Sugar Rush: DIY Candy Boxes + Homemade Chocolate Cereal Truffles for V-Day

I was poking around online one night and discovered that you can buy paper mache heart boxes for chocolates, etc. Which led to me getting pretty hooked on the idea of gifting homemade chocolates in DIY heart shaped boxes for V-Day. But they’re $10 a piece, so I thought I’d come up with a more cost effective way to make it happen.

After a little more digging, I found some heart-shaped candy boxes at Target (they probably have them at any grocery store) that had flat lids for $1 a piece and decided to just give those boxes a makeover, rather than pay 10 times as much for a blank box. So easy!

After their mini makeover, I filled the boxes with some homemade chocolate cereal truffles (recipe below) and for just a few dollars a piece, I have homemade gifts for pretty much everyone I know.

Materials for Candy Boxes:

• small candy boxes from the grocery store
• decorative paper
• pencil
• scissors and/or cutting blade
• glue stick
• non-toxic acrylic paint
• paint brush

Instructions:

Start by removing the candies and inside plastic container (if applicable) from the candy boxes. Then, paint the sides (of top and bottom lids) with acrylic paint. Depending on the color, you may need to add a second coat of paint, once the first layer is dry. For styling purposes, the inside of the boxes were painted as well, but I don’t think that’s really necessary

Once dry, trace the lid of the box onto decorative paper, cut out and glue onto the top of the box. You can do this for the back of the box too, if you like.

Once dry, add homemade chocolates (recipe below) and you’re good to go. *I added little pieces of crepe paper that were cut into circles to create ‘truffle liners’ for lack of a better term, if you want to go that route.

Ingredients for Chocolate Cereal Truffles:

• 2 + 1/2  cups of crushed fruit loops (you can use a different type of cereal if desired)
• 1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (7oz) container of marshmallow cream
• 2 (12oz) bags of white chocolate morsels
• gel food coloring
• sprinkles

Instructions:

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Melt down one bag white chocolate in a medium size bowl by placing the white chocolate in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until the chocolate has melted.

In a large bowl combine the fruit loops, sweetened condense milk, marshmallow cream, and melted white chocolate. Stir together until completely combined and pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.

Place the loaf pan into the freezer until it sets up, about 3 hours.

Once the truffle mixture has set up using a spoon, scoop out about a tablespoon and shape into balls. Place the balls onto a lined cookie sheet and place back into the refrigerator.

While the truffles are in the fridge, melt down the second bag of white chocolate morsels using the same method as before. Color the white chocolate as desired, using the gel food coloring.

Take the truffles out of the fridge and dip each one into the white chocolate, making sure to fully coat the sides. Place the truffles back onto the cookie sheet and add sprinkles, if desired.

Recipe and craft production by Anissa Saxton
Photography and styling by Brittni Mehlhoff

P.S. I’m doing a little jig this morning because I just hit 50k on Instagram. Yay! And unrelated, we’re working on a BUNCH of fun stuff today behind the scenes. Follow along on Snapchat (I’m brittnimehlhoff there) for some major sneak peeks.

What gifty ideas do you have for Valentine’s Day this year? Think you’ll give either of these DIY ideas a try?