Grandma's German Butter Balls

Be the first to
rate this recipe!
member ratings
Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 114
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 256.9
  • Total Fat: 21.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 109.8 mg
  • Sodium: 322.3 mg
  • Total Carbs: 12.1 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 0.6 g
  • Protein: 4.0 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Grandma's German Butter Balls calories by ingredient


Introduction

This is not a healthy food, but a family tradition food served at Christmas in chicken noodle soup. Used in moderation, it can still be enjoyed. This is not a healthy food, but a family tradition food served at Christmas in chicken noodle soup. Used in moderation, it can still be enjoyed.
Number of Servings: 114

Ingredients

    3 pounds sweet, salted butter
    3 dozen large eggs
    6 pounds store-brand white bread

Tips

Don't use substitutions. The ingredients must be as stated to get the best mix and flavor. This is a Volga German recipe shared by my husband's grandmother. Everyone in our neighborhood grew up with this seasonal, winter-time treat.


Directions

Cover a large dining table or several card tables with clean cloths. Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. Spread them out so that there is no overlapping. Let dry 2-3 days. Process dried cubes in a food processor until moderately fine. ( I have tried using pre-made crumbs....they just aren't as good.) Pour into huge mixing bowl. Mine is about 18 inches across.

Make a well in the center of the crumbs. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan, making sure it doesn't brown. Pour all into the well of crumbs. Mix well with a long wooden spoon. Make a well again. A dozen at a time, add the eggs, mixing them in after each dozen. Last, using very clean hands, squish the mixture thoroughly with your hands, feeling for dry spots until the whole mass is well mixed and moist.

Cover 3 jelly roll or similar big, shallow pans with wax paper. I use 2 jelly roll and a very large pizza pan. Roll the mixture into 1inch balls, about the size of a walnut shell or a large gumball. Don't let them get too big. Place very close together on the pans. Sit somewhere comfy and put the pans all around you. This takes at least an hour, less if you have help. When finished filling the pans, cover with plastic wrap and freeze on a flat area in a big freezer. When frozen, break apart, put into quart zipper storage bags, and keep frozen. You should have about 340 balls, depending on consistency of size.

To use, 15 minutes before eating, drop several butter balls into gently boiling chicken noodle soup. Cook 10-15 minutes until they are white and fluffy. Serve 3 or 4 to a bowl. These are high fat, high calorie, so be cautious if you are trying to lose weight.

Serving Size: makes 114 four-ball servings.

Number of Servings: 114

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user ITSAFRAMEUP.