Chocolate balls x 4
Themes and variations on the perennial Swedish favorite: chocolate balls. Make them yourself, or have your children help you as they are easy, fast and fun to make. Perfect for “fika,” for a treat in your children’s lunch box or as a donut alternative. Alltommat.se published a variety of recipes to suit every taste, and Nordstjernan is passing some of them on to you, our readers.

Chocolate balls—classic recipe
Yields 25 balls
7 Tablespoons butter
3 oz sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract)
3 Tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened)
1 cup + 2 oz oats
2 Tablespoons strong, cold coffee
Decoration:
Nib sugar or coconut flakes
1. Stir butter, sugar and vanilla well. Add cocoa and oats and coffee until all is well mixed. Make small, round balls out of the batter and roll in nib sugar or coconut flakes. Put in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate balls with coffee taste
Yields 30 balls
½ cup butter
4 oz sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract)
3 Tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened)
8 oz oats
4 oz cookies, crumbled
2 oz strong, cold coffee
Decoration:
Coconut flakes
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Make small balls of the batter and roll them in the nib sugar or the coconut flakes. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chocolate balls with strawberries
You don’t have to have coffee (although that’s the traditional way to make chocolate balls). Try strawberries for a different taste.
Yields 25 small balls
⅔ cup strawberries
½ cup butter at room temperature
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract)
4 Tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened)
1 cup + 2 oz oats
Decoration:
Sprinkles
Mash the strawberries with a fork. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, preferably with your hands. The batter will be a bit runny. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes so it thickens and becomes easier to handle. Make balls of the batter and roll them in the sprinkles. Let them sit in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate balls with rum and peanuts
Yields 35 balls
½ cup butter, at room temperature
6 oz sugar
4 Tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons dark rum
2 cups oats (quick oats)
4 oz salted peanuts (roughly chopped)
Decoration
Coconut flakes
Stir butter and sugar. Add cocoa, vanilla, rum, oats and peanuts. Roast the coconut flakes in a dry pan until slightly browned. Make balls of the batter and roll them in the coconut. Let sit in the fridge before serving.