Kokosboller (Norwegian Chocolate Covered Marshmallows)

Kokosboller, similar to the Danish flødeboller, are an easy chocolate covered marshmallow treat! Made with a salty cracker or sweet cookie base, covered in a thin layer of chocolate, filled with billowy marshmallow and topped with sweetened coconut flakes, this treat is the epitome of Scandinavian desserts: Simple, elegant and delicious.

Practically anywhere you go in Norway, you can find these sweet little treats known as kokosboller. Literally anywhere. Right down to gas stations.

And, to be fair, they often aren't "little" treats. They're these marshmallow filled chocolate shells the size of your hand. And let me tell you, they are delicious.

So much like I had to do with American treats when I moved to Norway, now that I'm back in the States, I'm having to make my favorite Norwegian treats from scratch.

If you, too, like chocolate and marshmallow, let me tell ya, you're going to want to add this easy treat to your to-bake list. With just 30 minutes of active work time, these sweet Scandinavian confections are well worth the minimal effort.

Prefer to watch the process?

How to make kokosboller

First, make the marshmallow filling.

In a saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar and corn syrup. Cook over high heat until the syrup reaches the soft ball stage (117C/242F).

While the syrup cooks, whip the egg whites on high in the bowl of a stand mixer until the foam holds stiff peaks.

With the mixer on high, slowly pour the hot syrup down the inside of the bowl. Continue whipping on high until the mixture cools to room temperature (about 10 minutes).

Add the vanilla extract.

Second, pipe the marshmallow onto your cookies or crackers.

A quick note about the cookie/cracker base: These treats are most often made with a Ritz cracker base, which adds a nice buttery, salty flavor. If you prefer something sweeter, you can make these Oreos or another kind of small, round cookie. The version pictured in this post is made with Golden Oreo cookies that have had the filling removed.

Fill a piping bag with the marshmallow filling.

Using a large, round tip (I used an Ateco 809), pipe a large, vertical mound of marshmallow onto the cookie or cracker base, gently jiggling the piping bag so it fills out the entirety of the base.

Allow to set in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, or until firm.

Finally, cover the marshmallows with chocolate.

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, stirring until smooth.

Add the vegetable shortening to the chocolate, stirring until it melts completely. This will thin the chocolate and help ensure the chocolate coating turns out thin and crisp.

Place the piped marshmallows on a fork over the bowl of melted chocolate, and spoon the hot chocolate over the top.

Allow any excess chocolate to drip off before placing them on a cooling rack to harden. Sprinkle with coconut flakes to garnish.

Tips for making perfect kokosboller

• Adding the sugar syrup with the mixer on high: It's important that the stand mixer is on high when the syrup is added, otherwise you may end up with chunks of cooked egg white in your filling rather than smooth, cooked marshmallow. To keep hot splatter from spraying out of the bowl, make sure to add the syrup as a stream down the inside of the bowl.
• Filling that piping bag like a pro: Spoon your marshmallow filling onto a large piece of plastic wrap, roll and twist the ends. Trim one end so there’s about ½” in length, drop your frosting into the piping bag (short end first) with the tip already on and pipe!
• Keep your kitchen equipment/utensils free of water when melting the chocolate. Getting water in the melting/melted chocolate will cause it to seize.
• Don’t have a double boiler? You can melt your chocolate in the microwave using 10 second increments. Just be careful, it’s very easy to over-cook chocolate this way.
• Storage: Kokosboller can be kept in an air tight container in your refrigerator for about 1-2 weeks.

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #thesimplesweetlife. I love seeing your creations!

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