The holiday season usually means baking, but I like to give my oven a little break and whip up one of my favorite holiday no-bake recipes, and these chocolate dipped sweetened coconut-pecan-cherry treats are a great no-bake option. They’re called Martha Washington’s candies, and they’re a delightful holiday treat for the coconut lovers in your social circle.
There’s definitely some sugar in this recipe: sweetened condensed milk, sweetened shredded coconut, chopped maraschino cherries, powdered sugar, and chocolate, so it’s not for the faint of heart. But each candy is the perfect bite-sized confection, so I like to consider them virtually guilt-free.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 lb powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 (14 oz) package sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (10 oz) jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
- 3 cups pecans, finely chopped
- (16 oz) chocolate coating
PREPARATION
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, coconut, condensed milk, and pecans. Fold in chopped cherries. Refrigerate mixture for at least two hours.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out and roll into balls. Place onto prepared baking sheet. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
- Once firm, add chocolate coating to a microwave-safe bowl and melt according to package instructions. Dip balls in melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Place back on wax paper and allow to sit until firm. Enjoy!