Pineapple Christmas Balls

Published: December 18, 2021

For some people, Christmas isn’t all about snow covered hills and warm, cozy cottages in the countryside. For some people, Christmas is warm and sunny, and filled with tropical flavours, just like the flavours found in these Pineapple Christmas Balls!

This one might seem a bit strange when it comes to being considered a Christmastime treat. But, it’s not strange in the home of most Newfoundlanders. In fact, my mom used to make Pineapple Christmas Balls every year. I think she used to just call them pineapple balls though. When it came to a no-bake confection – especially one that used graham crumbs – my mother was totally on board!

In true no-bake fashion, these balls are prepared quite quickly and easily. It is a matter of stirring everything together until all of the ingredients are well distributed and then it is off to the refrigerator with it so that the mixture will firm up. Normally, I don’t care much for recipes that require refrigeration, but that mostly applies to cookies that need to be baked. The same rules do not apply to no-bake confections!

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MOM’S COCONUT FAVOURITES!

I can’t help but think of my mom when working with coconut. She absolutely loved it! The anniversary of her passing was on November 17th, so it’s not surprising that this time of year triggers lots of fond memories. When I was young, I never baked or cooked with her. But, back in the late 90s, my sister and I shared an apartment together. Mom spent many evenings there with us while we stocked the freezer with some of her holiday favourites.

Just in case you’re wondering, some of her favourites were these Marshmallow Coconut Balls and these Jumbo Marshmallow Balls. Yes, she loved marshmallows too! Another one of her favourites where Traditional Newfoundland Snowballs. But, that’s no surprise at all. Everyone – and, I mean everyone! – loves those!! The same can be said for these Chocolate Coconut Balls.

But, without any doubt or reservation, I can honestly say that one of her favourite holiday cookies to prepare were Jello balls. In fact, when I shared her recipe here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I called them Mom’s Christmas Jello Balls. So, as you can see, Dear Reader, I get my love of coconut from her. As I’m writing this, I’m smiling to myself thinking about how delighted she would be if she could read this. She loved to share her recipes; in fact, I have fond memories of her scribbles in a collection of notebooks. Which reminds me, I have to steal those from my sister!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR PINEAPPLE CHRISTMAS BALLS:

Canned Crushed Pineapple – Make sure the pineapple is very well drained!
Cream Cheese – Even though this is a no-bake recipe, when baking with cream cheese it is always best to use brick style rather than whipped or cream cheese in a tub. The brick style is firmer and more condensed.
Coconut – Baking coconut comes in sweetened and unsweetened and in different sizes. Unless otherwise stated, use unsweetened coconut when baking otherwise the result might be too sweet. Be sure to check the size too – is it supposed to be shredded, grated, etc? The size of the coconut will affect the outcome of your recipe.
Graham Crumbs – Easily found in the baking section of any grocery store, these are crushed graham crackers. You can use whole crackers and crush them yourself using a food processor.
Pineapple Jello – You will need one 3 ounce package. It’s usually called Island Pineapple, but some brands just use the term pineapple.

Looking For More Christmas Confections?

Lord Byron’s Kitchen has more than enough to satisfy your sweet tooth! Click on the links below to see a countdown series of holiday recipes from that category!

THE TYPE OF COCONUT IS IMPORTANT

When it comes to coconut to bake with, there are two kinds – sweetened and unsweetened. Those two types can be found in different levels of fineness and coarseness. It’s important to use unsweetened coconut for this recipe. Otherwise, with the addition of the pineapple jello powder, these Pineapple Christmas Balls may be too sweet to eat!

You’ll want to use unsweetened coconut. The size of the shredded coconut won’t make a difference to the taste, but it certainly will make a difference when you try to roll the mixture into balls. The longer shreds of coconut will make for a messier bite and you want your delicious truffle to look just as amazing as it tastes!

Depending on the brand, some coconut is shredded, grated, or desiccated. Shredded usually refers to larger pieces, while grated tends to be smaller. Desiccated has nothing to do with the size of the pieces but means the coconut is dried or that the moisture has been removed. In most cases, you will find a fine or medium grade. Fine is my personal coconut of choice in most cases and it is what I used here. Medium will work too.

CANNED CRUSHED PINEAPPLE

It’s very important to get as much moisture out of the crushed pineapple as possible. Failing to do so might mean that there is too much moisture content in the mixture. This may cause difficulty when trying to roll the mixture into balls. If the mixture has too much moisture, no amount of refrigeration is going to firm it up enough so that you have nice round balls in the end.

Here’s how I do it. Before I get started with anything else, I open the canned of crushed pineapple and dump the contents into a fine mesh strainer. Don’t use a colander, because you may lose most of your pineapple down the drain. Use a rubber spatula to press the pineapple against the side of the strainer, pushing as much of the water out as you possibly can. Set it aside and prepare the rest of the ingredients.

When you’re ready to add the pineapple to the cookie mixture, give it another go with the spatula. You might find that once the pineapple has time to sit, it may release more moisture. Once you squeeze it again, it’s ready to add to the cookie mixture.

Did you know that Lord Byron’s Kitchen has been sharing a 24 Cookies of Christmas Series for the past several years? Click on the links below to see all of the recipes from each series on one page!

HOW TO MAKE PINEAPPLE CHRISTMAS BALLS:

You already know that this is a no-bake recipe, which in all probability, means that it is going to be super easy to make. If that is what you are assuming, you are not wrong! There are really only three must follow rules for this recipe. The first is that the cream cheese must be at room temperature. Secondly, the pineapple must be really well drained. And, lastly, once the mixture is put together, you will need to let it sit in the refrigerator for one hour to firm up. Otherwise, rolling balls from the mixture is not easy.

So, here’s how to do it. Add the room temperature cream cheese to a large bowl. I like to use a mixer to beat the cream cheese. This will help to loosen it up and avoid any lumps of cream cheese in the finished product. Next, add in the pineapple, one cup of the coconut, the graham crumbs, and the packet of pineapple jello. Just toss the powder into the bowl with the other ingredients. You do not need to prepare the jello first.

Mix the ingredients well until thoroughly combined. Place bowl in fridge for one hour. Once ready, portion mixture into tablespoons and roll into balls. Roll ball into more coconut. Place finished Pineapple Christmas Balls into a food-safe container. Keep refrigerated.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most no bake confections, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Some of them will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. But, others most certainly will not! If in doubt, store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

Most no-bake confections are made without the need to freeze them for long periods of time, but they can be frozen. For this recipe, I have tested whether or not they can be frozen, and they certainly can! Pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!

You can freeze these for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen confections as a gift, lay them out onto a wire cooling rack in a single layer to thaw out. Condensation might form and that’s normal. Giving them space to breath by not overlapping them will help to eliminate that. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down to follow me and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 100 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!

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