There was a great holiday segment on the TODAY Show this morning featuring a fantastic, EASY chocolate truffle recipe by Sandra Lee that I couldn’t resist sharing… and as soon as I finish posting this I’m seriously out the door to buy some chocolate kisses so I can make these up for a party tonight!

This is a no-bake recipe, but you do need some time to chill the chocolate mixture. The main ingredients are Hershey Kisses and Caramel Hershey Kisses, plus half & half and chopped nuts. (Fun fact: According to SL, Hershey Kisses are the #1 most sold candy during the holiday season.)

You can view the entire video online here, and I’ve also broken down the steps along with screen shots below for quick reference. (The 2 holiday cocktails featured in the segment are pictured below as well.)

For the Chocolate Kiss Truffles, start with a bowl of unwrapped Hershey Kisses, then add a little half & half. (Sandra doesn’t give measurements in the video, but this looks like a recipe you can eyeball and adjust pretty easily, or follow the similar recipe on the Hershey’s website.)

Microwave the mixture at medium power for one minute & stir. Continue microwaving at 15-second intervals to further melt the mixture if necessary, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. You should end up with something that looks like this:

Next, unwrap the Caramel Kisses and place them one at a time into the chocolate mixture. Scoop out the Caramel Kiss with a melon baller or spoon, and use your hands to roll and mold the chocolate mixture around the kiss, which will become the center of the truffle.

Helpful Tip: Spray a little non-stick cooking spray on your hands first to keep the chocolate from sticking to you while you roll it into a ball.

Finally, roll the chocolate ball into a dish of chopped nuts such as pecans or almonds, and DONE! You now have pretty homemade chocolate-caramel-nut truffles to serve to your guests. These are a great idea for party favors too!

Two festive & pretty holiday cocktails were mentioned in the segment as well – I’m especially loving the look of the “Snowy Coconut Cocktail” – which features Malibu Rum, Half & Half, and White Chocolate Godiva Liqueur, served in martini glasses rimmed shredded coconut (and displayed on a tray of shredded coconut as well!).

And for chocolate mint lovers, here’s an easy Chocolate Mint Martini recipe:

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• 2 parts Baileys Mint Chocolate Irish Cream Liqueur
• 2 parts vanilla vodka
• Cocoa & sugar for rimmer

Dip the rim of your martini glasses with water, then into the cocoa and sugar mixture. Stir vodka & liqueur together in an ice filled shaker and strain into the glasses. Enjoy!