Guys, guys guys!!! Cookie Season is nearly upon us! Fall decorations have exploded on people’s porches: pumpkins, gourds, straw bales, corn stalks, and those slightly corny “Happy Fall Y’all” signs. Stores are bursting with Pumpkin Spice everything. The trees are starting to turn brilliant reds and rusty oranges, even here in the South. This morning, there was a wonderful chill in the air, whispering promises of a cooler weather just around the bend. It’s so magical!
I like to think of these cookies as Sweden’s version of American No-Bake cookies. They’re loaded with buttery goodness, sugar, chocolate, and oatmeal. We had them every Christmas that I can remember as a kid, though in Sweden, they’re not really “Christmas cookies”, per se. You can buy them pretty much year-round at any pastry shop you visit.
This recipe comes from the Swedish cook book “Sju Sorters Kakor” (Swedish Cakes and Cookies), page 182. I’ve altered it slightly to make measurements a little easier for those of us who don’t use metric everything (though I’ve still included weights). This is slightly over double the original recipe because it just doesn’t make enough, lol. I roll the cookies into roughly 1-inch balls (maybe 1 ¼ inches), yielding about 30, which is perfect!
The original recipe calls for cold, strong coffee, which…ewe, no. For those of you who love coffee, by all means, add away. I think they’re spectacular without it (wink, wink). I’m not sure how wet the mixture would be by adding the coffee, but you may find it easier to refrigerate it for a little bit before you roll out the balls if you do decide to add it. It’s your call—do what’s easier and makes the most sense for you.
Happy No-Baking!
**This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. **
Swedish Chocolate Balls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Yield: about 30 cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened (226 grams)
- 1 scant cup white Sugar (200 grams)
- 1 TBSP Vanilla Extract
- ⅓ cup Cocoa Powder, sifted (30 grams)
- 2 ⅔ cups Old Fashioned Oats (300 grams)
- ¼ – ⅓ cup Cold Coffee (OPTIONAL—but, EWE, as mentioned above, lol)
- ½ cup Pearl Sugar or Coconut Flakes
Directions:
Mix your softened butter, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk it until smooth (I just use a fork for easier cleaning, but you can use a Kitchenaid or beaters if you’d like).
Sift the cocoa powder into the butter mixture (I recommend sifting especially if you live in a more humid climate to get rid of any lumps—you definitely don’t want to bite down on a clump of straight cocoa powder, ick).
Add the coffee if you’re using it and mix until smooth. Last but not least, mix in the oatmeal. You’ll want to dive in with your hands for this one to make sure that it’s evenly mixed (make sure to take any rings off your fingers first!).
Take bits of the mixture in your hands and roll out cookie balls (1 to 1 ¼ inch in size). Place them on a cookie sheet. Once they are all rolled, dip them in a bowl of either pearl sugar or coconut flakes until they’re evenly coated.
Place the coated chocolate balls back on the tray. When you’re all done, place the tray in the freeze for about an hour, or until they get hard. Once they’ve hardened, transfer them to an airtight container and store in the freezer until you’re going to serve them. They’re best served cold (either from the freezer or the fridge).
