Date Balls: A Riddle Christmas Classic

 Christmas 2025 was a unique one. We were not sure how well I would be able to travel post hip-replacement, so we decided to stay in Boston. We were excited that Keith's parents were able to join us. One of our family's favorite holiday treat recipes is date balls, or as we affectionately call them, "goat eyes." As far as we know this recipe originates with Keith's grandmother Virginia Riddle. She made them for her grandbabies, and Keith's mom makes them for my boys. This year they got the pleasure of making date balls together, which was a fun activity for a cold Boston winter because it does take a team. (more on that in a minute)* 

I also had all my boys together ❤️

This recipe is one of the older family recipes and it does have a few quirks that I had to work out and decipher.

Christmas doggie for cute points

The original recipe calls for "one can of angel flake coconut." I have not seen a can of coconut in the store for ages. Thankfully, you can look it up on Google and find out how much coconut is in a can of angel flake coconut. The answer is 1 & 1/3 cup...your welcome. I have also updated the recipe a bit. It calls for two sticks of margarine. I don't typically use margarine anymore. We used butter and it worked just fine. 

*A note on the team activity: This recipe is cooked on the stove. The method is more like a candy than a cookie. The tricky bit is that the balls must be formed out of the hot dough before it cools or it is too stiff to shape. It is helpful to have a group of people shaping the dough to get it all shaped before it cools.We have always consumed these as balls, but I wonder if it would taste just as good to press the mix into a bar pan and cut it later...I will do more research on this idea. It may save some burned fingers. 

Date Balls a.k.a "Goat Eyes"

Ingredients:

2 sticks Butter

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup Granulated Sugar

1 lb Chopped Dates

1 1/3 cups Shredded Coconut

2 cups Chopped Pecans

4 cups Rice Krispies

Powdered Sugar

Directions:

1. In a heavy-bottomed stock pot, over medium heat, melt the two sticks of butter. When the butter is just warm and melted, add the sugars, dates and coconut. Stir to combine all the ingredients well. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly the sugars are melted and the butter is all incorporated. Continue to cook for 6 minutes.

2. Add the Rice Krispies and pecans, mix well.

3. While the mixture is still warm, form into small, bite-sized balls. Be sure to work fast before the mixture cools. Toss the shaped balls in powdered sugar.

4. Date balls should be stored in an airtight container with some extra powdered sugar. 

*Granny has a note that these freeze well, which is probably because she would make these in advance of family coming and they would keep. We never have to freeze them because they dissapear so quickly.