- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 (8 ounce) package chopped pitted dates
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 cups crispy rice cereal
- 1 cup chopped coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped drained maraschino cherries
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups flaked coconut
- Melt butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add sugar and dates to the melted butter; stir until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat, add egg, and stir quickly to prevent the egg from cooking.
- Return skillet to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a full boil, 4 to 6 minutes; cook at a boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more.
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir rice cereal, chopped coconut, chopped cherries, and vanilla extract with the dates. Let mixture cool until beginning to firm, about 10 minutes.
- Shape mixture by rounded teaspoonful into 1-inch balls. Spread flaked coconut into a wide, shallow dish and roll balls in the coconut to coat.