Welcome to day 3 in Sally’s Cookie Palooza!
While recipe 3 in 2017’s cookie palooza may not look like a traditional cookie or taste like a traditional cookie, it can most certainly find a place on your holiday cookie trays. Why? You need a little variety!
It’s hip to be square. Errrr…. round.
I’m hosting Christmas this year. I know I know… I have a newborn. I’m crazy. But I truly enjoy entertaining. Nothing makes me happier than gathering our families together for meals and memories. And if it can be done at my own house so I don’t have to travel with a car packed full of dog stuff and baby stuff, that’s even better. (MAN ALIVE my children require a lot!!!) But not only that, it means a lot to me to spend Noelle’s first Christmas at our own home. And I can wear my slippers all day, which is clearly the most important of all.
But entertaining means I need to come up with some menus. I’ll share our Christmas brunch and dinner menus when I plan them out, but I’m mostly concerned with dessert at this point. Those other meals? Ehh. Do they even matter? The Christmas dessert tray has to be epic!!!
Pictured: Christmas tree and snowflake sugar cookies using this sugar cookie and royal icing, today’s snowballs, and cake batter chocolate chip cookies.
Let’s discuss this.
How to Make an Epic Christmas Dessert Tray
- Enlist help. Why not invite family and friends over to help you actually make the desserts that will go on the tray?! Not only will it be more fun if baking’s a family affair, it’ll be a heck of a lot easier too. Extra hands = faster baking. You can even make “Christmas cookie baking day” an annual event.
- Prepare some items ahead of time. There’s plenty of time between now and Christmas, but we all know that our calendars fill quickly and things get real hectic, real fast. So do your future self a favor and begin soon. Freeze baked cookies and cookie dough now, you’ll be thankful you had a head start!
- Pick up a Christmas platter. I just bought this one. It’s even more beautiful in real life. Nice and big too! Here’s another one I have my eye on.
- Use varying shapes, sizes, and textures. That’s where today’s recipe comes in. Make different shapes with snowman sugar cookies, add some red in there with cream cheese stuffed red velvet cookies, lots of sprinkles from cake batter chocolate chip cookies and brown butter sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, regular shortbread or salted chocolate pistachio shortbread triangles, cheesecake brownies, gingerbread swirl fudge, maple cinnamon star cookies, and balls. Different shapes and sizes not only makes a beautiful tray, but guarantees there’s something for everyone.
These no-bake chocolate coconut snowballs cover all the bases. You can make them now and freeze ’em for later, they’re easy, and they add a festive look to the entire tray. Plus, they’re SO DARN GOOD. Watch how I make them:
Aren’t they fun???
Here’s The Plan
- Heat butter + sugar + cocoa + milk on the stove
- Pour over oats and coconut
- Shape into balls
- Roll in coconut
- You’re done
Told ya, so easy.
The mixture is pretty sticky, so it’ll have to chill out in the refrigerator before you shape into balls. You WANT a sticky foundation. Why? If the chocolate-oat mixture is too dry, the finished snowballs will taste dry.
The chocolate coconut snowballs are a lot like my no-bakes, Kevin’s favorite cookie of all time. Though today’s snowballs don’t include peanut butter. The horror!!!! But even without peanut butter, Kevin still loved them. He saw me typing up this post and he literally just said “those things were awesome.” Coming from a man who usually says “that was good” … “awesome” says quite a lot!
(PS: want to add peanut butter? See my recipe note!)
Have fun no-baking!
See all cookie palooza recipes.
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No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Snowballs
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 balls 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These no-bake chocolate coconut snowballs are easy to make and freeze wonderfully.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (240g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3 cups (240g) sweetened shredded coconut, divided
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup milk (any milk works; I use skim milk)
- 6 Tablespoons (32g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the oats and 1 cup of shredded coconut in a large bowl. Set aside. (Reserve the remaining coconut for step 3.)
- Combine the butter, sugar, milk, cocoa, and salt together in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the butter melts, then bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute without whisking. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, then pour over the oats/coconut. Stir until combined. Cover tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes and up to 2-3 days.
- Meanwhile, pulse the remaining coconut in a food processor to break it down. It’s easier to coat the balls when the coconut shreds are broken up/smaller.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. And make sure there is enough room in your refrigerator for the baking sheets.
- Using a 1-Tablespoon cookie scoop (or simply a spoon), roll into 1 Tablespoon balls. The mixture may get a little sticky as you work, but just form it into a ball as best you can. Roll balls in coconut and place on the baking sheets. Refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes to “set.”
- Snowballs will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make the mixture and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days before rolling in balls. Snowballs freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving.
- Special Tools: Ninja Food Processor | Measuring Cups | Glass Mixing Bowls | Cookie Scoop | Silpat Baking Mat | Baking Sheet
- Want to Add Peanut Butter? Go for it. I wanted today’s snowballs to be nut-free, but you can add 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter. Simply add it to the saucepan in step 2. Reduce butter to 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp).
Keywords: No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Snowballs
Reader Questions and Reviews
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I love them recipe is easy to follow and they are quite tasty not too sweet just perfect. Thanks you for the recipe
I liked these but the oat mixture wasn’t cooperating. I could have put them in the fridge for a bit longer but u didn’t have the patience, so I pressed the oats into a 9 x 13 pan and sprinkled the remaining coconut on top.
★★★
I love that you are using old-fashioned oats. Lost my recipe years ago, using this wonderful ingredient.
Comments read earlier, ‘yes’ year-round sounds like an excellent idea!
Sally you bake from your heart. Thank you.
★★★★★
My suggestion is to use 1 cup of shredded coconut in the mixture then use desiccated coconut to rolls the balls. I don’t think you would need more than a cup to do this.
Hi Sally, do you know if the recipe works with substituting the milk with coconut milk?
Hi Faye, coconut milk (from a carton) should work just fine here. Let us know how you like these!
I’m been making these with my family every Christmas since the early 90’s… always a favourite in our house 🙂
★★★★★
Have you tried these substituting coconut oil for butter?
Hi Kate, Coconut oil will work, though the mixture may be a little oily as you roll them. And you will lose the butter flavor. Let me know how they are!
Sounds yummy. Can you use unsweetened coconut? If so would you have to adjust the sugar?
Hi Janet, You can use finely shredded unsweetened coconut. We do recommend increasing the sugar. Let us know if you try them!
I wrapped the batter around a maraschino cherry. I also used unsweetened coconut. They were so good.
★★★★★
Great recipe, thanks! I have tried others that have double the sugar and a fraction of the coconut and oats. This recipe is the perfect blend.
Can I make these without the coconut?
Hi Caroline, how about these no-bake cookies instead? Let us know if you give them a try!