you're making mealtime meaningful.
One can never have too many easy dessert recipes in their collection and today’s recipe is a keeper if we’ve ever tasted one! These Pineapple Balls are packed with tropical flavor in a cute bite-sized package. They make the perfect choice for any event from Christmas parties to potlucks to picnics. With rich and creamy texture from the cream cheese and plenty of nutty coconut flakes, these pineapple balls are sure to leave you wanting seconds. Take your taste buds on vacation and give these tangy treats a try.
The key to this recipe is draining as much liquid out of the crushed pineapple as possible. This is best done by adding it to a mesh strainer and letting it drain off for 5-10 minutes. Trust us, it’s worth the extra step so your dough holds together! In the meantime, beat the cream cheese until smooth to avoid any lumps in the dough. Add in the drained pineapple, coconut, graham cracker crumbs, and pineapple jello powder. If pineapple flavored jello isn’t available you can also use lemon or even strawberry for a fun twist!
The dough will need to be chilled for at least an hour, then it’s time for assembly. Scoop and roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter and roll them in the remaining coconut. At this point they’re ready to eat, or they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge until it’s time to serve ‘em. It’s sure to be love at first bite with this tropical treat. Make them for your next special occasion and you’ll understand what all the fuss is about!
Pineapple Balls
Yield(s): Serves 22
15m prep time
1h inactive
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut, divided
- ¾ cup crushed graham crackers or nilla wafers
- 1 (3 oz) package pineapple or lemon jello
Preparation
- To thoroughly drain pineapple, place it in a fine mesh strainer and allow it to drain for 5-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese and stir until smooth. Add drained pineapple, 1 cup coconut, cracker crumbs, and jello powder. Mix well.
- Tightly cover the bowl and chill for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Remove chilled dough from fridge and add the remaining 1 cup coconut to a separate small bowl.
- Scoop dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter and roll in coconut.
- Place in an airtight container and chill until ready to serve.
Recipe adapted from Lordbyronskitchen.com