I love filling holiday cookie trays with classics like Christmas sugar cookies, peanut butter blossoms, chocolate crinkle cookies, and gingerbread cookies.
But sometimes it’s fun to add something unique to the mix, a treat that doesn’t even require the oven. (Save that precious oven space!) Everyone loves a little variety on their cheese boards, so let’s give ’em a little variety here too! Add today’s chocolate coconut snowballs to your line-up.
Let’s discuss putting together a beautiful dessert of Christmas cookies and treats.
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’s a lot easier too. Extra hands = faster baking. You can even make “Christmas cookie baking day” an annual event, or host a cookie decorating day.
- Prepare some items ahead of time. At the end of the year, things get real hectic… real fast. So do your future self a favor and begin soon. Review how to freeze cookie dough and you’ll be thankful you had a head start!
- Use varying shapes, sizes, and textures. That’s where today’s recipe comes in. Make different shaped sugar cookies like 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, gingerbread swirl fudge, maple cinnamon cut-out cookies, and peanut butter balls, Oreo balls, or rum balls. Different shapes and sizes not only makes a beautiful tray, but guarantees there’s something for everyone.
Today’s no-bake chocolate coconut snowballs cover all the bases. Also, if you’re looking to include some gluten free dessert recipes, this one fits the bill. You can make them now and freeze them for later, they’re easy, and they add a festive look to the entire tray. Plus, they’re delicious!
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
It’s that easy! They’re like a chocolate coconut no-bake version of regular snowball cookies.
The mixture is pretty sticky, so you’ll have to chill it in the refrigerator before you shape it 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 chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies, though today’s snowballs don’t include peanut butter. (The horror!!) But even without peanut butter, we still loved them.
(P.S. Want to add peanut butter? See my recipe note!)
No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Snowballs
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 balls
- Category: Cookies
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These no-bake chocolate coconut snowballs are easy to make and freeze wonderfully.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (255g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 3 cups (240g) sweetened shredded coconut, divided
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) 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 (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Food Processor | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper
- 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).
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally! I love your recipes and i have been looking for a recipe to no bake chocolate coconut cookies. I have found recipes of this on other websites, but i prefer to use one of yours! This specific one looks very similar to the ones i have found. Do you think i can adapt this one to make into cookies instead of balls?
Hi Noelia, what an interesting idea. You can certainly try these as cookies, but you may want to scale down on the oats or coconut so they flatten out a little easier. (This dough is very thick and would be difficult to flatten into cookies.) Or you can try adding a little more milk to add some moisture.
Can you make this with quick oats and unsweetened coconut flakes?
Hi Sil You can use quick oats, but the snowballs will taste a little dry from their powder-y consistency. For best taste and texture, I recommend sticking with whole old-fashioned oats.
You can use finely shredded unsweetened coconut, but you will likely want to increase the sugar. Let us know if you try anything!
I want to make ahead and freeze, do I roll into balls and roll in the coconut first or just freeze the batter and roll them when I unfreeze?
Hi Dee, You can freeze the completed snowballs after they are rolled in coconut. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Hi Sally,
I’ve made many of your delicious treats before, all turning out beautifully. For some reason, the oatmeal mixture does not hold together well. This is after refrigerating for almost an hour. Ive got it back in the fridge. Do you think there’s still a chance they’ll hold together better after more chilling?
Hi Betty, The mixture should be sticky before going in the refrigerator. Does the mixture feel too try? Did you by any chance use quick oats instead of old fashioned oats?
Hi Sally,
I used old fashioned oats and I thought mixture was too dry (ish) when I put in fridge, but it just needed more time in fridge to set. I also added a little melted butter when ready to roll and this really helped to form balls. Also ran my hands under cold water when fingers got too sticky. Worked beautifully and chocolate balls are fantastic!
This recipe is very similar to something I used to make in Sweden! Choklad bollar, a great swedish dessert ! Tastes super yummy!
I was wondering if this recipe is similar – I ate Chokladbollar at every Scandinavian bakery I passed! 🙂
Great recipe ! Thank you 🙂
Obsessed with these have made them over and over. Totally easy to follow no guesswork!
Really good!
These are very delicious and easy to
take!! I made them today successfully halving the recipe (I only needed half the allocated coconut topping around so just poured it into a plate little by little to avoid wasting it), I think they can be enjoyed year round. Thank you Sally!
First try was a……….SUCCESS!
Will try other recipes of yours and will give you a shout!
Thank you!
This was a bit hard to follow without the specifics, lots of guessing on my part. not done chilling ( in the fridge which i hope is right ) but I think the recipe is fantastic despite.
Hi Nora, If you scroll down to the actual recipe there is a list of detailed step-by-step directions that should help you (right under the list of ingredients).
I did, hard to follow
Absolutely great! So easy, thanks for the recipe!
How much rum could I add without making the cookies too wet?
Hi Dolly! You can replace a couple Tablespoons of the milk with the same amount of rum.
Can you use quick oats rather than old fashioned oats?
Hi Rose! You can, but the snowballs will taste a little dry from the powder-y consistency of the quick oats. For best taste and texture, I recommend sticking with whole old-fashioned oats.
My one of my husband’s favorite cookies but his mom added a heaping half cup of peanut butter at the end of cooking. Chocolate, oatmeal, coconut are prefect just have to add peanut butter to keep the peace.
These turned out fabulously, Sally! The flavor is outstanding. I did pulse the oats a little to break them down, as last time I made these the oats left a very chewy texture. But these are so good! I will be making them again and again. Thanks for the great recipe, Sally!
Hi Sally! I have made these before and they turned out so deliciously; I want to make them again, but was wondering whether I could press the mixture into a 9-inch by 13-inch pan (lined with parchment? Or maybe plastic wrap?) and cut into bars? Or do you think your recipe for Nutella No-Bake cookies in Sally’s Cookie Addiction would be better for bars? Thanks! Love your site and recipes (and your fabulous cookbook! It’s the best!)
Oh yum! I’ve never attempted this recipe as no-bake bars but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work. I hesitate to guarantee that the 9×13 inch pan would be large enough. I *think* it should be. Make sure you really press the mixture tightly into the pan. Let me know how they turn out!
Just made these and accidently added the vanilla with other ingredients on stove. Should I add more vanilla to the mixture ready for refrigerator. Considering starting over 🙁 Thanks.
That’s totally fine. The only reason it’s added after is because I’m always weary of adding alcohol-based extract to heat. The heat can cook off a lot of the flavor. After removing from heat, you can add a little more if you’d like.
Are the oats instant oat?…or do they have to be regular?
You should use old fashioned oats – not instant or quick oats. The texture of quick oats is much finer.
These were great and look great on the holiday party desert table! Thanks
I make these every year but I add Rum and chopped raisins. My husband LOVES them. When the rolling into a ball gets messy? I wet my hands a little and it helps enormously,
Sally – I made these this weekend, and they were a MASSIVE hit. Thank you for making me a star!
Hi Sally, can I use dessicated coconut for this?Haven’t seen a shredded coconut in supermarket eversince.Thanks much. I am looking forward to baking your seriously fudgy brownies again for Christmas and as give aways to our friends too. God bless you always.
Hi Gee Ann! I strongly recommend sweetened shredded coconut as it retains a lot more moisture than desiccated coconut. How about making my no-bake cookies instead– no coconut in those!
Could I use unsweetened coconut? I only have it on hand today.
You could use finely shredded unsweetened coconut, yes. But you’d likely have to increase the sugar as well. Let me know if you try anything!
Hmm I just tried this today and after chilling for a few hours I found my top half of batter extra dry and bottom half extra moist! So half my cookies were perfect but the first half are kinda falling apart lol! It was a little tough to stir at that point, so I’m wondering if there’s a better way to incorporate all that sugar goodness before chilling? Or should I have let it cool to room temp before chilling?
Hi Sarah Jean! I wonder if you kept the chilled mixture out on the counter for a few extra minutes, if you could stir it up a little better then? I never let it cool to room temp before chilling, so I don’t think that is the issue. I’m glad the few snowballs that worked out were great!
You think I can use white chocolate instead?
White chocolate powder/ground white chocolate you mean? I haven’t attempted it, so I’m not 100% positive.
I was wondering if you think this would work with coconut oil and non-dairy milk, instead of butter and milk? Thanks.
Coconut oil and a non-dairy milk can work, but the coconut oil may make the mixture a little too oily and hard to work with. But let me know how they turn out!