Go Back
–+ servings
Coconut Date Balls | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | our most loved #Christmas #cookie! Everyone always raves over them. Perfect for #holiday baking & parties. #dessert

Coconut Date Balls

Teresa Ambra
Coconut Date Balls are festive, elegant and beautiful for Christmas Cookie Exchanges. This no-bake cookie is great for holiday entertaining. It contains dates, pecans and Rice Krispies and is rolled in coconut. We've made these delicious goodies for over four decades and they are still everyone's favorites during the Christmas season.
4.15 from 14 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30
Calories 128 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 large sheet pans
  • waxed paper to place cookies on when finished
  • 1 large stock pot
  • 1 potato masher
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 2 mixing bowls

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup chopped dates
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 cups rice krispies (I used a true gluten free rice crisps cereal without malt flavoring)
  • 1 cup coconut or as desired, to roll the cookies in

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in large sauce pan; add eggs, sugar and dates.
  • Cook over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.
  • Slowly mash dates with potato masher while cooking.
  • Turn off heat.
  • Add pecans, vanilla and Rice Krispies.
  • While warm, roll and shape in small balls.
  • Roll in coconut.
  • Place on waxed paper.
  • Keep hands moist while rolling.

Notes

NOTE: This recipe is gluten free if you use gluten free Rice Krispies. But these are very difficult to locate since most brands use barley malt flavoring or malt flavoring. I purchased these at Sprouts. But Whole Foods and Trader Joe's may also carry a truly gluten free rice krispie cereal.
NOTE: My mother-in-law referred to these as "Skillet Cookies."
NOTE: It is helpful to keep the coconut dry while rolling the date balls into them. If you drip too much water from your hands into the coconut it will no longer adhere to the date mixture.
NOTE: Keep your hands moist while rolling balls.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
[nutrition-label]

Nutrition

Calories: 128kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 24mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.5mg
Keyword coconut, cookie, dates, dessert, rice krispies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!