Recipe: Wheaties Golf Balls (no-bake, using dates and coconut)

WHEATIES GOLF BALLS

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups dates
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups crushed Wheaties cereal
1/2 pound flaked coconut

Combine butter, sugar, and dates in saucepan. Cook on medium low until dates melt and it become a syrup mixture, about 4 minutes.

Add milk, salt, vanilla, and cereal to date mixture.

Roll into golf-ball-size balls, then roll in flaked coconut.

"I make these every year for Christmas because my mom always did and it reminds me of home. I am still amazed that my mom had time to make Christmas cookies with seven of us running around: one girl and six boys! My mom never measures anything and when I called her years ago for the recipe, she gave it to me over the phone. I made it and gave some to our German landlord. The next day my mom called: "I forgot to tell you to add butter." I tasted the original cookies and they were hard as a rock! My landlord was probably wondering how we bit through them. Poor guy. At least we still get a Christmas card from him every year! Traveling around the world discovering new places is exciting, but it is always nice to have a little piece of home, especially at Christmastime." - Mrs. Jackie Gaffner - Waimea, Hawaii, Wife of Master Sergeant (Ret.) Kevin Gaffner

Source: Best of the Best Air Force Cookbook Compiled by Karen Tosten