Search
by Ingredient

Mexican Mocha Balls

StarStarStarStarHalf star

Submitted by MRS. S

Mexican mocha balls: shortbread-style chocolate-coffee cookies with chopped walnuts and maraschino cherries, rolled in extra-fine sugar. Perfect for the holiday cookie tray.

YIELD

84 servings

PREP

90 min

COOK

20 min

READY

110 min

Mexican mocha balls are the bite-sized chocolate-coffee shortbread cookie that disappears off holiday cookie trays first. The dough is built on the Mexican wedding cookie template (creamed butter or margarine, sugar, vanilla, no eggs), but with cocoa powder and a teaspoon of instant coffee added to the flour, plus chopped walnuts and chopped maraschino cherries folded in for color and chew.

The maraschino cherries are the surprise. Most chocolate-coffee cookies stop at chocolate and coffee, but the cherries add bright pink-red flecks throughout each ball and a sweet-tart pop that cuts the mocha richness. Drain them well before chopping, or the dough goes too wet.

The one-hour chill is non-negotiable. The high butter content keeps the dough soft straight from the bowl, and warm dough spreads in the oven instead of holding the perfect ball shape this cookie depends on. Roll into one-inch spheres, bake at 325°F (165°C) for twenty minutes, then dust with extra-fine granulated sugar while still warm so the sugar sticks instead of falling off.

Pro Tips

  • Use extra-fine granulated sugar (not powdered). It catches the warm cookie surface differently and gives a sparkly finish, not a snowy dusting.
  • Roll a second time once the cookies have fully cooled for a heavier sugar coat.
  • Chop the walnuts fairly fine. Big chunks make the balls hard to shape.
  • Use real butter instead of margarine for a richer, more authentic shortbread flavor.

Variations

  • Swap walnuts for pecans for a Southern-leaning cookie.
  • Sub espresso powder for instant coffee for a deeper coffee note.
  • Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry mix for a true ‘Mexican chocolate’ spice note.
  • Drizzle cooled cookies with melted white chocolate for a dressed-up holiday version.

Ingredients

1 237
CUP ML MARGARINE
softened
½ 118
CUP ML SUGAR
1 5
TEASPOON ML VANILLA EXTRACT
2 473
¼ 59
CUP ML COCOA POWDER
unsweetened
1 5
TEASPOON ML INSTANT COFFEE
powder
¼ 1.3
TEASPOON ML SALT
1 237
CUP ML WALNUTS
chopped
½ 118
CUP ML MARASCHINO CHERRIES
chopped *
1
X SUGAR
extra fine, granulated *

Directions

Cream first 3 ingredients.

Stir flour with cocoa, coffee and salt.

Gradually beat into creamed mixture.

Stir in nuts and cherries. Chill 1 hour.

Form into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

Cool on rack. While warm but not hot, dust with extra-fine sugar.

Makes 84.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

Comments


 

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 9g (0.3 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 44 64% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 36mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Sugars g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0% Iron 1%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low in Saturated Fat, Low Cholesterol, Cholesterol-Free, Trans-fat Free, Low Carb, Low Sodium
 
More health news

Email this recipe