Mocha Swedish Chocolate Balls (Chokladbollar)

No-bake Swedish chokladbollar of butter, sugar, cocoa and rolled oats with an extra splash of strong coffee for a mocha flavor, rolled in pearl sugar or coconut. Makes about 20.

From Sofia's recipes created, collected and generationally handed down in Sweden and the USA.

Swedish chocolate balls rolled in pearl sugar and coconut on a plate, one broken open to show the oats, with a cup of coffee
  • Prep 20 min
  • Chill 1 hr 30 min
  • Total 1 hr 50 min
  • Yield About 20 balls

Jump to: Ingredients | Instructions | Tips | Print recipe

Chokladbollar are a Swedish coffee-break treat that every child in Sweden learns to make: soft butter, sugar, cocoa and rolled oats mixed together, rolled into balls and coated in pearl sugar or coconut. Nothing is baked, so they come together in minutes.

Traditional chokladbollar use about 2 tablespoons of strong coffee. This version adds a third tablespoon, which gives them a deeper mocha flavor while the dough still rolls easily. Make some with pearl sugar and some with coconut for a mixed plate.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 tablespoons cold strong brewed coffee
  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • About 1/3 cup Swedish pearl sugar and/or 1/3 cup shredded coconut, for coating

Instructions

  1. Cream. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and cocoa.
  2. Add the coffee. Stir in the coffee a tablespoon at a time, then add the oats and mix until evenly combined.
  3. Chill. Refrigerate the dough for 20 to 30 minutes, until it is firm enough to roll.
  4. Roll and coat. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each one in pearl sugar or coconut.
  5. Chill and serve. Refrigerate the balls for at least 1 hour before serving. Keep them covered in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Tips

  • Use Swedish pearl sugar (parlsocker), which is smaller than the Belgian kind. It is sold at IKEA and in the baking aisle of many supermarkets.
  • If the dough is too soft to roll, add another tablespoon or two of oats.
  • For a milder chocolate ball like the traditional Swedish version, use 2 tablespoons of coffee instead of 3.

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