Crunchy Chocolate Mint Balls

December. Christmas approaches. The peanut brittle is made, the choir is rehearsed, the ham is ordered from Jerome. The rhythms of December are so familiar now that I could do them with my eyes closed — the same hands, the same sugar, the same hymns, the same family gathering that expands by one or two people every year but feels the same in its core: warm, loud, full of the things that matter and none of the things that don't.

This Christmas, Charlie brought David. Not to Christmas — to the pre-Christmas phone call where she told me he was coming, and the telling was the gift, because Charlie bringing someone to Christmas is Charlie declaring that this person matters, and declarations are not something Charlie makes casually. She is her father's daughter in this: we declare through actions, not words, and bringing David Chen to the Johnson family Christmas is the loudest declaration Charlie has ever made.

David Chen. Chinese-American. From San Francisco. Physical therapist at Vanderbilt. That's what Charlie has told me. That's all she's told me. I know nothing else. I don't know his parents' names or his favorite food or how he takes his coffee or whether he can sit in silence, which is my primary qualification for the men who date my daughters because silence is patience and patience is love and a man who can't sit in silence can't do any of the other things that matter.

I will meet him on Christmas Day. I will shake his hand. I will offer him food. And I will watch, the way Uncle Clyde watched me at the smoker — not to judge but to understand, not to evaluate but to learn, because the man my daughter loves is a man worth knowing, and knowing takes time, and time is the only thing I have in abundance.

Made a batch of smoked candied pecans this week — a holiday treat I started making three years ago. Raw pecans, tossed with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne, then smoked at 250 for an hour, stirring every fifteen minutes. The smoke sweetens the sugar and the sugar caramelizes the nut, and the result is a snack so addictive that Rosetta banned me from making them more than once a year because, she says, "I don't trust you or me around those pecans." She's right. Some things are too good to have all the time. Some things need to be saved for the season that deserves them.

Rosetta’s rule about the pecans — made once a year, no exceptions — got me thinking about the other treats that belong to December and December alone. These Crunchy Chocolate Mint Balls landed in that same category the first time I made them: the kind of thing you set out on a holiday plate and watch vanish in twenty minutes, the kind of thing that carries the season in every bite. With David Chen coming to Christmas and Charlie’s declaration still ringing in my ears, I wanted something to put in a dish on the counter that said welcome without me having to say it out loud — because that’s how the Johnsons do it, and some traditions are worth keeping.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 1 hr 20 min (includes chilling) | Servings: 36 balls

Ingredients

2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (about 20 cookies)
1 cup powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons crème de menthe or 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract plus 3 tablespoons water
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate melting wafers
1 tablespoon coconut oil or shortening (for thinning chocolate)
Extra crushed peppermint candy or sprinkles for topping

Instructions

Crush and combine. In a large bowl, stir together the crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar, and the crushed peppermint candies until evenly mixed.
Bind the mixture. Add the corn syrup and crème de menthe (or the peppermint extract mixture) to the dry ingredients. Stir until the mixture comes together and holds its shape when pressed. If it feels too dry, add water one teaspoon at a time.
Roll the balls. Dust your palms lightly with the remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Scoop rounded teaspoons of the mixture and roll between your palms into 1-inch balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Chill. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes, until the balls are firm.
Melt the chocolate. Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted and smooth.
Dip and coat. Using a fork or dipping tool, lower each chilled ball into the melted chocolate, tap off the excess, and return to the parchment-lined sheet. Immediately sprinkle the top with crushed peppermint candy before the chocolate sets.
Set and store. Allow the chocolate coating to harden at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, or speed the process in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Nutrition (per serving)

Crunchy Chocolate Mint Balls — A Sweet Holiday Treat Worth Saving for the Season