I really LOVE these coconut date snowball cookies… We make them every Christmas, and I can literally eat an entire plate of them. They are that good! These cookies can also be made ahead and frozen.
Coconut Date Snowball Cookies
If you’re a coconut lover, these are the Christmas cookie for you… It’s chalked full of sweetness from dates, divine butter, crispy pecans, & rice crispy cereal then rolled through coconut flakes. The flavors and textures blend perfectly to compliment each other!
These are super easy to make too, in fact, you don’t even have to bake them! Just use a medium to large frying or sauté pan, blend and cook them together, then roll balls through coconut! Recipe Serves 10
I learned this Christmas Cookie recipe from my Mother In Law, Who’s been making them every year with her family for over 60 years. So if you’re looking for an old-fashioned Christmas Cookie, this is it!
These snowball cookies make the best Christmas gifts, and do well even through the mail!
Let me know what you think!
Share your cooking tips and feedback in the comments below. Did you add any twists to these recipes? I’d love to hear!
Recipe Card
If you make this Recipe and love it, please give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouse_harvest with your delicious creation!
Coconut Date Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine, but butter is better!
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 2 well-beaten eggs beat these before adding to the mixture
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chopped pecans this is optional but gives a great crunch and flavor!
- 3 cups rice crispy cereal
- 1 package of shredded sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Combine softened butter, brown sugar, 1 cup of dates, eggs, and salt into the blender, or food processor, and blend till smooth.
- Pour mixture into a non stick skillet and heat over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, till the mixture thickens. (5-10 minutes)
Then pour mixture into a large metal bowl and add:
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3 cups rice crispy cereal
- Use a large spatula to mix everything together and let it cool just until you can handle it with your hands without getting burned.
- Pour coconut flakes onto a separate plate or pie dish.
- Use a 1 inch cookie scoop to scoop balls of date mixture, then roll date balls into coconut flakes.
- Use your hands to press coconut flakes onto the outside of your date snowballs.
- Then coconut covered snowball cookies onto a plate to cool, and continue to process till all your mixture is used up.
- Cool & enjoy!
Notes
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 cup softened butter (or margarine, but butter is better!)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 2 well-beaten eggs (beat these before adding to the mixture)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chopped pecans (this is optional but gives a great crunch and flavor!)
- 3 cups rice crispy cereal
- 1 package of shredded sweetened coconut flakes
How to Make Coconut Date Snowball Cookies
The easiest way I have found to make these cookies is to put the softened butter, sugar (I prefer brown sugar), 1 cup of dates, eggs, and salt into the blender (or food processor) and blend it well, till smooth.
Scrape out your blender or food processor into a frying pan (non-stick works well) and heat over low-medium heat till the mixture thickens. (5-10 minutes)
After the mixture has thickened add:
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3 cups rice crispy cereal
Mix everything together and let it cool until you can touch and handle it with your hands.
Poor coconut flakes onto a separate plate or pie dish.
As soon as you can touch it, roll the mixture by the spoonful into a 1-inch ball, one at a time. Immediately roll the 1-inch balls into the coconut flakes, pressing the coconut into the sides of the balls. Set the cookie onto a plate and continue to process till all your mixture is used up.
Let cookies cool and enjoy or freeze them in a single layer in a ziplock bag!
Christmas Cookie Recipes
We like to make several types of Christmas cookies and fill platters with all different kinds to share with friends and neighbors. If that is what you’d like to do be sure to check these other recipes out!
- Soft Sugar Cookies for Christmas
- Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Raw Coconut Chocolate Macaroons
- Chewy Spiced Gingerbread Cookies
- Mexican Wedding Christmas Cookies
- The Best Soft Sugar Cookies
Making Christmas cookies is a Christmas tradition that our family has done ever since I can remember… The kids love it and so do all the happy recipients!
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
