If you want something sweet and satisfying, my three-ingredient chocolate coconut balls are easy to make, full of flavor, and healthier than store-bought.
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They taste so good, you’d never believe they were good for you – that might be my favorite thing about these coconut bliss balls. My second favorite thing? They’re no-bake chocolate coconut balls, so it’s about as low-effort as making a dessert can get.
These coconut balls are a gluten-free sweet treat with a deeply flavored chocolate coating. They are easy snacks that can be used as great gifts or desserts for friends. I’m a big fan of coconut and keeping a bunch in the freezer really helps control chocolate cravings.
If you want to enhance your dessert, coconut is a great ingredient to add to your recipes. Not only is it sweet, but it is one of the healthy fats that helps keep teeth and bones healthy and also keeps you from getting dehydrated.
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Ingredients
Shredded coconut: I use unsweetened desiccated coconut for the chocolate coconut balls because it is easy to process. You can buy these from the store or, if you’re feeling brave, make your own from fresh coconut.
Condensed Milk: Canned sweetened condensed milk works perfectly. If you’re vegan or don’t want to use condensed milk, you can use a mix of almond milk and sugar, evaporated milk, coconut milk, or even coconut condensed milk to help bind the balls together.
Dark Chocolate: The best dark chocolate is usually between 65-80% cocoa solids, but you can choose how dark you want based on your taste preference. Use a block or semi-sweet chocolate chips – they both work well. If you don’t like dark chocolate, you can use milk chocolate.
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How to Make Chocolate Coconut Balls
If you’re making your own homemade shredded coconut for this delicious treat, you’ll want to start here. You can follow my easy guide to making your own desiccated coconut here, covering everything from how to open the coconut, peel it, and then dry it to turn the fresh meat into delicious flakes.
Form into balls and shape
In a large bowl, mix condensed milk with coconut particles. I like to mix it directly with my hands, but you can use a spoon or a small cookie cutter. Then, use about 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture to form a ball. You can make these as big or small as you want. However, I recommend sizing them around 2-3 bites (about 1 inch ball).
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Place the mixture on a baking tray and put it in the fridge to cool – I recommend 15-30 minutes or longer. If you are in a hurry, freeze for 5-10 minutes.
Cover with chocolate
While the coconut mixture is cooling, melt the chocolate in a small bowl. You can heat it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until it melts (half way through to avoid burning the chocolate) or use a double boiler or steamer.
Place the frozen balls into the chocolate. You can use a spoon, fork, or wooden skewer (so they look like little lollipops) to help you drop them. Make sure the coconut is completely covered with chocolate.
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Then put the items on the rack to dry. Place a piece of parchment paper underneath to catch any excess chocolate.
You can leave it as is or sprinkle some sea salt on it; This will enhance the taste of the chocolate.
Finally, put it in the refrigerator and cool it again until the chocolate is frozen.
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Storage
You can store coconut chocolate balls at room temperature while the chocolate is freezing. Just stay warm or the chocolate will start to melt! They can be stored this way for up to five days.
In the refrigerator: Once the coconut balls are frozen, transfer them to an airtight container. Store these in the refrigerator. They last up to two weeks, but I’m lucky if they last a few days at my house!
In the freezer: It’s easy to make this dessert ahead of time and freeze it. Once the coconut balls are ready, transfer them to a shopping bag or container and freeze. They can be stored for up to three months. So if you make a lot of it and want your snacks to last longer, this is a good option. You may need to let it thaw before enjoying.