I love holiday traditions. We do them all: the elf, pictures with Santa, driving around to see lights, matching pj's, cookie decorating but this year I wanted a new holiday tradition. I wanted something that would be fun to make and yummy to eat (honestly, my kids don't even eat the gingerbread cookies after we decorate them!) I brainstormed for a while and decided that our new tradition would be decorating cookie balls!
I've been making cookie balls for years. I make them for most parties and sometimes, just because. They are so simple and yummy. I know my kids actually eat them, sorry gingerbread people, and I knew they would love to sit around one afternoon and decorate them. I started with the official OREO cookie ball recipe!
OREO Cookie Balls
Ingredients:1 pkg (8oz) brick cream cheese, softened36 OREO cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)4 pkg (4oz each) semi-sweet baking chocolate
Make it:Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended. Shape into 48 (1 inch) balls. Freeze 10 minutes. Dip balls in melted chocolate, place in single layer on waxed paper-lined pan. Customize with your own ingredient additions or decorative skills. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Share and enjoy!
Pretty simple right? In our home, my family likes both the original OREO cookies and the Golden OREO cookies so I made sure to buy ingredients to make cookie balls of both flavors.
Original OREO cookies
This is what your cookie balls will look like prior to dipping in the melted chocolate!
Adrian and JC's favorite: Golden OREO cookies!
Golden OREO cookie balls! I made all the cookie balls ahead of time. I stored them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until it was time to decorate.
The kids wanted to decorate the balls as reindeer and snowmen so I made sure to grab a couple of extra ingredients at the store: pretzels, edible googly eyes, hard-shell candies, black edible ink pen, peanut butter cups and peppermints. I laid all these ingredients and the cookie balls on the table and let them decorate. I think they came out adorable!
Spending time together as a family is exactly what the holiday season is all about. We had so much fun, I know that our new tradition will soon become an old favorite!
All items for the cookie balls were purchased at Walmart. You know I love me some one-stop shopping!!
For more OREO cookie ball recipes, click here!
Tell me: What new holiday traditions are you starting with your family?
