Cooking with Manuela: Coconut and Double Chocolate Snowman Cookie Balls

Make your holidays sweeter with these adorable and insanely addictive coconut and chocolate snowman cookie balls

Happy December everyone!
Let's start this month with something festive, eye-catching and sinfully delicious. Something that will have you itching to try it out and instantly get you in the holiday spirit. Because, as I said one too many times, baking is an essential part of the holiday season. There's nothing like huddling up in the kitchen with your family or friends, surrounded by melted chocolate, cookie crumbs and lots of candies, and bake something delicious.
Oh wait! Did I just say "bake"?!? Sorry, but NO baking is needed for today's recipe, just some mixing, melting, decorating, and nibbling of course :)

These cute snowmen are not only a great weekend activity that you can do with your kids, but they also make the perfect edible holiday gift. Who wouldn't love to receive a batch of these insanely addictive cookie balls and experience the enticing combination of coconut and chocolate, served up in cute melting snowman covered in white chocolate and candies?!
Just look at these!

I've got some news for you.

The bad news - I made these snowmen a couple of days ago, and I'm sad to say that there's not one piece left :(

The good news - These snowmen are so fun to create that there's nothing that's going to stop me from making another batch this weekend.
The basic coconut, oreo cookies and ricotta cheese balls are laughably easy to whip up. Just crush the cookies, mix the ingredients and roll into balls. That's all!
If you don't feel like decorating, just roll these in some extra coconut flakes and enjoy!
If you are feeling the holiday spirit like I am, find your favorite candies, be creative and make the best snowman you can figure out.

Before you rush off and try this recipe, I've got one more exciting news for you.

Because the holidays are just around the corner, I teamed up with five other awesome food bloggers to giveaway this beautiful KitchenAid stand mixer!!!!

Make sure to check my Instagram post here to enter.

INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: about 20 snowmen

20 chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreo or similar), about 8 oz, 225 gr
4 oz (115 gr) of ricotta cheese (better if whole milk)
1 cup (80 gr) of coconut flakes, unsweetened
12 oz (350 gr) of white chocolate chips
1 or 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
candies and cookies to decorate (20 mini Oreo cookies for the hat, mini chocolate chips for eyes and mouth, orange gummy cut in pieces for the nose, a piece of colorful sour belts for the scarf)

PREPARATION:

TIME: 15 minutes to make the balls, about 45 minutes to decorate

In a blender crush the cookies and mix with the ricotta and coconut flakes. If you don't have a blender, or if you prefer, you can also crush the cookies in a bag, and mix in a bowl with the ricotta and coconut

Make into little balls (about 1 tablespoon each).

Place on a baking sheet (or big enough plate) lined with parchment or wax paper.

Place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate in double boiler or in the microwave with one tablespoon of cream (45 seconds at first, add more seconds if necessary). I suggest working in batches, melting the chocolate some at a time. Add more cream and/or reheat if necessary.

Dip each ball into the melted chocolate, coating all sides. Let the extra white chocolate drip back in the bowl.

Place the chocolate covered balls back on the parchment paper. Decorate starting from the mouth (chocolate chips with the tip inside the praline), nose (cut a piece of orange gummy with scissors), eyes (chocolate chip with tip outward), hat (mini Oreo cookie) and scarf (little strip of sour belt). Make sure to decorate before the chocolate completely sets.