Cookies, Food, Newfoundland Favorites, Snacks, Special Occasions, Sweet Treats

Newfoundland Snowballs

by Donna Fitzpatrick

Soft, chewy, chocolatey, oatmealy, coconutty, fudgey goodness!  These “Snowballs” are a Newfoundland ICON!

You’re probably thinking why am I sharing this recipe during the summer months…I made these “Snowballs” now because I have relatives coming to Newfoundland this week but I fear there will be none left by the time they get here!!! Sorry, but they are too good!

Growing up on the South Coast of Newfoundland, we always called these cookies “Snowballs” but they are also referred to “Golfballs” in other parts of Newfoundland.  I think these were a family favorite among many homes in Newfoundland! You would be hard pressed to find a Newfoundlander that’s never tasted a “Snowball”!

I have many happy childhood memories making and eating  “Snowballs”….toooooo many Snowballs!  I remember being so impatient that the mixture had to boil for 5 minutes and then I had to wait for the sweet chocolatey goodness to cool!  So you know what happened next, especially when you are a child…you burnt the hands off yourself trying to roll the hot mixture into balls and dip them in the coconut.  My palms were always beet red but then I’d get to lick my hands to get every last bit of chocolate coconut goodness!  Burns and all ~ it was all worth it! 🙂

This recipe is a bit finicky! Once it starts boiling, boil gently  for 5 minutes. DO NOT STIR! Again, DO NOT STIR!  If you do, the batter will go all dry and crumbly and will not be edible. Speaking from experience here! (I threw out my 1st batch as I forgot about the non-stirring part)

Boil Gently on Medium heat for 5 Minutes

 

Mixture will be Soupy but will set up once really well chilled!

If you follow the recipe exactly, this recipe is very easy! They also freeze great but in our house, there were never any “Snowballs” leftover to throw in the freezer!

A great recipe to make with your little ones 🙂  The longer you let the mixture set in the refrigerator, the easier to roll into balls.  I usually let them cool overnight and finish rolling the “Snowballs” the next day ~ this is where you can get your children or grandchildren involved!  There might be coconut everywhere but who cares!

Newfoundland Snowballs

  • Servings: 30 - 40 Snowballs
  • Difficulty: easy
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“A Newfoundland Favorite!!! Chocolate, coconut, and oatmeal rolled into balls and rolled in more coconut ~ Super Addictive and Super Delicious!”


Ingredients:

  • 3 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1 1/4 cup milk (I used Evaporated Milk)
  • 3 cups Quick Oats (Large Oats)
  • 1 cup unsweetened fine coconut
  • 12 TBSP unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 1/2 cup coconut (for rolling the balls)


Preparation:

In a large bowl, mix together the rolled oats,  1 cup coconut and cocoa.  Set aside.

Melt butter in large saucepan, add milk, and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Boil gently for 5 minutes.  DO NOT STIR!!! Remove from heat. (if you have a candy thermometer, you want to reach 230 degrees)

Add dry ingredients to the hot sugar mixture and stir well to combine. It will be soupy.  Put saucepan in the refrigerator to set up.  Leave for a couple of hours to overnight. The mixture needs to be really well chilled. Remove from refrigerator and take a heaping tablespoon full of mixture and roll into balls.  Roll balls in coconut.

Store in the refrigerator.  Enjoy! 🙂

NOTES:  Boil for 5 minutes on medium heat – DO NOT STIR once it starts to boil!!!! Also, if you have time, let them cool in the refrigerator overnight and then roll into balls ~ this makes it easier to roll.  These also freeze really well so make another batch and keep them in the freezer ~ they are amazing eaten frozen:)

http://www.aroundthebaywithdd.com

Recipe from Rock Recipes

Loving this Life Living “Around the Bay” ~ DD

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23 thoughts on “Newfoundland Snowballs”

  1. Tempting! And similiar to the unbaked cookies we ate growing up in BC. They weren’t rolled — just dropped in spoonfuls on the baking tray and left to cool.

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  3. I let the mixture cool to warm, then roll. Did not know you could roll them when cold. Doesn’t the butter when cooled get hard.? Love snowballs but with less sugar!

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    1. I find that if you leave them overnight in the fridge they are perfect for rolling the next day! Less sugar and they probably won’t taste as yummy! hahaha I only make them on special occasions nowadays ~ can’t even keep them in the freezer as they are so good frozen too!

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      1. When I have made them I spread them in8 in. Sq pan ,put in freezer,then cut up any which way .everyones favourites.I say I don’t have patience for all this rolling stuff.

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  4. We attended a farmer’s market in Placentia, while travelling through Newfoundland on the 15th of September this year. I bought some of “Sharon’s Snowballs”. They were the best tasting Snowball cookies I have ever tasted! They are not too sweet. I would also guess that they were a no-bake recipe. I would love to have the recipe for them as I know I will never be back there again.
    Any advice or a recipe for these would be much appreciated.

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    1. Hi Gerry! Newfoundland Snowballs are so good and I’m not surprised you loved them! Are they similar to the snowballs in this recipe or more like a flat cookie but not baked? Let me know and I’ll try and find you a recipe. Thanks, Donna

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      1. Mine have sat in fridge all night. They are still soupy on the bottom. We usually add more oatd but didn’t this time

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  5. Making these for my husband who was born and raised in Newfoundland. He always talks about these cookies I hope as a Torontonian I can do it justice.

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  7. My mom’s recipe had the same ingredients but very different amounts. Less sugar, probably because of the cost, and double the oats which made the mixture thick without waiting to set up. It was past down without writing down. I have made small batches of the snowball recipe without coconut because I had none. I love it hot. it doesn’t make it to the fridge. I am thinking of trying it with peanut butter. I also had some with dates in it.

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    2. I will do this next time. I just finished making these and there not fit. So wet and sloppy. I’ll definitely be adding alit more oats.

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  8. I have been making these all my life and this recipe is spot on. Also less mess. I never waited the 5 minute boiling time and WOW, total difference, nothing sticks when rolling. Thank you so much for this awesome snowball recipe. I will use this forever.

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  9. I used this recipe for Christmas (My mother didn’t need one lol) and it was perfect chew and yummy goo!! spot on to my mums. Rip. Thank you!

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  10. I followed this recipe exactly (as I did with many others) and I’m having the same issue! Even with chilling overnight when I attempt to roll the mixture into a ball it will not hold its shape, the balls just flatten out, how can I correct this?! They taste amazing, just more like snow pancakes :p

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    1. Hmmm, I wonder what happened! Did you use the quick oats? That really makes a difference the type of oats that you use it has to be able to soak up the liquid. You can always try adding more oats to make it a thicker consistency so you can roll it.

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