This no bake cookie dough balls recipe is so versatile, you can use it all year long!
We first made them to serve over the Christmas holiday, but simply switching up the sprinkles makes them a festive perfect treat for any occasion.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
I don't know of an easier dessert recipe than these cookie balls. Seriously! The prep takes minutes. Most of the time is spent chilling the cookie dough.
The great thing about this recipe is that with six simple ingredients, you can make these sweet treats at the last minute with products you can keep on hand. Easy recipes are the best, like this easy cheesecake bites recipe or these scrumptious Christmas donuts.
What Goes Into These Cookie Balls
This tasty dessert is so easy to make!
Cream Cheese - we used Neufchâtel. The store brand is fine.
White Chocolate Chips - Don't skimp and buy cheap chocolate. It may not melt as well and the flavor could be off. We like Ghirardelli chocolate.
Scroll down to the recipe card for quantities and directions.
How to Make the Recipe
Before you get started, heat treat the flour by either spreading it on a cookie sheet and baking in a preheated oven at 350º for 5 minutes or or sticking it in the microwave in a glass bowl for on high for 60 seconds.
Let it fully cool before using, and sift through it with a fork to make sure no clumps formed while heating.
Melt the cream cheese in a microwave-safe large bowl for 15 to 20 seconds on medium power.
Add maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir until smooth.
Add the flour in a little bit at a time and stir to incorporate.
Use a 4 cm cookie scoop to scoop balls onto a parchment paper or wax paper lined cookie sheet. Try to make balls evenly sized.
Let the cookie balls chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, in a single layer if you can.
If you don't have room, you might just have to pull them apart once cold. This container works great and you will use it so much for other things!
Don't try to rush this step by not chilling long enough. The cookie dough balls will be too sticky to work with if they're not cold. You can leave the cookie balls in the fridge for longer if you have other things to do, but at least give them 30 minutes.
Melt white chocolate in microwave in 15 second increments until creamy. You can also use a double boiler if you prefer. If the chocolate does not seem thin enough to dip, add coconut oil and stir.
Remove cookie balls from fridge.
Dip each little ball in melted chocolate using a fork. Shake off any excess chocolate.
Add Christmas sprinkles (optional) and place them back on the prepared baking sheet.
For best result, let the little cookie balls fully set 15-20 min in the fridge or 30 mins at room temperature.
Serve this cookie ball recipe on a pretty tray for a nice presentation.
This cookie tray is the perfect way to serve at a party when you're bringing dessert and as it's disposable you don't need to worry about remembering to bring it home. One less thing!
Top Tips
Always scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Never dip the measuring cup into the container of flour to fill it! You could end up with a lot more flour than you need.
Don't skip chilling the cookie balls before dipping in chocolate. The dough will be too sticky to work with.
When melting the chocolate, take your time and do it in 15 second increments as suggested, stirring in between. If you rush and try to do it faster, you may end up with a mess you can’t use. (I speak from experience!)
The coconut oil helps to thin the white chocolate to make it easier for dipping. You can use other oils like vegetable or canola, but we prefer coconut oil because it’s solid when cold and will set faster.
Variations
These family favorites are so pretty dipped in festive sprinkles for the holiday season, but as I mentioned, just switching up the sprinkles or drizzling with a different color of melted chocolate makes them festive for any occasion.
Valentine's Day calls for pretty pink and red heart sprinkles. Check out my adult boozy red velvet cake balls recipe.
This No bake cookie dough balls recipe for St. Patrick's Day is a winner with these green shamrock sprinkles.
Summertime is perfect for these flower sprinkles or rainbow sprinkles and these patriotic sprinkles are great for the 4th of July or Memorial Day. You could even stick pink or blue sprinkles inside for a gender reveal party!
Another fun way to change these up is to roll the dough balls in Oreo crumbs or other type of chocolate sandwich cookies. Mint Oreos would also be delicious.
I'm betting you'll come up with even more ideas once you make these cookie balls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! If you want to make these cookie balls gluten-free, simply use almond flour.
Though these edible cookie dough bites don't contain raw eggs, it does have cream cheese, so should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for about a week.
You can use either, replacing ounce for ounce.
More of Our Favorite Cookies
Recipe
No Bake Cookie Balls Recipe
Equipment
- Bowls
- Wooden spoon
- Cookie scooper
- Parchment paper
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 4 ounces of low-fat cream cheese
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup All Purpose flour
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil optional if you need to thin chocolate
Instructions
- Heat treat the flour by either spreading it on a baking sheet and baking in a preheated oven at 350º for 5 minutes or or sticking it in the microwave in a glass bowl for on high for 60 seconds. Let it fully cool before using, and sift through it with a fork to make sure no clumps formed while heating.
- In a microwave-safe bowl melt cream cheese for 15 to 20 seconds on medium power.
- Add maple syrup and vanilla and stir until smooth.
- Slowly add in flour and stir to incorporate.
- Using a 4 cm cookie scooper, scoop evenly sized balls onto a parchment-lined sheet.
- Let fully set 15-20 min in the fridge or 30 mins at room temp.
- Melt white chocolate in microwave in 15 second increments until creamy. If the chocolate does not seem thin enough to dip, add coconut oil and stir.
- Dip balls using a fork. Shake off any extra chocolate.
- Add sprinkles (optional) and place them back on a parchment-lined baking sheet
- Let chill for 30 minutes.
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