The Perfect Newfoundland Snowballs Recipe
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Newfoundland Snowballs. The most searched for Newfoundland recipe on RockRecipes.com. Soft chocolate fudge balls with the goodness of oatmeal and coconut.
UPDATE: Here is a revisit of Newfoundland Snowballs, one of the most popular recipes ever featured on Rock Recipes and one of the earliest. This iconic Newfoundland treat is among the most searched Newfoundland recipes on the internet.
Many folks tell me this recipe is how they discovered my website in the first place.
This recipe came from my Nan, Belinda Morgan of Port-de-Grave, Newfoundland and has been made in our family for over 50 years.
I have sampled these all over the province and have never yet found any as good as her soft, fudgy version.
It is and will always be for me, the perfect and most authentic Newfoundland snowball recipe.
Originally Published on November 7, 2007.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas we will be featuring some family favourites for holiday baking. One of the most popular treats anytime but particularly at Christmas is the Snowball.
Newfoundland Snowballs, an iconic local recipe.
This recipe is virtually a Newfoundland icon. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who has spent any time in this province and has not sampled a Snowball.
More a confection than a cookie, a proper snowball should be soft, fudgy and slightly chewy. Many people find this recipe to be a bit of a challenge but if you follow the method closely and are precise in your measurements, you should have no problems.
Some crucial tips for success.
Key to the success of this recipe is the length of time that the base of the recipe is boiled. More precisely, it is the temperature that the mixture reaches when boiling that is critical.
Much akin to making fudge, you are looking for the mixture to reach soft ball stage or near soft ball stage on a candy thermometer. Use one if you have it but if not, the five minutes gentle boiling as directed in the recipe is a pretty dependable guideline.
It is also very important not to stir the mixture as it boils or you risk the sugar crystallizing and leaving you with a hard, crumbly finished product. I've added the two very short videos below to demonstrate what each stage of preparation will look like.
Don't worry, chill out!
Chilling the snowball mixture well is also very important. Many people start adding more coconut and/or oats to the recipe when they see how soupy the mixture is when it is hot. That is a mistake to be avoided.
Once chilled the mixture will be easy to scoop and roll into balls. This will take several hours or overnight as is mentioned in the recipe instructions below.
Looking for more Newfoundland inspired desserts?
Be sure to check out our Best Newfoundland Christmas Cookies Collection. They are definitely worth making at any time of year!
Like this Newfoundland Snowballs recipe?
You'll find over 200 more like it in our Cookies Category and if your looking for more traditional and traditionally inspired recipes browse our Newfoundland Recipes Category.
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The Perfect Newfoundland Snowballs Recipe
Newfoundland Snowballs - the most searched for Newfoundland recipe on RockRecipes.com. Soft chocolate fudge balls with the goodness of oatmeal and coconut. These freeze exceptionally well and my kids actually prefer to eat them frozen, just like I did as a child.
Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar
- ¾ cup melted butter
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 3 cups large rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened fine coconut
- 12 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 ½ cups extra coconut extra coconut to roll the balls, approximately
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and milk. This mixture will foam up while boiling so a larger pot is recommended.)
- Boil together gently over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until mixture reaches about 225 -230 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (The 5 to 6 minutes cooking time is usually quite accurate for me but don't start timing it until the mixture is fully at a rolling boil and don't stir the mixture while it boils.) For the record, my latest batch took exactly 6 minutes at a rolling boil and it was perfect.
- Mix together the oats, 1 cup coconut and cocoa.
- Add the boiled mixture to the dry ingredients until well combined and chill well in the fridge, until mixture is able to be shaped into 1 ½ inch balls. The mixture will be quite soft and sloppy while it is still hot. It will not firm up until it is very well chilled.
- In updating this recipe I prepared a batch and let it cool down to almost room temperature before covering the bowl and refrigerating overnight. The next day, as can be seen in one of the photos above, the mixture was very easy to scoop and roll into balls.
- Roll the balls in additional coconut.
- Makes about 4 dozen. These should ALWAYS be stored in the fridge to maintain the soft yet slightly chewy texture. They tend to be too soft at room temperature.
- These freeze very well (my kids eat them frozen all the time, just like my siblings and I did as kids)
Notes
- To prevent your snowballs from hardening, (the sugar crystallizing) it is important not to take the mixture over the desired temperature. A heavy bottom pot is best, so as not to conduct the heat too quickly.
- Also, some people ask about a rolling boil. To me, that is a gentle boil, using only just enough heat to make the mixture slowly and constantly bubble and be foamy.
- Of course both your pot and your own stove have to be taken into consideration. While the recipe says medium heat, your stove/pot combination might need medium low for example to maintain a gentle boil.
- The most important thing is not to have the heat too high for YOUR specific equipment.
- The 2 hour total time for preparation is an estimate and includes chilling time before the snowballs are rolled in the coconut.
- It is not recommended to double this recipe, as the boiling time will not be long enough. You can use a candy thermometer though when doubling the recipe. Hope this was helpful, B.
Nutrition Information
Yield
48Serving Size
gAmount Per Serving Calories 129Saturated Fat 4gCholesterol 8mgSodium 30mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 1gSugar 13gProtein 1g
I made Snowballs for years following my mother-in-law's recipe, and it was always hit or miss with how they turned out. Then I discovered another recipe that uses chocolate cake mix as an ingredient, and got the fudgy chewy snowball I wanted. But now, having read through this recipe, I know why my earlier attempts didn't work...I ALWAYS stirred the mixture as it was boiling! Now I have to go pick up the ingredients at the supermarket and try to make them again...without stirring! Thanks, love your site and your blog!!
I am so happy to have found this recipe. My dad is from The Rock and I remember him getting so excited to find store-bought snowballs.I can't wait to make him the real thing when he gets home from vacation!
I sure hope your Dad enjoys them! Happy Holidays!
So excited to try this recipe as my mom use to make these every Christmas when I was a kid. Just wondering though if it matters if the butter is salted or unsalted? Thanks so much for the recipe and I will definitely be looking on this site for some more great recipes!
Quote...In Musgrave Hr. They call them 'Fiddle Diddle's' lol, they have many names!
This is what we called them too and I was trying to think of that name. I'm from St George's NL, now living in Pickering ON. I googled Snowball recipe and it brought me here right away. Actually I think we called them filly dillies..Maybe I was just pronouncing it wrong...Thanks for the recipe. I will try it tonight. Wish me luck. Chris
My comments are not posting. Boo Hoo
Chris. Still Testing 1..2..3
I'm 16 and I've made these twice-- both times were AMAZING, and I've gotten a million compliments on my cooking, haha!
I'm just wondering if, during the boiling, there's a way to get the mixture to stop boiling over the top? It's an issue I've had both times, thanks!
LOL @Chris. All comments are moderated by necessity to prevent spam and the like. At this time of year it takes me several days to get to them. So so busy around here. All the best, Barry.
Mine has been in the fridge for about 5 hours and still isn't firm enough to form a ball... It sticks together but doesn't keep its shape. I'm wondering if this is probably because I didn't read the comments first, and used skim milk because it's what I had. Also, the coconut I used isn't as fine as what's pictured coating the balls on this page, so maybe that could be it? It tastes delicious though... I kind of want to eat the whole bowl of snowball-pudding
You did not cook the mixture long enough Jill. A save here would be to pour the mixture into a pan, freeze it and cut out squares or bars. These are terrific as a frozen treat. My whole family eats them straight from the freezer.
I haven't made them yet,i am scared i might mess them up. Here is my question my friend from Bishop's Cove told me to boil the butter and milk first and add the sugar and other dry ingredients,so thats not right and also she said to use fudge cake mix and quick oats. please put me on the right path.Thank you so much and merry christmas.
That sounds like a completely different recipe. Fudge cake mix? I don't think so. Use a candy thermometer, follow the directions and it will be fine.
I am wondering if these would work with Splenda instead of sugar?
I'm afraid not Michelle. This is much like making fudge. It requires real sugar to work.
I love these! As a kid, my mom always made them with out cooking the mixture first - I think she used a ton of oats to make the firm enough lol. Since I've made them this way I will never go back! My sis wants to make them, and I referred her to your site. 🙂