Italian Chocolate Ball Cookies
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This is a recipe that my Sicilian grandmother would make every Christmas she would make literally hundreds of these cookies and give them out to friends and family. As a young child, I remember stealing these cookies Christmas Eve and eating them before dinner. These cookies are so irresistible and delicious! Nonna used lard and butter in her recipe, that’s just what they did in those days. I’ve swapped out the lard for coconut oil and the butter for vegan butter. Otherwise I have left this recipe as is. Warning so it is not the healthiest recipe in my collection, but it’s certainly is festive, nostalgic, and a wonderful holiday treat. I hope this recipe brings you and your family as much joy as it has brought ours!
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- 2 mixing bowls
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil room temp
- ½ cup vegan butter room temp
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup organic sugar
- ½ cup organic brown sugar
- ¼ cup brandy
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder
- 3 cups flour plus 1 cup to work with dough
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup water or plant-based milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉
- Cream together the sugars, coconut oil and butter. Next, mix in eggs and brandy½ cup coconut oil, ½ cup vegan butter, 3 eggs, 1 cup organic sugar, ½ cup organic brown sugar, ¼ cup brandy
- In a separate bowl, combine allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, dark cocoa powder, and flour.1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ cup dark cocoa powder, 3 cups flour
- Working with your hands, add one cup of dry mixture at a time to the wet mixture. Keep adding dry mixture until the dough is firm.
- Next, using your hands gently work in chopped walnuts.1 cup walnuts
- Next shape the dough into 1 inch long and 1 inch thick strips, cut strips into 1 inch pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place them 3/4 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake at 325℉ for 15 minutes.
- Cookies should be just firm on the outside and the center should be moist.
- Frost with a simple frosting, 2 cups powdered sugar and ¼ cup water or plant-based milk.2 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup water or plant-based milk
- For a fun, festive flare, you can add candied sprinkles of any color.
Video
More About This Recipe
If desired the dough can be made one night before. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!