I did come up with a method and was very satisfied with the look and of course the taste isn't affected. And they were a big hit at the tea and at Hillcrest Thrift Shop when I took a dozen of them to the other volunteers on Tuesday.

Here is what you need:

OREO CREAM CHEESE HOLIDAY BALLS

1 -  18-oz pkg of Oreo cookies (I bought the Cool Mint)
1 -    8-oz pkg cream cheese (I used fat free cream cheese)
1     pkg of Candy Melts, Almond Bark, or Chocolate Chips

Add the Oreos to the food processor 

and blend until crushed.

Add the cream cheese 

and blend until dough forms.

Chill the mixture 15 minutes.

Form into balls using a 1-inch cookie scoop

and place on a flat plate/cookie sheet.














Chill for at least 15 more minutes.  (I got busy multi-tasking and it was probably 30 minutes before I got back to them.)

Roll dough in hand to round and place in 1.25 inch baking cups.

Empty Candy Melt in microwave bowl and heat for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir. Return to microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power and stir.  (You may have to do this several times til it is completely melted.)  

This is my alternative to dipping....With a small ice tea spoon, pour a small amount of the melted candy coating over the top of the rolled ball in the baking cup to cover the top completely.

As you work, you may need to reheat the Candy Melt in the microwave.  I just did it for 15 seconds at 50% power.

You can add some sprinkles over the top for decoration if you like OR use peppermint flavor of Candy Melt like I did.

At the tea....

I actually like the way they turned out with my method.  The Candy Melt is so sweet that to have the whole ball covered with it makes a really, really sweet treat.  Using the fat free cream cheese makes my husband a lot happier.  I just don't mention the Candy Melt.