These snowballs made of oatmeal, powdered sugar, cacao powder, butter, and coffee, rolled in coconut flakes or powdered sugar make a tasty Christmas treat and decorate the table. The history of the snowballs (in Danish: Havregrynskugler), goes back to the 2nd World War when the housewives didn’t have a great food supply and therefore developed a treat, that was made with few ingredients and contained a lot of energy. Basic commodities like butter and oatmeal were still available in the stores, so the snowballs were invented. Moreover, the snowballs do not require any cooking, which also saved the household electricity and gas. Nowadays, “Havregrynskugler” are a common Christmas treat and are still made in most Danish homes. It is especially popular to make together with younger children.
Oatmeal and Coconut Snowballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 9 ounces (260 grams) oatmeal
- 5 ounces (150 grams) powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons cacao powder
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) soft butter
- 3 tablespoons coffee or water
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) coconut flakes or extra powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix oatmeal, powdered sugar, and cacao powder.
- Add soft butter and knead well.
- Add coffee (or water) and knead well and make it into one large ball.
- Cut the large ball in half and cut the halves into halves and continue until you have the desired size of balls.
- Roll the balls in coconut flakes or powdered sugar. If it doesn't stick well enough to the ball, add a drop of water to the ball and roll it.
- Put all snowballs in an airtight container and store them in the fridge a minimum of 30 minutes before eating.
