No Bake Fall Treats (with Printable Gift Tags)

Need an easy, no-bake dessert for the holidays? These 5-ingredient pumpkin Oreo balls are the perfect fall treat for Halloween, Thanksgiving and everything in between! Read on to discover how to make these seasonal, bite-size Oreo cookie truffles to impress and delight your party guests, friends and family this autumn.

Pumpkin Oreo Truffles

These pumpkin-shaped Oreo balls are one of the simplest Halloween treats you make for autumn. Kids love these tasty no-bake desserts for Halloween as much as the adults. Not only are they delicious, they’re also visually appealing.

If you’re ready to dive into some bite sized fun, these Halloween Oreo balls are the perfect creation! Whether you need an after school snack or something special for a party tray or dessert charcuterie, these cookie truffles can’t be beat. Best of all, they only require about 20-minutes to actively make. Plus, I’ve also included printable gift tags in case you need a last minute DIY gift.

What are Oreo Pumpkin Cookie Balls?

Pumpkin Oreo balls combine classic ingredients to create a delicious fall dessert that’s a cross between a cookie and a candy truffle confection. This easy, pumpkin shaped treat blends crumbled Oreo cookies with cream cheese to create tasty truffle-like sweets. They are then dipped in melted, orange candy wafers for a chocolate coating that resembles our favorite winter squash. Finally, they are decorated with pretzel stems and M&M candies — so they appear as delectable as they taste.

Similar to my easy no bake Oreo truffles with cream cheese, these Oreo cookie truffles are ideal for entertaining. Whether you need an autumn dessert, Halloween treat or a homemade food gift for the holidays, you can’t go wrong with this amazing party food idea.

Of course, there are a number of ways to recreate this amazing autumn cookie treat — both in flavor and appearance. So, be sure to check out the variations I’ve provided for this recipe if you’d like to mix things up. 

Seasonal No Bake Fall Party Treats

Taste aside, one of my favorite things about this dessert is that there’s no baking required. Which means, you can keep your oven free for other things. Not only will there be fewer dishes to wash, but it’s always a win when you can cook a holiday dinner and make your favorite fall party treats at the same time.

As if you need any other reasons to try out these no bake pumpkin balls, I figured I’d share why making this recipe is a win:

• These no bake desserts are ideal for a festive autumn treat. And what’s better than not having to turn on your oven?
• Not only is there no baking required, but this dessert is incredibly easy to make. It requires just a few, basic ingredients and you only need 20-minutes to make them, not including the time they’re in the freezer. In fact, these pumpkin Oreo cookies balls are so simple that the kids can join in the fun and help.
• There’s not a single occasion they aren’t suited for. You can make these for after school fall snacks, a dessert charcuterie board for autumn entertaining, or as colorful cookie treats for Halloween and Thanksgiving desserts.
• Desserts that look pretty don’t always have the flavor that you would expect. Fortunately, these are everything you’re hoping for and they taste absolutely delicious! (Because who doesn’t love Oreo cookies?)
• These party treats also make wonderful homemade holiday food gifts for the season. However, as they do need to stay refrigerated, be sure to include a note when gifting. 
• I’ve included free printable gift labels for this party dessert. Therefore, whether you’re giving these as party favors or gifting them to friends and family, they’re effortless to package and decorate.

Pumpkin Oreo Dessert Variations

I’ve created the easiest version of these pumpkin Oreo desserts possible. However, that means there’s room to make this dessert unique to you! If you’re looking for variations on this autumn treat, then be sure to consider some of these other amazing possibilities:

• I used regular Oreo cookies for this no bake dessert. However, you don’t have to pick the chocolate ones! You can also substitute them with Nabisco Golden Oreos or a seasonal favorite such as Pumpkin Spice Oreos when they are released.
• Use different colored candy chocolate to decorate these Oreo pumpkin cookie balls. You can use them to add additional details to the pumpkin for a more authentic look. Or color them something other than orange to create cream cheese truffles that resemble spiders, witches or ghosts.
• Decorate your desserts with piped icing or other candies and nuts.
• Insert a lollipop stick into each Oreo ball before freezing and prior to dipping in the melted candy. You can then make pumpkin cake pops!
• Create Halloween cakesicles or snack cakes by mixing half of the crushed Oreo mixture with baked box cake mix. Simply blend freshly baked cake together with the half the Oreos and cream cheese in a stand mixer. Then shape and freeze in the same way I did with these pumpkin cakesicles. Just keep in mind you may need additional chocolate or candy melts for coating.
• Mix in a small amount of your favorite liqueur to amp up the flavor of these fabulous sweets. Banana, passion fruit, pineapple, cassis and creme de cacao liqueur all compliment the flavor of chocolate Oreos beautifully. Alternately, you may also add a small amount of vanilla extract.
• Make these reminiscent of your favorite homemade pumpkin pie and give these goodies a pumpkin flavor. To make pumpkin spice Oreo truffles, mix in 3/4 teaspoon each of fresh or canned pumpkin puree (or pumpkin butter) and pumpkin pie spice.
• Swap out the cream cheese in this cookie dessert with frosting, Marshmallow fluff or even peanut butter. Doing so will allow you to store these truffles at room temperature rather than in the refrigerator.
• Give these delightful treats a PSL twist that’s reminiscent of a pumpkin spice latte by adding 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice coffee to the ingredients when mixing.

What Chocolate Is Best for Dipping?

You hear a lot about make Oreo cookie truffles and other Halloween goodies using chocolate. The simple fact is, that most of these recipes work best with candy melts rather than chocolate. Chocolate can be tricky. It’s difficult to color — adding water or too much food coloring to chocolate will cause it to seize when heated — and then there’s also the issue of chocolate that hasn’t been tempered.

Due to this, I highly recommend that you use colored candy melts to make this pumpkin Oreo balls recipe. The brand doesn’t matter. You just need to be sure to properly follow the directions on the back of the package for melting. You’ll find that these are much easier to melt than chocolate chips or bar chocolate.

That said, if you prefer, you may use either milk, dark or white chocolate to make these pumpkin shaped Oreo truffles. Just be aware that you may experience some limitations in what you can do, especially if you want to tint the chocolate.

How to Substitute Chocolate for Candy Melts

To substitute the chocolate for the candy melts in this pumpkin Oreo truffles recipe, you will simply swap the same amount of chocolate for the candy melts. Following is information on how to melt chocolate using various methods as well as how to color white chocolate to create a vibrant candy coating for your fall confections.

Ways to Melt Chocolate for Pumpkin Oreo Truffles

There are three ways to melt chocolate (and candy wafers) to make pumpkin Oreo truffles. Following are guidelines for each method.

• Melting Pot: You can melt chocolate with a chocolate melter, like this Wilton chocolate melting pot. I have the chocolate melter and love it. I also have an insert with a divider for two sections. This makes it convenient if your recipe calls for multiple colors of melted candy coating.
• Double Boiler: A double boiler is another great way to melt both chocolate and candy melts. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can fill a pan half full with water. Then set a glass bowl in the pan so the water covers about half of the bowl. Make sure the glass bowl isn’t touching the pan because you want the warm water to melt the chocolate and not use direct heat.
• Microwave: To melt chocolate in the microwave, heat the chocolate at 20 to 30 second intervals in a clean, dry container. At each interval, remove the bowl and stir. Then repeat until the chocolate is melted.

If you need more insight on the methods I’ve listed, along with help tempering your chocolate or determining whether or not the chocolate is tempered, you can find additional information in my my post on how to make Halloween bark here.

How Do You Color White Chocolate?

If you plan to substitute white chocolate for the candy melts, you can color it orange with gel food coloring. To avoid seizing, you should add the gel food coloring to the melted chocolate one or two drops at a time. You’ll also need to make sure the temperature of both the chocolate and the colorant are similar. 

While I don’t into full detail on how to color white chocolate within this post, you can find a great tutorial that will guide you in the right direction here.

Oreo Cream Cheese Balls Tips and Tricks

These Oreo pumpkin cream cheese balls are incredibly easy to make. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t fool proof. Therefore, I’m sharing a few tips and tricks to help guarantee your success.

• I recommend that you make this Thanksgiving or Halloween treat in batches. As the heat from your hands will melt the Oreo balls and cause them to become oily. Therefore, remove just 8 to 10 frozen Oreo truffle balls from the freezer at a time to dip in melted candy or chocolate. This prevents them from thawing out while you are working.
• Don’t try to make these cookie desserts larger than necessary. Keep them on the small side — so they are bite sized — to prevent them from crumbling and falling apart. If you make these pumpkin Oreo balls too large, they won’t hold their shape properly.
• Use full fat cream cheese. While the low fat version may seem healthier, it’s a thinner consistency than the regular kind. As a result, swapping out the cream cheese for the low fat cream cheese may prevent them from binding and holding together.
• Not everyone has the same kitchen tools on hand. Therefore, there are several ways you can crush the Oreos for this recipe. You can either mix them in a stand mixer or food processor. Alternately, you can also place the cookies in a large Ziploc bag and roll over the bag with a rolling pin.

Oreo Balls Ingredients

Now that you have some insight on how to spice up these fall confections, here are the ingredients you will need to make my pumpkin Oreo balls:

• Oreo Cookies: You can’t make cream cheese Oreo truffles without the Oreos! This family favorite cookie is crushed and then the cookie crumbs are mixed with cream cheese to form the base of the recipe. It’s then rolled into balls and dipped into chocolate candy melts.
• Softened Cream Cheese: I used cream cheese to bind the Oreo cookies together. These two ingredients taste heavenly when combined. However, as this is a dairy product, it does mean that your cookie balls will need to be refrigerated after they are made. If you don’t want to store your pumpkin shaped desserts in the fridge, you can substitute this ingredient with one of the other ingredients mentioned above under the variations.
• Candy Melts: Rather than trying to color white chocolate to dip these cookies in, I used orange candy melts. These melt smoothly and easy to work with as they are specifically formulated for melting.
• M&M Candies: Green M&M’s are used at the top of each pumpkin dessert. Pressed into the chocolate coating before it fully cools and hardens, these green candies are meant to resemble the leaves on a pumpkin. I used one green candy M&M for each Oreo truffle. However, you may use additional pieces, if desired.
• Pretzel Sticks: Pretzel pieces are inserted into the tops of these Oreo cookie balls to mimic pumpkin stems. Therefore, I recommend that you use pretzel sticks rather than traditionally shaped pretzels for this recipe as they are easier to work with. All you need to do is break them in half and insert each half into the cookie balls.

Kitchen Tools and Equipment

In addition to the ingredients, you’ll also need these basic kitchen tools and equipment to get started:

• Mixing Bowl: You’ll use a microwave safe, mixing bowl to melt the candy chocolate pieces. Otherwise, you can use one of the other methods to melt candy that were previously mentioned.
• Baking Sheet: You’ll use a cookie sheet to lay out the cookie dough balls. It will serve as a working surface when dipping the pumpkin cream cheese Oreo truffles into the melted candy coating. Additionally, it will also be used to freeze these goodies after they’ve been coated in candy or chocolate.
• Parchment Paper: Parchment paper is used to line the baking sheet so the product doesn’t stick.
• Stand Mixer: I used a stand mixer to combine the cream cheese and Oreos. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you may crush the Oreos first into fine crumbs using a food processor. Then combine with the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer in a large bowl. Make sure you have enough fridge and freezer space to fit the mixing bowl inside.
• Fork: I recommend that you use a fork to dip the crushed candy balls into the melted candy or chocolate coating. It will prevent you from accidentally burning your hands and make for a cleaning presentation. You’ll also need a utensil to mix the candy wafers when heating.
• Plastic Wrap: You’ll use plastic wrap to cover the bowl of dough so it can be chilled before forming it into balls.
• Small Cookie Scoop: While optional, a small cookie scoop will make quick work of forming the Oreo cookie dough into balls. However,  you may also use your hands to roll the blended cream cheese and Oreo cookies into balls.

How to Make Pumpkin Oreo Balls

Make these no-bake Oreo cookie balls for a delectable fall cookie treat. Perfect for Halloween or Thanksgiving desserts, these also make excellent food gifts. Here are instructions on how to make pumpkin Oreo balls the easy way.

1. First prep the baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Set out the cream cheese and allow it soften.

2. Next, place the entire package of Oreos inside the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

3. Then, mix the chocolate and cream cookies at low speed. Continue mixing until all of the Oreos are crushed into a fine cookie crumble.

4. Now add the package of softened cream cheese to the mixing bowl.

5. Mix the crumbled cookie and cream cheese on medium speed until a soft dough forms.

6. Then cover the bowl of dough in plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, allowing the mixture to cool.

7. Once chilled, remove the cookie ball dough from the fridge. With clean hands, roll into tablespoon sized balls. Alternately, you can also use a small cookie scoop to speed up the process.

8. Next, place the balls of dough onto the lined cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer and chill the Oreo truffles or an hour.

9. After the hour is up, melt the orange candy wafers in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the candy in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Be sure to check the candy and stir after each session to overheating. Continue heating until all of the candy wafers are evenly melted and a fluid consistency.

10. Now remove the Oreo cream cheese balls from the freezer. Use a fork to dip each one into the melted candy coating. Then place them onto the prepared baking sheet.

TIP: You will likely have excess chocolate candy leftover. You may reuse this for another baking project or dessert as desired.

11. After dipping each pumpkin Oreo ball into the candy, immediately place one green M&M into the top of the ball to serve as a pumpkin leaf. Then press half of a pretzel stick into the top, close to the M&M, to represent the pumpkin stem.

12. Place the baking sheet of candy covered Oreo balls in the fridge once you finish decorating them. Then allow them to cool and harden completely prior to  serving.

Storage and Packaging

Store these pumpkin Oreo ball cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If left, out they will go soft and the cream cheese may go bad.

If desired, you can also serve these for a period of 2 to 3 months. Just be aware that freezing cream cheese can cause a change in texture. While it’s still safe to eat, it may make the cream cheese grainy.

How Long Do Pumpkin Oreo Truffles Last?

These pumpkin Oreo truffles will last 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Alternately, they will hold at room temperature for about two hours.

Can Oreo Balls be Left Out of the Fridge?

As these Oreo cookie truffles contain cream cheese, they need to be refrigerated when not be served. Otherwise the dairy will cause them to go bad. Therefore, you cannot leave Oreo balls out of the fridge unless you substitute the cream cheese with a non-dairy product such as frosting, peanut butter or Marshmallow fluff.

Printable Pumpkin Gift Tags

If you’d like to give these pumpkin cream cheese and Oreo truffles as homemade good gifts, you may download the printable pumpkin gift tags here.

There are two tags provided on this free printable. One says “Pumpkin Spice Life” and the other “Have a Sweet Day.” I recommend printing this page onto plain or colored cardstock. Then use a pair of scissors to cut out each tag. A hole punch may then be used to make a hole at the top of each gift tag to run a piece of ribbon or baker’s twine through to attach to your package.

Alternately, you may also print these onto full size, sticker label sheets. They make these in white as well as brown Kraft paper, depending on the look you want for your homemade food gift. The pumpkin labels can then be attached to your gift packages just like a sticker.

When gifting these, be sure to include a note that the contents should be kept refrigerated. Unless you are using a shelf stable ingredient in place of the cream cheese.

Autumn Dessert Recipes

If you enjoy my tutorial on how to make pumpkin Oreo balls with cream cheese, then be sure to explore some of these other autumn dessert recipes:

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies: Topped with pecan streusel, these tasty brownies are made using box mix for a delicious pumpkin treat for fall. 
• Brown Drop Sugar Cookies: This easy, fall cookie is budget friendly and perfect for after school snacks or party treats. You’ll love the lightly crunchy exterior paired with soft fluffy centers! Plus, they take just 25 minutes to make from start to finish.
• Homemade Pumpkin Pie: Make a double crust pumpkin pie from scratch to enjoy this holiday season. Combined with homemade pumpkin pie spice mix, this is one dessert that’s impossible to pass up this time of year.
• Caramel Apple Pops: Learn how to make delicious, homemade caramel apples. A favorite cool weather treat, these gourmet caramel apples are the perfect way to enjoy apples when they’re in season. 
• Halloween Popsicle Cake Pops: These colorful Halloween cakesicles are the fall desserts of dreams. They’re quick to make and even quicker to devour. Perfect for your Halloween parties or autumn gatherings, these pumpkin desserts are made using chocolate box cake mix for a delicious, seasonal fall treat. 
• Ghost Cupcakes: A delicious, sweet and fun Halloween treat for kids and adults of all ages. You can make Halloween ghost cupcakes at home using your favorite box cupcake mix, lollipops and fondant. 
• Slime Cupcakes: This spooky Halloween treat is filled with homemade edible slime on the inside similar to that of a cream-filled, Halloween snack cake. So, it’s both a creative and tasty way to scare up some fun with an unexpected surprise for all your party guests.
• Halloween Bark: This easy Halloween candy is perfect for all your party tricksters. Make this chocolate bark to delight your party guests. Plus learn how to choose the best chocolate for chocolate candy bark, as well as tips on melting and tempering chocolate.
• Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread: Learn how to make this moist cinnamon apple bread from scratch. Made with real chunks of apple and a tasty cinnamon swirl, this delicious quick bread is sure to become a family dessert favorite.

For more tasty fall recipes like my pumpkin Oreo balls, be sure to follow Soap Deli News on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.