Carlin Lohrey of Kelso, Washington, was in search of a recipe she had lost for a treat her daughters used to call goodie balls. She said that was not the real name, so she has been stumped trying to locate a recipe. She remembers that it had a couple of eggs and some sugar, which you cooked for a couple of minutes and then added dried fruit and coconut. You then formed the mixture into balls and rolled them in more coconut.
Martha Ward of Glen Burnie, Maryland, saw Lohrey’s request and thought she might have the recipe, or at least one that comes close to what Lohrey described. Ward’s aunt sent it to her sometime in the 1980s, and even though her recipe calls for making one long cookie roll and slicing individual cookies from the roll, Ward thought the cookies could be made into individual balls instead.
I decided to test her recipe both ways, and both methods worked about the same. The individual balls took a little more time to make but held together better then the sliced cookies. I used a 1-tablespoon scoop and my hands to form the balls and then rolled them in a mixture of confectioner’s sugar and coconut. I then put the balls on wax paper to chill and firm up. The sliced cookies needed several hours in the refrigerator before they could be cut without falling apart.
The Rice Krispies and nuts gave these no-bake cookies a nice crunch and a chewy, granola-bar-like texture. However, they were a tad on the sweet side for my taste. Next time I would use more coconut and cut back on the confectioner’s sugar. I also think other dried fruits could be added along with the dried figs for more texture and flavor.
Skillet no-bake cookies
Makes 24 cookies
3 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 to 4 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
2 to 4 Tbsp. shredded sweetened coconut
2 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs beaten
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped dates.
Combine Rice Krispies and nuts. Set aside.
Place a large piece of wax paper on the counter or table. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and coconut. Set aside.
In a large skillet, combine butter, eggs, sugar, salt and dates. Cook on low heat until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies and nut mixture. Pour mixture lengthwise, down the center of the wax paper. Using edge of the wax paper, roll the confectioner’s sugar and coconut over the mixture, shaping into a log as you press it to approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 12 to 14 inches long. Add more confectioner’s sugar and coconut as needed. Cool in refrigerator for several hours before slicing into 24 1/2-inch cookies. Store in the refrigerator.
To make cookie balls: Follow the above instructions for making dough but instead of rolling dough into a log, allow cookie mixture to cool enough to handle. Then form into 1- to 2-inch diameter balls, using hands or small scoop. Combine the confectioner’s sugar and coconut on a plate and roll each ball in the mixture to coat. Place balls on wax paper-lined cookie sheet and cool in refrigerator until firm.
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