Soft, creamy centers wrapped in coconut and dipped in vanilla almond bark—these coconut snowball cookies are the kind of treat people assume came from a bakery. They’re velvety on the inside and have that irresistible coconut flavor you only get when you use real coconut cream. Best of all, they are so easy to make.
If you love a no-bake cookie that looks stunning on a Christmas cookie tray but requires zero fuss, this is the recipe you’ll make every year. They hold up well on Christmas party trays, and taste like a mash-up of a truffle and a macaroon.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Coconut Snowball Cookies
Ingredient Notes
- This recipe uses unsweetened coconut cream and coconut extract, which gives a deeper, richer flavor than recipes relying only on shredded coconut.
- The combination of softened cream cheese + powdered sugar + almond flour gives the center a truffle-like creaminess that sets perfectly once chilled.
- We dip these balls into melted vanilla almond bark rather than white chocolate. This is because white chocolate scorches easily and can seize when mixed with coconut. Almond bark melts cleaner and coats evenly.
PRO TIP:
Make sure that you’re using coconut cream, NOT cream of coconut or coconut milk. Coconut cream is used in baking as an alternative to heavy whipping cream.
You will need to stir the layer of coconut solids into the liquids when you open the can. From there, you can measure it out just like heavy cream.
If you cannot find coconut cream, you can substitute it with heavy cream. However, if you do, we would recommend increasing your coconut extract to one teaspoon.
What You Need to Know for the Best Results
Beat the filling long enough to thicken – Cream cheese, powdered sugar, coconut cream, and coconut extract need a full two minutes of mixing to emulsify properly. This step isn’t just about combining ingredients—it’s what gives the centers their firm-but-creamy truffle texture.
PRO TIP: You can transfer your remaining coconut cream to a sealed jar (mason jars work great) and keep it refrigerated for up to five days. You can use it in frostings, baking, and other cooking applications.
Using a 1½-inch scoop keeps every snowball the same size, which matters later when dipping in almond bark—they’ll coat evenly and set at the same rate.
Don’t skip the three chills:
- The 30-minute refrigeration is what transforms the mixture from a soft batter into something scoopable. If you try to skip this step and go straight to making the balls, they’ll stick to your hands and lose their shape.
- This second chill is essential. Cold snowballs won’t melt into the warm almond bark, which means a smoother outer shell and less cracking as they set.
- The last 30 minutes in the fridge firms up the almond bark so the snowballs hold their shape when plated or packaged.
Melt almond bark in intervals – Almond bark scorches faster than you think. Heating in 30-second bursts with stirring gives you that clean, even coating.
Tap off excess coating before rolling in coconut – it will remove drips so the coconut coating can cling evenly. Roll immediately after dipping so the coconut adheres.
Gifting and Serving Ideas
These coconut snowballs are the kind of treat that looks impressive as a gift or on a Christmas cookie tray. No matter how you set them out—piled onto a platter, packed into tins, or tucked into wrappers for easy sharing—they make a big impact for hardly any effort.
These no bake cookies should always be served chilled, so be sure to keep them in the fridge until you are about ready to serve them.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Store the coconut snowball cookies in an airtight container for up to five days. Because the filling contains cream cheese and coconut cream, they need to stay chilled. Keep them in a single layer or separate layers with parchment paper.
Freezer: These freeze exceptionally well. Place the finished snowballs on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep for up to two months.
To serve, thaw in the refrigerator—not at room temperature—to keep the almond bark coating from sweating or softening.
MAKE AHEAD TIP:
You can prepare the centers (before dipping) up to 24 hours ahead. Keep them tightly covered in the fridge, then dip and coat when ready. This is especially helpful for holiday prep.
More Coconut Recipes
- Coconut Poke Cake
- Coconut Chocolate Balls
- Coconut Brownies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Coconut Cream Dessert
- Coconut Cream Pie
Coconut Snowballs
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut cream, see tips
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- 4 cups sweetened shredded coconut, divided in half
- 1 cup finely ground almond flour
- 10 ounces vanilla almond bark
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, unsweetened coconut cream, and coconut extract for 2 minutes or until smooth and thickened.
- To the cream cheese mixture, add 2 cups of the sweetened shredded coconut and the finely ground almond flour until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Using a 1½-inch cookie scoop, scoop out the coconut snowball mixture and form it into a ball. Place the ball onto the parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat until all the coconut snowballs have been formed.
- Place the coconut snowballs back into the refrigerator to stay cold while you prepare the vanilla almond bark and coconut coating.
- Place the vanilla almond bark into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute. Stir and repeat in 30-second increments until your almond bark is melted and smooth. You are best to follow the directions on the packaging for melting according to the brand of almond bark you are using.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of sweetened shredded coconut to a separate bowl.
- Remove the coconut snowballs from the refrigerator. Using a fork, dip one coconut snowball into the melted vanilla almond bark, be sure to tap the fork onto the side of the bowl to remove any excess, then drop it into the bowl of the sweetened shredded coconut to coat the entire coconut snowball.
- Place the coated coconut snowball back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet to allow the vanilla almond bark to harden and set. Repeat until all the coconut snowballs have been coated.
- Place your coconut snowballs back into the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to firm up completely before serving or storing them.
Notes
- Make sure that you are using coconut cream, NOT cream of coconut or coconut milk. Coconut cream is used in baking as an alternative to heavy whipping cream (which you can use if you can not find coconut cream). Cream of coconut is lower in fat and is very sweet, which is why you will see it often used in tropical drinks. Coconut cream is unsweetened and has a much higher fat content. You will need to stir the layer of coconut solids into the liquids when you open the can. From there, you can measure it out just like heavy cream.
- Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature, or you will end up with lumps in your creamy filling.
- You can transfer your remaining coconut cream to a sealed jar (mason jars work great) and keep it refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can use it in frostings, baking, and other cooking applications.
- Be very careful when melting the almond bark, as it can burn very easily.
Nutrition
Comments
Laura Schapira says
What is vanilla almond bark? Like a white chocolate? We don’t have it by that name in the UK. Thanks!
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Laura – yes, it’s a melting chocolate in the baking aisle that is formulated to melt smoothly.