Coconut date balls are a holiday favorite in our family. My grandmother’s recipe is simple to make, on the stove top with no baking, and the dates impart a luscious caramel flavor. And a bonus: they’re gluten-free!

Are Coconut Date Balls a cookie? Or a candy? How about simply: a treat. An incredibly good treat that comes down to us from my grandmother, Alice Abowd (wife of Richard, confectioner), who had an extraordinary sweet tooth. I don’t know how long Rice Krispie treats have been in circulation, but I have to believe that these are a precursor to them. Made not with marshmallows but instead a heavenly caramel-like base of dates, butter and sugar. Together with the texture of crisp rice cereal, I can’t help but call these chewy-crisp sensations a grown-up Rice Krispie treat!

Why I love this recipe

The main reason I love this recipe is how to prepare it: on the stovetop, no baking required. The cookies come together as quickly as a batch of Rice Krispie Treats–other than the shaping. Forming little balls takes a minute, but what a fun minute it is. They hold their shape readily when the mixture is still very warm. Roll the balls in coconut, and that is all! 

Back in the day, at Christmas my mother would roll the little balls in red sugar, shape them like a strawberry, and even place a plastic green stem in the top. Why a strawberry for Christmas, I have no idea! Midwest mid-winter dreaming of fancy fruit? Must be what her mom did because the recipe reads, “Strawberry Cookie.” Then she shifted to rolling the balls in coconut, as evidenced by her revisions in a different colored-ink. I never really knew these sweets had dates in them, or even Rice Krispies, when I ate them with total abandon as a child.

If a date cookie, or date treat of any kind (even a simple date nut bread recipe), sends your hand to another corner of the cookie plate, all I can say is: trust—if not me, then the formidable sweet-maker my Grandma Abowd was—and delectable will be yours.

Ingredients

This is a basic recipe with ust a few simple ingredients that make these a holiday sweet treat.

Medjool Dates. Buy pitted dates to make the chopping process even faster. Medjools are very soft and sticky, which helps them break down easily as they cook.

Butter. Go with it, these are holiday cookies after all!

Sugar. The old fashioned recipe calls for granulated sugar.

An Egg. Just one, lightly beaten.

Crisp Rice Cereal. Just two cups; use any brand of Rice Krispies.

Nuts. Toast and chop walnuts or pecans. These are optional (I leave them out!).

Shredded Coconut. Desiccated coconut, which is shredded unsweetened coconut, is the best for coconut date balls because it sticks to the balls more uniformly. This coconut looks and tastes wonderful. Coconut flakes are too large for these little balls.

How to make Date Balls

Step 1. Pit and chop the dates. Do this by hand with a sharp chef’s knife or in the food processor, where you will need to scrape down the bowl a few times as the dates puree.

Step 2. Melt the sugar and butter over low heat. Low heat is important here to prevent the egg from scrambling.

Step 3. Add the egg and stirring constantly, increase the heat to medium low. 

Step 4. Add the dates and cook until they break down and a thick, caramel-like sauce forms. Use the back of a wooden spoon to break down the dates against the side of the pan as you stir.

Step 5. Remove from heat and add the crisp rice cereal, and nuts if using, to the date mixture. Stir until to coat completely. 

Step 6. Shape the bite-sized balls. When the mixture is just cool enough to handle, but still very warm, shape heaping teaspoons of the mixture into cohesive balls between the palms of your hands. 

Step 7. Roll in coconut in a shallow bowl and place them on parchment paper lining a baking sheet.

How to store them

Store date balls in an airtight container or a zip-top plastic bag the same day you make them. The balls won’t lose their shape or stick together, so no wax paper between layers is necessary. 

Date balls don’t freeze well. The Rice Krispies soften. 

Date balls do travel well though! They won’t break in a box of treats when shipped!

Substitutions and Tips

Here are some fun ways to change up my coconut date balls recipe:

1. Make the coconut date balls nut-free by omitting the nut option.
2. Give them a more nutty flavor by adding a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter with the dates.
3. You can substitute the coconut with toasted sesame seeds or chia seeds.
4. For extra flavor, add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or maple syrup.
5. For warm spice flavor, add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, or cardamom.
6. ​Substitute the butter with coconut oil in equal amounts.
7. Make chocolate date balls by adding ¼ cup cocoa powder to the egg. Chocolate coconut date balls are a natural combo! Avoid adding chocolate chips to make chocolate coconut balls, because the texture will be too hard for the chewy texture of these.
8. Use toasted coconut for a deeper, toasty coconut flavor.
9. Make coconut date rolls shaping the date mixture in a log rather than the sweet balls, before rolling in coconut.

Frequently asked questions