Coconut Snowballs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/8 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon milk

1 cup finely chopped dates

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups rice krispies cereal

Coconut (about 1 package)

Directions ~

1.  Combine butter, salt, sugar, milk and dates in a large saucepan.  Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and using a whisk to mash the dates a bit. 

2.  In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork, then add a spoonful of the warm date mixture to temper the egg a bit.  Add egg mixture to the saucepan, stirring constantly, cook about 2 minutes.

3.  Remove pan from heat, add vanilla and stir, then add rice krispies and stir.  Allow mixture to cool about 1 minute.

4.  Pour about a cup of coconut into a bowl, then use a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop (or a spoon) to scoop a ball of date mixture into the bowl of coconut.  Use your hands to press coconut onto the date mixture, until fully covered with coconut, shaping into a ball as you work.  Refill small bowl with coconut as needed.

5.  Set finished Coconut Snowballs on a baking sheet or casserole dish.  When all the snowballs have been made, serve immediately, or cover until ready to serve.  These can be stored (at room temperature) 3-5 days.  Recipe yields 30-34 balls.