Rum Balls: A Classic Holiday Treat (That I Don’t Love, but You Might!)
Rum balls. A classic holiday treat beloved by many. Unfortunately, they don’t rank high on my list of festive indulgences. Something about the boozy, no-bake combo just doesn’t do it for me. But, in the spirit of goodwill—and because someone out there is likely passionate about these little boozy spheres of cookie crumbs—I’m sharing a rum balls recipe that might just knock your socks off. Or not. Good luck deciding for yourself.
If you’re new to rum balls, they’re essentially no-bake truffles made with crushed vanilla wafers, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and—you guessed it—a generous splash of rum. While I might not be the best advocate for this festive cookie, I can appreciate their simplicity and appeal for those who enjoy boozy treats during the holiday season. Maybe your friends will love these. Maybe you will. Either way, here’s an easy rum ball recipe to test your allegiance.
Ingredients
- 5 cups vanilla wafer cookies, finely crushed
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup spiced rum (or your favorite kind of rum)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (sub honey for a natural twist)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Garnishes
- Additional powdered sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Finely crushed vanilla wafers
- Finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Crush vanilla wafer cookies to a fine crumb using a rolling pin or food processor. Ensure your walnuts are equally fine.
- In a large bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, walnuts, and salt. Mix well.
- Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into the walnut mixture. Stir the walnut and vanilla wafer mixture until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the spiced rum and corn syrup until smooth.
- Pour the rum mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until it forms a thick dough.
If too dry, add a tiny bit more rum—just a couple of teaspoons at a time. If you have gloves, you might want to put them on and finish mixing by hand.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls using a small cookie scoop.
- Coat each ball in your desired topping and place them on the prepared cookie tray.
Tips and Notes
- Store rum balls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- You can substitute apple juice or orange juice for the rum for a booze-free “rum” ball.
- If your mixture is too soft, add more crushed vanilla wafers a little at a time.
- Best results are achieved by using good quality rum. Dark rum adds a more complex flavor, while coconut rum balls have a tropical twist.
- These are perfect for sharing at holiday parties—but don’t forget to label them as “for adults only.”
Easy No-Bake Rum Balls
Ingredients
- 5 cups Nilla Wafers finely crushed
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup walnuts finely chopped
- ½ cup spiced rum
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
Optional Garnishes
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup Nilla Wafers finely crushed
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans finely chopped
Instructions
- Line a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make sure your cookie crumbs and finely chopped walnuts don’t have any big chunks. You want them to be similar to dry sand so they mix into your ingredients seamlessly.I pulse mine in a food processor to achieve this.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed Nilla wafers, salt, and finely chopped walnuts.
- Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into the walnut mixture. Stir the walnut and Nilla wafers mixture until thoroughly combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the corn syrup and rum. Mix until the syrup is dissolved.
- Pour over the Nilla wafer mixture and mixture until it starts to get a thick consistency.
- Grab your rubber gloves and, without too much smashing, finish combining the mixture. It will be like cookie dough.
- Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared pan.
- Choose your toppings and place them in small bowls. Once you’re ready to coat them, re-roll the balls right before rolling them in the toppings of your choice. Place back on the pan and enjoy!
Notes
- As the rum balls sit, the bottoms will flatten a bit, but it’s nice because then they’re not rolling all over the place when being served.
- You can use honey in place of the corn syrup. Dark corn syrup works as well.
- If your mixture is dry before rolling, add about a ½ tablespoon of rum at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
- You can use pecans in place of the walnuts.
- If you roll a ball and hold it flat in your hand and it seems to slowly melt, your mixture is too soft. Simply add more crushed cookies, ¼ cup at a time until the right consistency is reached.
- It’s important to note that these do not get baked, which means the alcohol is not reduced in any manner. These are best for the 21 and over crowd (or the legal drinking age in your area).
Nutrition
What’s your take on rum balls? Are you a fan of their rum flavor, or do you think they need a little something extra to make them irresistible? Drop your suggestions in the comments! And if you have tips for converting me into a rum ball enthusiast, I’m all ears.
