Nanaimo Truffle Balls

This recipe takes a popular and beloved Canadian classic, the Nanaimo Bar, and transforms it into the most delicious truffle balls complete with a sweet, custard-based center. Just one bite and you’ll be so hooked that you’ll want to make these again and again!

Nanaimo Squares have always been a classic and a favourite among both the young and old. When I was growing up, they were very common in our home. Nowadays though, I don’t see them that often. Sure, once in a while a bakery will stock them; and you’re almost guaranteed to see them at a Chinese buffet dessert bar. So, I’m taking matters into my own hands and changing things up a bit. These Nanaimo Truffle Balls have everything you love about a square but in truffle form.

These are no-bake too! I used to think that the term no-bake meant that a recipe was more of an assembly-type recipe. Something like a salad, for example. It sounds simple enough, right? Toss the lettuce and any other veggies you want into a bowl. Top it with cheese, croutons, avocado, hard-boiled egg, etc. Add some dressing and you’re all done! But, no-bake actually just means no baking. There still might be some stove-top cooking needed – or even a microwave, for that matter.

Some other no-bake-type holiday recipes you might enjoy are these Rudolph’s Red Nose Cookies. Hairy Moose Droppings are delicious and always quite the conversation starter! Just like these Caramel Peanut Slices were a favourite of my mom’s so were these Marshmallow Coconut Balls and so were these Christmas Crunch Cookies. You can find many more no-bake cookie recipes here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen by using the search field at the top of this page.

I’m going to tell you all about this cookie recipe and how you can make it in your home this holiday season, but first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. I know we’re getting closer to the big day, so it’s time to get to the cookie recipes! Before I get into today’s recipe, let me make mention of the three previous holiday confection countdowns that I just finished up this year.

Back in October, I kicked off the holiday season with a holiday recipe series called Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Trifle Series and followed that up with a second series called Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Breads and Loaves. Next was my 12 Squares and Bars Series, which was Volume 2 of that particular series.  

And now, I’m starting on this new series, which is the seventh annual instalment! I cannot believe that this is the seventh year in a row that I’ve shared Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas! But, before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for today’s recipe, let me tell you about this series and more!

LORD BYRON’S 24 COOKIES OF CHRISTMAS SERIES

Another holiday series, Lord Byron? Yes – why not!? Welcome, Dear Reader, to the fourth of my annual holiday recipe series for this season! This one is called Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas – Volume 7! I will try to keep the recipes in this series quick and easy, just like in previous years. Even if a recipe looks complex, I promise you that it is not! My goal, as always, is to share recipes with you that are not too complex to whip up as a holiday treat for your family. 

Like every other holiday series I’ve shared over the years, this series will share a new recipe every day for the next 24 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday recipes year after year?

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas series! Even though this is the fourth series for this holiday season, you can always look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

FILLING INGREDIENTS:

• Butter – Make sure your butter is softened and at room temperature!
• Confectioner’s Sugar – This superfine sugar is sometimes called powdered sugar.  It is used in frostings quite often. 
• Cream – Sometimes called whipping cream or heavy cream, this high-fat content dairy product is often used for dessert toppings, ice creams, and even some cakes and cookies.  Look for a cream with 35 – 38% fat content.
• Custard Powder – Custard powder is primarily made up of thickeners that give the pudding its texture. More about this ingredient in the next section.

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

• Graham Crumbs – I always try to find the crumbs rather than using the wafers. It just saves me from dirtying up my food processor. Don’t use a cheap, no-name brand. If you can afford the extra dollar, buy a good brand. Personally, I prefer Keebler brand, but they’re really hard to find in Canada, so my second choice is Honey Maid.
• Coconut – Be sure to buy the right type of coconut. Read the next section for more details.
• Pecans
• Butter
• Cocoa Powder – Cocoa powder is an unsweetened chocolate product which adds deep chocolate flavour to desserts and beverages. Use a good quality cocoa powder, not the kind we used to stir into milk as kids!
• Chocolate Chips – I use chocolate chips a lot in my recipes, and I change up the type depending on how I feel. In this particular case, semi-sweet chocolate.
• Vegetable Oil

HOW TO MAKE NANAIMO TRUFFLE BALLS

To start, measure all of the filling ingredients into a bowl and mix well until fully incorporated. Refrigerate that mixture while you prepare the next step. Measure the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, chopped pecans, melted butter, and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl. Stir well to fully combine. Remove the filling mixture from the fridge. Working with 2 teaspoons of the prepared filling, roll it into a ball and then roll the ball into the graham cracker crumb mixture until well covered. Set the ball onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and continue to roll and coat the balls until all of the filling mixture is used up. Refrigerate all of the balls for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, transfer the chocolate chips and vegetable oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium speed for 30 seconds. Remove the chocolate from the microwave and stir well with a rubber spatula. Microwave again for 30 seconds at half speed and stir well. Repeat this until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Working with one ball at a time, dunk them into the bowl of melted chocolate and use a fork to carefully lift the ball out of the bowl. Lightly tap the handle of the fork onto the rim of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate, allowing it to fall back into the bowl. Next, transfer the ball back to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Once all of the balls are coated, place the entire sheet pan in your fridge to firm up.

Next, melt the white chocolate chips using the same microwaveable technique. Transfer the melted chocolate to a resealable sandwich bag. Using scissors, snip a small tip from one lower corner of the bag. Hover the bag over the truffles, drizzling the chocolate in a zig-zag pattern. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Return the balls to the fridge. Leave them for at least 1 hour. Once firm, the balls can be transferred to a food-safe container or packaged. Keep the balls refrigerated.

THE BEST TYPE OF COCONUT TO USE

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 confectioner’s sugar, your Nanaimo Truffle Balls will be too sweet to eat!

You’ll want to use an unsweetened medium coconut. The size of the grated 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 ball and you want your delicious truffles to look just as amazing as they taste!

WHAT IS CUSTARD POWDER?

Custard powder is not an ingredient used often. It tends to be more popular in the UK and Australia. Contrary to popular belief, custard powder is not the result of dried custard that has been crumbled to a powder. It is actually a powdered mix used to make a custard, and it is very similar to the type of mix used to make an instant pudding like the type found in pouches or boxes in North American grocery stores. Custard powder can be easily combined with milk and cooked on the stove until thickened. Once cooled you have custard, most commonly called pudding.

Custard powder is primarily made up of thickeners that give the pudding its texture. Cornstarch is usually the biggest component since it is great for thickening liquids and dissolves easily. The powder also contains flavourings, vanilla being the standard, and a hint of yellow colouring. Yellow colouring gives the custard just enough colour to look as though there are plenty of eggs in it, as most basic custards are thickened with eggs instead of powder.

You can find custard powder at some specialty markets and some markets that specialize in imports from other countries. If you’re travelling abroad, you should be able to find it pretty easily. Bird’s brand is probably the biggest name in the game of producing and supplying custard powder. If you cannot find it, you can substitute it with equal amounts of dry vanilla pudding mix from an instant mix box.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for a long time. Cookies 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. You can 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!

If you plan to freeze your Nanaimo Truffle Balls, you 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 cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. 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 below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box 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 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!