Google+ Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery: Coconut Date Balls

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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Coconut Date Balls



This recipe is one of my favorites to make at Christmastime.  It's an old family recipe that's been passed down since the invention of Rice Krispies :)  As I was searching around for something yummy to make for Teatime Tuesday, I came across my old, rumpled recipe card (entitled Frying Pan Cookies, typed and reproduced using carbon paper) and thought "Aha! These can be made allergy-free with just a few minor changes."  Originally, this recipe contained eggs and butter.  I left out the eggs and substituted coconut oil for the butter, and the cookies taste just like they're supposed to!  (Phew!  I never know what might happen when I start messing with old recipes.) Enjoy :)

Coconut Date Balls

2 cups chopped dried dates
1 cup demerara sugar
3 Tbsp coconut oil
2 cups Rice Krispies (some stores carry brown rice varieties)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flaked, unsweetened coconut

In a large frying pan, combine dates, sugar and coconut oil and cook gently on low heat for about 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally, and watch carefully -- if the dates burn, your cookies will turn out tooth-crackingly hard.

When the dates appear melted and soft, stir in the Rice Krispies, vanilla and salt.  (By melted, I don't mean that the dates are completely liquified.  They will still have some shape, but some of their edges will have melted and mixed with the sugar.

Let cool for a few minutes, then roll date mixture into balls and roll in coconut.  The hot sugar can be hard to handle, so be careful, but don't wait too long -- if the dates cool totally you won't be able to get them to stick to the Rice Krispies.

You can set these in mini cupcake liners to keep them from sticking together.  Store in a closed container for up to a week.

Shared with Tasty Tuesday at Naptime Creations and Tea Party Tuesday at Sweetology and Tea Time Tuesday at the Rose Chintz Cottage and A Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life and Tuesday Tea for Two at The Plumed Pen and Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life and the Tuesday Confessional at Confessions of a Stay at Home Mommy and Tuesday Time Out at Reasons to Skip the Housework and Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training and Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff and Totally Tasty Tuesday at Mandy's Recipe Box and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free and Crazy Sweet Tuesday at Crazy for Crust and Gluten Free Wednesday at the Gluten Free Homemaker and What's Cooking Wednesday at the Kings Court IV and Success U at The Stuff of Success and Whisking Wednesday at A Pinch of This That and The Other and Your Whims Wednesday at My Girlish Whims and Thursday's Treasures at Recipes for My Boys and Sweet Tooth Friday at Alli n Son and Vintage Recipe Thursday at Joy of Desserts and Sweets This Week at Sugar Bananas and Weekend Wrap Up at Tatertots and Jello and Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies at The Traveling Spoon and Cookie Exchange 2011 at Art of Dessert and Recipe of the Week: Cookies at Family Fresh Meals and Healing with Food Friday

17 comments:

  1. Lovely tea cups and the date balls sound and look delicious! The older the recipe the better (with some minor changes)!!!! Happy Tea Day!

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  2. You are going to make a cookbook I hope. I know I would buy it!

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  3. I'm working on an e-book, but it's slow going! With three boys playing three different sports, fall is a crazy time :)

    Lisa

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  4. Oh, I love dates and coconut!! This sounds yummy. TFS.

    Pinning on pinterest.

    Cheers,
    Tracy Screaming Sardine

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  5. These look great! I can't wait to try them out on my family. I've been in the mood lately to try out all kinds of new dishes on my family. Most have worked out well.

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  6. Oh, I LOVE your pretty teacups; especially the pink one! I make Saucepan Cookies every Christmas and they're a family favourite. I'm glad you have figured out a way to make them to suit your family's needs. They are tasty little morsels! Thank you so much for sharing this with Tea Time. Hope you have a wonderful week.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  7. Oh my, these look soooooooo good and sound just yummy. Love the beautiful teacups also. What a special treat and such an inviting setting. Thanks for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

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  8. Hello there,

    What an exquisite set of pretty pink dishes amidst the yummy coconut balls.., Yum! Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us.

    Happy Tuesday Tea day and have a marvelous week!

    Hugs from Wanda Lee

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  9. These look so terrific - Thanks for linking to www.thestuffofsuccess.com

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  10. Those are such beautiful teacups. Nice substitution with the coconut oil. It has so many health properties. Thank you for participating in Vintage Recipe Thursday. :-)

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  11. I love old recipes made anew. These look delicious (and so pretty in the picture). Thanks for sharing with Sweets This Week.

    Sarah

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  12. I love it! This sounds great and will be added to my Christmas Party food list! Thank you so much for sharing this with A Return to Loveliness,
    God Bless,
    Kathy

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  13. A very Delicious and Beautiful Post! Thank you so much for sharing on Thursday's Treasures. I hope to see you again this week. <3 and Hugs!

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  14. I have a slight obsession with coconut. These sounded unbelievably good. Wonderful recipe :)

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  15. Any idea if honey would work instead of the sugar? My GAPs girl cannot have these yet otherwise.
    Thanks for sharing at Healing With Food Friday. This is another featured post next week.

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    1. I haven't tried honey, but I would guess that the result would be softer and you'd have to eat them right away because the longer honey sits the more moisture it absorbs. Let me know if you try it!

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