Rum balls are the perfect bite-sized treat for any occasion! They require no baking, no cooking, and no melting in the microwave!
Made with a handful of simple ingredients, these homemade boozy bites come together quickly and are the perfect sweet truffle treat for holiday cookie platters and Christmas parties (an adult indulgence only).
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About Our Rum Ball Recipe
Our chocolate Rum Ball recipe is a classic Christmas no-bake treat, where crushed vanilla wafers, cocoa powder, pecans, and honey come together with confectioners sugar and rum in 30 minutes.
Moist, chewy, crunchy, and full of nutty, chocolatey, boozy flavor, this easy-to-make mixture is rolled into little liquor balls and coated in powdered sugar, sprinkles, or your favorite fun and festive colors.
This recipe for rum balls lets you have your cocktail and cookie all in one bite, but it is strictly for adults only because none of the alcohol is baked off.
Serve these delicious bite-sized boozy balls in paper candy cups and hand them out as hostess gifts or arrange them on a dessert tray; each sweet package has the perfect complimentary rum kick.
Why We Love This Easy Rum Ball Recipe
- Quick and easy to make and they are no bake.
- Uses simple pantry staple ingredients.
- Fun and festive homemade holiday treats.
- Rich, chocolatey, nutty, boozy bites that melt in your mouth.
- Perfect for a holiday cookie platter, dessert tray, or for packaging as gifts.
Ingredients to Make Rum Balls
- Vanilla wafers
- Pecans
- Powdered sugar
- Baking cocoa
- Rum
- Honey
- Water
- Sprinkles
Substitutions and Additions
- Create Your Crumbs: You can substitute graham cracker crumbs, crushed shortbread cookies, crushed Digestive Biscuits, crushed ginger cookies, or crushed chocolate wafers for the vanilla wafers.
- Coat Your Rum Cookies: You can roll your rum balls in powdered sugar, sprinkles, shredded coconut, cocoa powder, crushed vanilla wafers or other cookie crumbs, or more crushed pecans.
- Replace The Rum: You can also use bourbon, spiced rum, or whiskey. Malibu coconut rum tastes delicious if you also coat your rum balls with shredded coconut.
- Swap The Sweetener: You can substitute maple syrup, light corn syrup, Karo syrup, or agave nectar instead of honey
- Use Another Nut: Feel free to replace the pecans with a different nut. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios will also work well.
Recommended Tools
- Mixing bowls
- Cookie scoop
How to Make Rum Balls
- Make The Dry Mixture: Mix together the cookie crumbs, pecans, powdered sugar, and cocoa.
- Make The Wet Mixture: Whisk together the rum, honey, and water.
- Roll Your Rum Balls: Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture and roll into balls. Coat the balls in powdered sugar, chopped nuts or sprinkles.
- Serve: Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Can I Make Rum Balls Without Alcohol?
Yes, you can replace the alcohol with orange juice or apple juice in this recipe, although they will no longer be considered classic rum balls!
Tips For Making Rum Balls
- You can substitute the water for 2 more tablespoons of rum for an extra boozy bite!
- Use a small cookie scoop to make sure your rum balls are a uniform size.
- These balls taste best after a couple of days in the fridge where the crushed-up cookies have more time to absorb the rum flavor and the rum can mellow a bit.
- I find it easiest to use a food processor to crush my cookies and nuts into fine pieces.
- Feel free to toast your nuts before grinding them for another layer of flavor.
Storage
- To Store: You can store these in an airtight container in the fridge or room temperature for up to a week.
More Easy Christmas Recipes
Other Easy Christmas Treats
Rum Balls
Ingredients
- 2½ cups crushed vanilla wafers
- 1 cup pecans ground
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking cocoa (plus 2 teaspoons )
- ¼ cup rum
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- Additional powdered sugar and sprinkles for rolling
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the vanilla wafer crumbs, pecans, powdered sugar and cocoa.
- In a small bowl whisk together the rum, honey and water.
- Stir the rum mixture into the crumb mixture.
- Roll into about 1inch balls, using a little cookie scoop helps.
- Roll the balls in additional powdered sugar or sprinkles.
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Serve.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: You can store these in an airtight container in the fridge or room temperature for up to a week.
- You can substitute the water for 2 more tablespoons of rum for an extra boozy bite!
- Use a small cookie scoop to make sure your rum balls are uniform size.
- These balls taste best after a couple of days in the fridge where the crushed up cookies have more time to absorb the rum flavor and the rum can mellow a bit.
- I find it easiest to use a food processor to crush my cookies and nuts into fine pieces.
- Feel free to toast your nuts before grinding them for another layer of flavor.
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