Robin: These two-bite balls of goodness call for only 3 or 4 ingredients and are super easy to make, but they are full of tropical-flavored deliciousness. They are cute enough to offer guests on a special occasion (call them “snowballs” if it´s winter, “bunny tails” in springtime, etc.), yet simple enough to make for a weekday family meal. The fact that these coconut pineapple balls are creamy and not overly sweet also makes them a good contrasting, refreshing item on a tray of intensely sweet cookies or dark chocolate truffles.
This recipe calls for shredded sweetened coconut, which is the kind most readily available in supermarkets in the United States. If you have shredded dry coconut (often referred to as desiccated coconut), see how to turn that product into sweetened coconut.
No-Bake Coconut Pineapple Balls (“Snowballs” or “Bunny Tails”)
Creamy, lightly sweet two-bite pieces that make a tasty finger food snack, appetizer, or dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 20 ounces / 567 grams can of crushed pineapple in juice*
- 1 8 ounces/227 grams package of cream cheese
- 2 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut divided
- 1 cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
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*If you are unable to get crushed pineapple, buy canned pineapple tidbits or chunks and pulse them in a blender or food processer until they are the texture of crushed pineapple.
You´ll need your ingredients at room temperature, so make sure to take the cream cheese out of the fridge an hour or so before starting to make the balls.
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Drain the crushed pineapple and place it in a fine strainer. (Save the juice for some other use.) With a large metal spoon, press the pineapple against the sides of the strainer to get as much juice squeezed out as possible; we want the pineapple to be relatively dry so that it will not make the cream cheese runny when mixed with it.
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Place the squeezed-dry pineapple, the cream cheese, one third of the coconut, and the chopped pecans (if using) into a medium-sized bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon or with an electric mixer until well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about half an hour.
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Take the mixture out of the fridge. Pour the rest of the coconut into a shallow bowl. Using very clean hands, form a 1-inch diameter ball of cream cheese mixture. Roll the ball around in the shredded coconut until it is covered with coconut all over. Keep making balls like this until the cream cheese mixture has run out. Place all the balls in a single layer in a shallow plastic container or baking pan.
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Cover the balls with the container lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or for at 6 hours before serving, to give the cream cheese the chance to firm up.
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Serve your coconut and pineapple balls (3 per serving) as a snack, appetizer, or dessert. Store leftovers well-covered in the refrigerator, where they will keep for up to a week.
More good stuff with coconut and pineapple:
Other delicious “finger foods”:
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