These easy coconut balls are made with just 3 ingredients: shredded coconut, maple sweetened condensed milk, and melted chocolate. This homemade candy recipe makes easy sweet treats for special occasions or for snacking on at home!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Easy
This simple no bake recipe is made by forming little balls with a coconut mixture, freezing them for a little while, and then dipping them in melted chocolate. That’s it!
Healthier
These are healthier coconut balls compared to many other recipes and storebought candy. The sweetened condensed milk in this recipe is made with maple syrup!
Delicious
These delicious coconut balls are one of my favorite types of homemade candy. I actually prefer them over my coconut mounds bars, because with each bite you get more gooey coconut center. If you are looking for an extra chocolatey dessert, check out my chocolate coconut mounds recipe, which is another great bite-size candy!
How to Serve These Chocolate Coconut Balls
These can be served both at room temperature or at a cooler temperature by enjoying them fresh out of the refrigerator. I enjoy both ways, as the thin single layer of chocolate coating has a lovely “crunch” when cold, and is a bit softer at room temperature.
When to Make These 3 Ingredient Coconut Balls
These chocolate-covered coconut balls can be enjoyed for a variety of occasions! Here are a few ideas:
Bring these candies along to birthday parties for a tasty treat.
Make these coconut balls a special treat during the Holiday season.
Keep these candies on hand any time of the year for a quick sweet snack.
These no bake treats make a great gift for Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, as a house warming gift, and more!
Simple Ingredients That Make These Coconut Balls Amazing
This easy recipe is made with just 3 basic ingredients that create a delicious treat!
Shredded coconut: make sure to buy very finely shredded, unsweetened coconut. Some grocers don’t carry coconut shreds that are very fine, so you may want to look online.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: I am a bit of a chocolate chip snob, but honestly the quality makes a big difference on the overall recipe. See my favorite soy-free organic chocolate chip brand linked below!
Maple sweetened condensed milk: this is one of the key ingredients in many of my dessert recipes. From no-bake cheesecake to grain free chocolate chip cookies, my homemade maple-based sweetened condensed milk is a versatile and delicious ingredient that really helps pull together the flavors of a sweet treat. I make my own sweetened condensed milk because: it’s very easy, I can use maple syrup instead of cane sugar, and I can avoid buying canned products. I like to make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer so it’s ready when I need it! You can substitute this ingredient with regular sweetened condensed milk if needed.
How to Store 3 Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Balls
Once the chocolate on these coconut balls is fully hardened, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator if they will not all be eaten within 12 hours.
To serve at room temperature, take these candies out of the fridge an or so before serving.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Balls
1. Make the Maple Sweetened Condensed Milk
Add milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt to a large pot and cook on medium low to low heat, stirring occasionally for about 1.5 to 2 hours or until it has reduced to about 1/3 of the original amount.
Cool to room temperature, then blend in a high speed blender to ensure it is smooth.
2. Make the Chocolate Coconut Balls
Add shredded coconut and sweetened condensed milk to a large bowl and combine well.
Place wax paper or parchment paper on a large plate or baking tray.
With wet hands, take small handfuls of coconut mixture and roll into 1 by 1 inch, small balls. Gently place on parchment or wax paper, spaced apart enough so that they are not touching. Re-wet hands as needed to prevent sticking.
Place tray or plate of coconut balls in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
Next, prepare the melted chocolate.
Add chocolate chips to a small heatproof bowl or top container of a double boiler.
Add 2-4 cups of water to a small saucepan or bottom portion of double boiler, and bring to a boil.
Place bowl of chocolate chips on top of pot or double boiler, lower the heat on the stove to medium, and melt chocolate for about 15 minutes. Check occasionally to ensure there is plenty of water left in the pot.
Once chocolate is melted, remove frozen coconut balls from freezer.
Roll each coconut ball in the melted chocolate, removing excess chocolate using the edge of the bowl. Carefully place ball covered in chocolate back on wax paper or parchment paper.
Don’t worry if the layer of chocolate isn’t perfect, and try to avoid creating multiple layers as this will create a very thick chocolate coating.
Once all coconut balls are covered in chocolate, place tray in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate coating to cool.
Once fully cooled the chocolate will be hardened. Remove coconut balls from lined baking sheet or plate and gently place in a glass airtight container.
Serve at room temperature (under about 74 degrees) or straight from the refrigerator.
Optional: sprinkle with salt for a boost in flavor.
Enjoy!
Easy No Bake 3-Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Balls
Equipment
- 1 Small heat proof bowl and small pot or a double boiler
- 1 large baking try or large plate
- wax paper or parchment paper
- 1 Medium mixing bowl
- 1 stirring utensil
Ingredients
3 Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Balls
- 1/2 cup organic semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- 7 oz maple sweetened condensed milk (see recipe below)
- Optional: sprinkle of salt on top
Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk (Makes About 14 oz)
- 3 cups pasture raised whole milk
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Make the Maple Sweetened Condensed Milk (Skip This Step if Using Store-Bought)
- Add milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt to a large pot and cook on medium low to low heat, stirring occasionally for about 1.5 to 2 hours or until it has reduced to about 1/3 of the original amount.
- Cool to room temperature, then blend in a high speed blender to ensure it is smooth.
Make the Chocolate Coconut Balls
- Add shredded coconut and sweetened condensed milk to a large bowl and combine well.
- Place wax paper or parchment paper on a large plate or baking tray.
- With wet hands, take small handfuls of coconut mixture and roll into 1 by 1 inch, small balls. Gently place on parchment ot=r wax paper, spaced apart enough so that they are not touching. Re-wet hands as needed to prevent sticking.
- Place tray or plate of coconut balls in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Once coconut balls feel frozen fairly solid on the outside, prepare the melted chocolate.
- Add chocolate chips to a small heatproof bowl or top container of a double boiler.
- Add 2-4 cups of water to a small saucepan or bottom portion of double boiler, and bring to a boil.
- Place container of chocolate chips on top of pot or double boiler, lower the heat on the stove to medium, and melt chocolate for about 15 minutes. Check occasionally to ensure there is plenty of water left in the pot.
- Once chocolate is melted, remove frozen coconut balls from freezer.
- Roll each coconut ball in the melted chocolate, removing excess chocolate with the edge of the bowl or pot, and carefully place back on wax paper or parchment paper.
- Don’t worry if the layer of chocolate isn’t perfect, and try to avoid creating multiple layers as this will create a very thick chocolate coating.
- Once all coconut balls are covered in chocolate, place tray in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate coating to cool.
- Once fully cooled the chocolate will be hardened. Remove coconut balls from lined baking sheet or plate and gently place in a glass airtight container.
- Serve at room temperature (under about 74 degrees) or straight from the refrigerator.
- Optional: sprinkle with salt for a boost in flavor.
- Enjoy!
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My favorite organic soy free chocolate chips
Finely shredded organic unsweetened coconut
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