As I said before, I whipped up an alarming amount of cookies and have no plans on slowing down till we cross the Xmas finish line. But that doesn’t mean I don’t sneak in quick and easy recipes during the busy season like these No-Bake Gingersnap balls.
These very poppable, festive bites require just 5 ingredients, and they come together effortlessly in one bowl.
Two types of peanut butter and some cinnamon make the cookie balls complex, gooey and spicy. The powdered ginger brings a deep, aromatic heat mellowed perfectly by earthy date syrup.
How to make no-bake gingersnap balls?
Very, very, very easy to make. Start to finish it’ll take you all of 15 minutes. All you do is crush, mix, shape, and eat.
I think they might turn out to be the simplest of my Christmas cookie haul. As they hardly need any supervision, the no-bake gingersnap balls are an excellent project for kids!
- Start by crushing your cookies in a fine powder in a processor.
If you’re work with little ones, I recommend placing the cookies in a Ziploc bag and bashing them with a rolling pin.
- Add in date syrup, peanut butter, and ginger powder. For a bit of extra spicy warmth, I pinched in some cinnamon powder.
- Use your hands to combine all the ingredients. That’s the best way.
- Then one tablespoon at a time, add the milk to make a sticky dough.
You can always add more milk to the dough but cannot remove an excess of it. So, spoon in the milk in small increments.
- Take a tester. Adjust the ginger powder if you don’t get that ‘snap.’ Add in more date syrup if the dough is not sweet enough.
- When you have the perfect intermingling of flavors, shape the balls.
- The no-bake gingersnap balls are ready to be devoured now!
Quick note:
I didn’t need to chill the cookie dough because the temperature here is steadily falling. You may have to refrigerate the dough or the shaped balls if you live somewhere warm. Otherwise, they would be too soft to hold their shape.
Variations of the gingersnap ball recipe:
The cookies are not overly sweet because I used date syrup (that’s what I had at home).
You can use maple syrup or honey. Remember, digestive cookies are already sweet, so fine-tune the quantity of whatever sweetener you use accordingly.
What are gingersnaps? Can I use a different cookie for the recipe?
Gingersnaps are ginger-flavored biscuits/cookies. You can either make them at home or buy them in a store. If you decide to use the cookies as a base, please be careful with the amount of fresh ginger powder you add.
You don’t want the zing of the spice overpowering everything else. If you don’t have gingersnaps, digestive cookies work like a charm. That’s what I made the balls of.
What kind of peanut butter to use for gingersnap balls?
You can use both smooth or crunchy peanut butter. I did a bit of both. If you want additional texture and crunch to the cookies, use any chopped nuts that you fancy.
What milk should you use?
I went with one of my favorites, homemade Almond Milk, but if you’re not making dairy-free, no-bake gingersnap balls, use regular milk.
How to make vegan gingersnap balls?
Use vegan cookies as the base of the dough.
Can I spike the cookies?
Yes, of course. It’s Christmas, after all.
A little bit of rum or brandy will pair excellently with the sharp bite of ginger. In case you’re in a fancier mood, marry the rich, woody, and warm aroma of ginger with:
- Coffee
- Or cocoa
Serving the no-bake gingersnap balls
If you can resist the temptation to snack on them as soon as they’re done, try rolling them in icing sugar.
Or you could go as decadent as me and dip them in melted dark chocolate. I had to put some effort into making these ridiculously easy tasty morsels, right?
Once the chocolate is set, dredge with some cinnamon sugar on top. This is an entirely optional step. Feel free to skip it. But let me tell you, the effect was sensational!
I think I’ll try dunking them in white chocolate with a bit sprinkles as the final touch the next time. Yes, there will be a next time.
The gooey, chewy no-bake gingersnap balls are not just desserts for the festivities. They are a great pick-me-up snack for any time of the year!
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📖 Recipe
No-Bake Gingersnap Balls
Ingredients
- 20 Digestive cookies You can use ginger cookies
- 1.5 tsp Ginger powder Omit if using ginger cookies
- 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 3 tbsp Date syrup You can also use honey or maple syrup
- 3 tbsp Peanut butter
- 2-4 tbsp Almond milk You can use any milk
- 1/4 cup Dark chocolate, melted, for dipping the cookie balls Optional
- Cinnamon sugar, Sprinkles, for topping Optional
Instructions
- Place the cookies in a food processor and pulse till you have a fine powder.
- Alternatively, you can place them in a large ziplock bag and crush using a rolling pin.
- Combine the crushed cookies, ginger powder, cinnamon powder, date syrup, and peanut butter in a large bowl.
- Mix well. Add a tablespoon or two of milk to the mixture to make a soft, slightly sticky dough, that holds together. Add the milk slowly. You don't want to make a very soft dough.
- Taste and adjust for sweetness and spice level.
- Divide into equal-sized pieces and roll into balls.
- The cookie balls are ready to eat now!
- You can dip them in melted dark chocolate and top with some cinnamon sugar and sprinkles.
- You can roll these in icing sugar too. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a week. Enjoy!
Ashley K says
omg these look SOO good, need to try! love how its no bake
Natasha Minocha says
thank you so much, Ashley, hope you love them!
Jenny M says
Obsessed with these! One of my favorite holiday cookies now.
Natasha Minocha says
Aww thank you Jenny! They are a favorite in my home too xx