Swedish Chocolate Balls (Chokladbollar) – Start'em Young

They say that these Swedish chocolate balls, known as chokladbollar, are the first thing a Swedish child learns to make, which makes a lot of sense. They're easy to do, there's no baking required, and mixing the "dough" together is just as fun as making mud-pies. What doesn't make sense is that these aren't the first thing an American child learns to make. Maybe this video will help change that.

It's not like these are pure health food, but they sure are a lot better than eating a candy bar when those hangry feelings flood over you in the middle of the afternoon. The fat and whole grain in these keep you satisfied much longer than you'd think, and the little pick-me-up from the coffee, sugar, and cocoa doesn't hurt either.

I used quick-cooking oats in these, but I've also made them with regular rolled oats, and they seemed to come out just fine. Of course, some folks might have trouble eating raw oats, but that can be solved if you do the optional pan-toasting step. Above and beyond making these easier to digest, I like the very subtle toasty notes it provides. Either way, I really do hope you teach your kids how to make these chokladbollars very soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 14-16 small Swedish Chocolate Balls:

• 1 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats, very lightly toasted
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• pinch of kosher salt
• pinch of cayenne
• 1/4 cup soft unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup room temp coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee or espresso
• finely shredded unsweetened coconut for rolling balls