TO MAKE THE NO-BAKE COOKIE BALLSMix the first 8 ingredients (up to and including the vanilla) together in a large bowl. Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes. Roll dough into small balls and put the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Freeze
TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE COATINGPut 2 cups of chocolate chips plus 1 Tbs plus 2 tsp shortening into a microwave proof bowl. Microwave for high in 15-second intervals. After each interval take the bowl out of the microwave and stir. Do this until you can stir the chips and they melt into a silky chocolate coating. DO NOT OVERHEAT! The heat of the bowl will melt the chips. Take the cookie balls out of the freezer and dip one at a time in the chocolate coating. Remove them from the chocolate with a fork and let the excess coating drip off the cookie ball back into the coating. Place the coated cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Dry completely at room temperature.
TO MAKE THE WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLEPut 1/2 cup white chocolate (no shortening) in a small microwave safe bowl. Use the chocolate melting technique above. Put the melted chocolate into a small plastic sandwich bag and cut a small hole in one of the bottom corners with scissors. Push the white chocolate down to the corner of the bag until al little squirts out.
Put the cookie balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Push the white chocolate so it comes out of the bag in one thin line. Using a back and forth motion, move across each cookie ball from top to bottom. Then turn the cookie 90 degrees and repeat. This will make a stylized crosshatch design.
Add a tiny sprinkle of sea salt or other embellishments to the cookie before the white chocolate dries.
When the cookie balls are completely dry refrigerate or freeze them.
I love them frozen! The dried fruits give a candy-like crunch!