Chocolate Chip Cookie Truffles

Found this recipe today. It looked pretty easy and tasty, so I'll have to try it for my holiday cooking this year. This was a note listed with the recipe on Cooksrecipes.com. The cooling time is not included in prep or cooking times. Note: The perfect truffle for the chocolate chip cookie lover! These sweet treats are a crushed chocolate chip cookie center, dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate and dusted with cocoa. These chocolate chip cookie truffles will both surprise and delight. The key to making these truffles is to bake the cookies a little longer than the package states so they are crisp but not burnt.

• Ready In: 34 mins
• Serves: 18
• Yields: 36 truffles

Ingredients

• 16 1⁄2 ounces  nestle toll house  refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 3  ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6  ounces  NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1  tablespoon vegetable shortening
• 1  tablespoon  Nestle Toll House Baking Cocoa, for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
2. Prepare cookies following package directions; however, bake for 14 to 18 minutes until crisp and golden brown but not burnt. (Crisp cookies will make it easier to grind the cookies later.) Let cookies cool completely on wire racks.
3. Line baking sheet with wax paper.
4. Crumble cookies into food processor container; cover. Process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cream cheese; process until mixture begins to hold together. Mixture will be dark in color. (If smaller food processor is being used, half the cookies and half the cream cheese can be processed. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and then repeat with remaining cookies and cream cheese.).
5. Roll or scoop mixture into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. Microwave morsels and vegetable shortening in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted.
7. Dip balls completely into melted chocolate with fork. Use side of bowl or shake gently to remove excess chocolate. Return to baking sheet; dust truffles with cocoa. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
8. Tips: If you do not have a food processor, the cooled, crisp cookies can be finely chopped with a knife, placed in bowl and then mixed with cream cheese. This will result in a less ground cookie truffle. To dust the truffles, place cocoa in a small, fine mesh strainer and tap over the dipped truffles.