Christmas Baking

I am spending our homeschool this month mostly focusing on Christmas.  We are learning about holidays around the world and where certain parts of our traditions come from.  I am making it fun and we are doing lots of crafts and coloring and it is all lighthearted.  I wanted to make December a fun month for us.  A part of that is doing baking that is traditional to us.  And one of the things we like to make is Snowballs.  I can remember my mom making these for us since I was a little girl.  And the first year I did my own Christmas baking, I made them for my family.

Here is the traditional recipe:

Snowballs

In a large saucepan, combine and boil together gently over medium high heat for 5 minutes or until mixture reaches about 230 degrees F on a candy thermometer:

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 1 & 1/4 cups milk

Once mixture begins to boil it is very important not to stir it at all.

Mix together

• 3 cups large rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened fine coconut
• 12 tbsp cocoa

Add the boiled mixture to the dry ingredients until well combined and chill until mixture is able to be shaped into 1 1/2 inch balls.

Roll the balls in additional coconut.

Makes about 4 dozen. These freeze very well.