Toasted Coconut Rum Balls

With sweet, caramel-scented bits in every bite, these coconut rum balls look like the grownup version of a coconut macaroon but eat like chewy bites of cookie dough. The flavor lands somewhere between a coconut-laced sticky toffee pudding, thanks to the dates and brown sugar, and that of a Girl Scout Samoa cookie, with the toasted coconut and bittersweet chocolate exterior. For a deep, nutty flavor, the butter is browned, while the coconut shreds are toasted until golden brown and crisp. Softened dates, a splash of rum and a hefty amount of brown sugar soak into the toasted coconut for a fudgy bite.