Twisted Washington Balls
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A nutty, coconutty candy with rich sweetened condensed milk and butter blended into a firm dough. Rolled into spoon-sized spheres then doused in melted chocolate coating. Toasted pecans wrap flavor and texture around. Vanilla swaps for almond extract here—adds unexpected depth. Chill long enough for easy handling, dip with care, and cool until crackly. Stores well but don’t let it melt in the fridge’s moisture traps.
Prep:
50 min
Cook:
5 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
70 servings
#American Candy
#nut candy
#holiday treats
#chocolate coated
#no bake sweets
Sticky sweet chew. Rich buttery mix that demands a good chill or it’s a sticky mess. I swapped vanilla for almond extract after one batch that felt flat. Almond kicked up character, gave complexity unexpected in candy balls. Toasting nuts and coconut is non-negotiable—hot nutty smell fills kitchen and crunch just right. Dipping keeps balls chill—warm hands ruin glaze. Melt chocolate slow—no rush or scorched mess. Cracking chocolate shell is satisfying sound. Learned to use wax paper layers, two trays. Saw less sticking, no meltdown. Store in cool dry spot—humidity cheats texture. Old school vibe but with a little twist.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon almond extract instead of vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut toasted
- 2 cups chopped toasted pecans
- 24 ounces white almond bark or candy coating
About the ingredients
Butter must be softened but not melted—too soft ruins dough texture leading to sticky balls that are a pain to shape. Sweetened condensed milk packs dense sweetness and moisture—no substitute here unless you want dryer mix or must adjust sugar. I swapped vanilla extract with almond extract. Adds unexpected nutty aroma that pairs well with pecans. Powdered sugar needs sifting to avoid clumps, making dough smooth and easier to work with. Toasting coconut and pecans boosts flavor by drawing out oils and reduces moisture that could otherwise make the mixture soggy. Almond bark is best for that firm chocolate shell but can use high-quality white chocolate chips with a little shortening tip—makes coating less brittle. Consider allergen swaps: walnuts, macadamias in place of pecans, or shredded unsweetened coconut if you’re avoiding sugar overload.
Method
- Bring softened butter and sweetened condensed milk together in a bowl. Use a mixer on low then medium to combine until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar in small batches, getting past a grainy stage to a stiff but pliable dough. Add almond extract + salt. Mix till even. Taste. Adjust salt if needed.
- Toast coconut and pecans lightly in a dry pan until fragrance pops and nuts darken slightly. No burnt bits. Fold nuts and coconut into dough just until mixed. Avoid over stirring or dough wets.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill minimum 90 minutes. This firming up makes rolling easy. If too soft, chill longer or pop in freezer 10 minutes but watch that it doesn’t freeze solid.
- Using a tablespoon scoop, portion out dough balls and roll them between palms quickly—warm hands soften dough, so do in small batches. Place balls on wax paper-lined baking sheets. You may need two sheets or more. Re-chill if balls start sagging.
- Melt almond bark in microwave-safe bowl with 30-second bursts. Stir often. Watch for smooth glaze, no lumps, no scorching. Dip chilled balls using two forks to lift and tap excess coating off bowl edge. Place on fresh wax paper layers.
- Let chocolate sets at room temperature; cool air hardens the coating to crisp crack. If room is hot, pop sheets in fridge 10–15 min, but avoid condensation.
- Optional: Drizzle with dark chocolate or vanilla candy melts—thin with a bit of shortening to drizzle well. Sprinkle toasted nuts or coconut over drizzle for texture and contrast.
- Store candies in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer keeping—warm slightly before serving to soften bites.
Cooking tips
Start by mixing softened butter and condensed milk with mixer to get even creamy base preventing gritty texture. Slowly adding powdered sugar controls final dough consistency—too fast and you get clumps or dry mix. Incorporate nuts and coconut only after to keep their crunch intact rather than pulpy. Chill dough at least 90 minutes—this firming step helps shape balls cleanly without stickiness. Shape with spoons then quickly roll in hands; sweat makes balls wet and harder to coat. Keep balls cool between batches either in fridge or freezer but no longer than 15 minutes—too cold and crack shell may shatter on dipping. Melt coating gently, stirring frequently—microwave bursts or double boiler use works but watch carefully. Use two forks to dip and tap excess chocolate; this saves mess and excess weight on balls. Place dipped balls on new wax paper. Don’t crowd or they stick. Let shell harden at room temp, listen for dull snap when broken to tell doneness. Add extra drizzles after shell hardens for visual pop and texture contrast. Store airtight, moisture ruins the crisp shell.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter softness crucial; too melted ruins dough texture. Gets gummy, sticky. Chill dough long when soft; freezer bursts 10 min works when rushed but not frozen solid. Keeps rolling shape better. Toast nuts and coconut till just fragrant and nuts darken slightly but no burnt edges or bitter. Fold in gently; over-mix crushes texture.
- 💡 Almond extract swap for vanilla adds deeper, nutty almost marzipan note. Use exact measure; too much overwhelms. Powdered sugar sifted well, else dough clumps. Add slowly or dough stiffens too fast, grainy feel stays. Consistency just stiff enough to roll balls with warmth from hands aiding but quick with hands or balls sweat, coating glitches later.
- 💡 Melting almond bark slow; microwave bursts 30 sec max, stir often. Watch closely. Glaze must be smooth, no lumps, no burns. Lumps mean hurried, scorched mess. For thin drizzle, add slight shortening bit, mix well. Two forks to dip balls—lift out, tap excess chocolate off edges gently. Helps even coat, no heavy globs that crack or sag.
- 💡 Chill balls on wax paper sheets; use two trays or more if making many. Re-chill if sag starts before dipping. After dipping, room temp sets shell crisp. Hot rooms? Fridge 10-15 min but watch humidity. Moisture ruins crispness, makes shell soft, sticky. Crack sound dull snap when break signals done shell texture.
- 💡 Storage messy: airtight container best at room temperature 3 days tops; fridge longer but warm slightly before serving or shell cracks chewing. Keep dry spot; fridge traps moisture ruins crisp shell. Can swap pecans for walnuts or macadamias; shredded unsweetened coconut replaces sweetened but texture changes, expect drier ball.
Common questions
How soft should butter be?
Softened but not melted. Melted butter makes dough sloppy, sticky balls, hard to roll. Room temp for 1-2 hours or short microwave bursts 5 sec, check often.
What if dough too crumbly or dry?
Add tiny bit butter or more condensed milk; add powdered sugar slower next time. Could be measurement off or too much sugar added at once.
Why do balls sweat when rolling?
Warm hands soften dough too fast. Roll quick in small batches. Chill dough longer if needed to firm up. Sweat ruins chocolate coating step.
Best way to store finished candies?
Airtight container at room temp 3 days. Longer fridge okay but warm balls before eating. Shell softens if moisture seeps in fridge. Wax paper layers help prevent sticking.
