Cherry Coconut Pecan Candies (Martha Washington Style)

chocolate candy balls with one bite taken out.

Cherry Coconut Pecan Candies (Martha Washington Style)

Looking for a make-ahead holiday candy recipe? Cherry Coconut Pecan Candies are a great choice for Christmas entertaining and gifting. With their creamy center, nutty crunch, cherry kiss, and chocolate coating, they’re a timeless treat that will be appreciated by many.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword candy, cherries, chocolate, christmas, coconut, pecans

Prep Time 15

Active Time 1

Servings

Calories 128kcal

Ingredients

1 cup butter melted and slightly cooled
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
10 ounces maraschino cherries drained, chopped, and blotted dry
3 cups finely chopped pecans toasted if you’d like extra flavor
24 ounces Milk chocolate and/or white chocolate melting wafers such as Ghirardelli

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop the cherries into small pieces, spread them out on paper towels, and gently blot with additional towels to remove as much excess liquid as possible.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, shredded coconut, cherries, and pecans until everything is evenly combined.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least two hours. This helps the filling firm up, making it easier to roll and helping the chocolate set more quickly later.
Once chilled, use a small cookie scoop or your hands to roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place them back onto the lined baking sheet and refrigerate again for about 20 to 30 minutes.
While the candies chill, melt the chocolate melting wafers according to the package directions. Keep the chocolate warm and smooth while dipping.
Using a fork and a toothpick, dip each candy into the melted chocolate, coating it completely. Lift it out with the fork and gently tap to remove excess chocolate. Use the toothpick to slide the candy off the fork and back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Let the candies sit until the chocolate is fully set. If you’d like, drizzle with additional melted chocolate for a decorative finish.
Store the candies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Nutrition