This Delicious Soft Snowballs Recipe is one I make very often in our home. Snowballs is a sweet treat that brings back fond memories of our childhood.
Delicious Soft Snowballs Recipe
I updated my recipe as the previous recipe was far too large a quantity. With this recipe you can also have a more firm snowball or a softer version.
Snowballs were these delicious little round cakes with a hard icing in the centre and coconut all around. I promise once you eat them you will never want to stop.
However, everyone has their own little version of these Delicious Soft Snowballs Recipe. I hope my version passes the test.
These South African Snowballs are not to be confused with the Snowball Cookies.
I remember those days when my mum used to buy us Wareings Snowballs and donuts with mock cream in the middle. It was a treat we looked forward to. Whatever happened to Wareings.
Then I remember my office days when I worked in corporate (giving my age again) all the hungry young boys bought Snowballs when they wanted a treat. They loved dipping it in milk.
We have bakeries that still bake Snowballs but nothing as delicious as the ones we are used to. Every time I buy one I am highly disappointed.
A friend shared her mums Delicious Soft Snowballs Recipe with me years ago and whenever I baked those snowballs they were devoured.
My mum and my mum-in-laws request, whenever they visit me, is always this Snowballs Recipe. However, my friend said I couldn’t share her mums recipe because she had literally “stolen” the recipe and gave it to me.
Her mum doesn’t know I have the recipe so imagine her finding it on the internet. So I had to promise my friend I will not share the Snowballs Recipe with anyone.
I had to make a plan and create my own recipe for the people that always asks for my friend’s Snowball Recipe. These Snowballs Recipe turned out so amazing and nobody knew the difference.
Recently I had a whole bunch of family over and I had to make a ton of them. I know that just a few would not be enough for my hungry family. And trust me everything was finished in the blink of an eye.
Making the Snowballs
I don’t often say this but baking these Snowballs is a bit of a task. But it is so worth it. You have to pipe out the dough into rounds.
A piping bag works great for this recipe. You can cut a little hole in the piping bag or you can use a round nozzle.
To make it easier I use a scissor to “cut” the batter as I go along. You can then use your finger to smooth the tips.
After it’s baked you sandwich them together with jam. Alternatively you can make a sugar glaze with icing sugar and warm water instead of the jam.
It is then dipped in syrup and rolled in coconut. Some add the apricot jam to the syrup but I prefer the jam in the centre.
I am also not particularly fond of the sugar icing that goes in the centre. But I will try a different version of the recipe soon.
These Snowballs are also a little softer compared to the dry, biscuit like texture. However, if you prefer the drier version you can omit the milk from the recipe.
You will then have a more biscuit like dough. It will then have to be rolled into balls and baked.
Storing the Snowballs
These Snowballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
More Sweet Treat Recipes:
Gulab Jamun: South African Recipe
Melting Moments with Custard Powder
Snowballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 125 gram/1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1/3 cup/80ml castor sugar
- 1 tspn vanilla essence
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups/500ml self-raising flour
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup apricot jam
- 1&1/4 cup desiccated coconut
- few drops pink food colouring
Syrup
- 1&1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Syrup
- Add sugar and water to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer until syrup thickens a little
- Syrup shouldn't be too thick as you want it to penetrate into the little cakes
- Keep the syrup warm on the stovetop, at the lowest setting
Snowballs
- Add a few drops of food colouring to the coconut and set aside
- Preheat Oven to 180 degrees Celsius
- Cream the butter until light and fluffy
- Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy. Mix in the vanilla essence
- Add the eggs, one at a time and continue beating until well combined. Add a few drops of food colouring
- Add the flour and milk and beat into a thick batter (see Note 5)
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Fill a piping bag with the batter. Cut a hole at the tip, depending on how big you prefer your snowballs. Pipe the batter into little rounds, cut with a scissor and use a little water to smooth the tops. Bare in mind that the batter will spread whilst baking
- Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 8 minutes or until slightly golden brown on the edges
- Cool on a cooling rack
- Heat the apricot jam in the microwave for 20 seconds (See Note 2)
- Sandwich the cakes with apricot jam. Dip in syrup and roll in coconut
Notes
- I made 24 mini snowballs but if you want them larger you can make 12. Please bare in mind that the dough spreads
- If you prefer you an make icing with icing sugar mixed with milk or warm water and sandwich the cakes with that instead of the jam. You can use 1/2 cup icing sugar and 2 tablespoons warm water or milk
- If you don't have a piping bag you can use a ziplock bag, just cut a litle hole in one corner.
- I keep my syrup warm on the lowest temperature on the stovetop, this works for me and prevents the syrup from becoming crystallised. If syrup thickens too much, you can add a little water
- If you want a more crumbly, drier texture for the snowballs you can omit the milk from the recipe and you will then have a biscuit like dough. You can roll these into balls and bake, you may need to adjust the baking time
TERESA
Wednesday 19th of May 2021
Hi Lorraine, love your recipes & blog, will try this soon, i do remember those Warreings snowballs & doughnouts , brings back those childhood memories, which are priceless. Thank you for all your recipes , I have tried a few & they are really great.
Futhi
Thursday 9th of January 2020
I can't wait to try these... I love that the ingredients are easy to find and the recipe is easy to follow.
Lorraine
Friday 10th of January 2020
Thank you Futhi! I hope you get to try the recipe soon :-)