Classic Rum Balls
Updated
Updated
These Rum Balls are a classic no-bake treat that’s always on my holiday to-do list. Made with just a few simple ingredients, I love that they are rich, chocolatey, boozy, festive, and come together so quickly! A definite must on my holiday cookie platter.
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Easy Classic Rum Ball Recipe
Come December, there are copious amounts of butter and sugar in my kitchen! I love making homemade treats for my family to enjoy, and even more so, making them as holiday gifts. Many friends come to mind who would love to get a box of these rum balls, and I’m happy to oblige—they are so tasty and easy to make.
Helpful Tips and Variations
- Coat right away. It’s best to roll the balls in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder just after they’re formed. Once the exterior dries, it will not pick up as much coating. Also, powdered sugar tends to get absorbed while in the fridge, so you’ll want to re-roll them before serving.
- Coating options. I’ve rolled the balls in sprinkles, sanding sugar, crushed up nuts, crushed up cookies, and shredded coconut, and even dipped them in melted chocolate!
- Change the cookies. Use graham crackers and a splash of vanilla instead of the Nilla wafers, or try a combination of Nilla wafers and ginger snaps.
- Swap the alcohol. Try bourbon or whiskey. Malibu coconut rum is delish if you also plan to coat your rum balls with shredded coconut. Or, replace the alcohol with orange juice or apple juice.
Classic Rum Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios all work
- 2 cups Nilla wafer cookies
- 1 cup powdered sugar, (plus ¼ cup for rolling)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder, (plus ¼ cup for rolling)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp spiced dark rum
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast for about 6-8 minutes until browned and fragrant, stirring the pecans halfway through. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the rum and honey until the honey is completely dissolved.
- Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs; transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the cooled, toasted pecans to bowl of the food processor and pulse into fine bits (don't over-process or you'll end up with paste!); transfer to the bowl with the cookie crumbs.
- Sift the 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, and salt over the bowl with the cookies/pecans and whisk everything together.
- Add the honey/rum mixture to the bowl with the cookies/pecans and mix until completely combined.
- Squeeze a bit of the mixture and if it seems a bit dry, slowly add up to 1 tablespoon of water (or more rum) so that it holds together. (If you find the batter extremely sticky, you can chill it for about 20 minutes before forming the balls.)
- Use a cookie scoop to form the mixture into 1-inch balls, rolling them in the palms of your hands.
- Coat half the balls in the extra powdered sugar and the other half in the extra cocoa powder.
- For ideal flavor, transfer to the fridge for 2-3 days before serving. Re-roll in the powdered sugar to freshen up.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Rum Balls Step by Step
Toast the pecans: Toast 1 cup of pecans until nicely browned. Let cool.
Combine the wet ingredients: Whisk ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp rum and 2 tbsp honey until the honey is completely dissolved.
Pulse the cookies: Place 2 cups Nilla wafers in a food processor and process into crumbs. Remove from the processor and transfer to a bowl.
Process the pecans: Place the cooled pecans in the food processor and pulse into crumbs. Do not overprocess. Add to the bowl with the cookies.
Sift the dry ingredients: Sift 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tbsp of cocoa powder, and ½ tsp salt over the bowl with the cookies/pecans and whisk.
Add the rum: Add the rum and honey mixture to the bowl with the cookies/pecans and mix until completely combined.
Form the dough: Combine everything into a dough. Squeeze the mixture and if it seems a bit dry, slowly add up to 1 tablespoon of water (or more rum) so that the dough holds together. Alternatively, if you find the batter extremely sticky, you can chill it for about 20 minutes before forming the balls.
Shape the balls: Form 1″ balls or dough and roll half of them in powdered sugar and half in cocoa powder.
Chill and serve: Chill for a couple of days for the best flavor, serve, and enjoy!
All About the Rum
I recommend using a spiced dark rum. Dark rums are processed from molasses and help give these treats their classic, rich flavor. Use a brand that you’d enjoy drinking, but don’t feel like you have to get anything expensive or fancy.
The rum in these treats is not cooked, so the alcohol remains. And yes, they do taste like spice rum with a kick, so they are not for anyone under age.
Can you get drunk off of rum balls? Very unlikely. Because the 1/3 cup+ rum in these balls is combined with other ingredients and made into so many individual balls, unless you eat all 50 by yourself, the chance of you getting drunk is extremely low.
How to Store
One of my favorite things about this recipe is you can (and should!) make them in advance. The longer they sit in the fridge, the more time the crushed up cookies in the balls have to absorb the great rum flavor, so the better they taste!
If stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry area, they do not need to be refrigerated. However, I highly recommend storing them in the fridge—they will hold together better, last longer, and taste so much better. They will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Serve them chilled or let them come to room temperature on the counter.
Flash freeze on a baking sheet in a single layer until solid, then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature overnight. Before serving, re-roll them in powdered sugar to freshen them up.
What to Serve With Rum Balls
When I serve these rum balls, I like to offer other holiday treats like Christmas cheese trees and Christmas muddy buddies. And, of course, no holiday table is complete without homemade eggnog.
love the nuts in this recipe
I used a combo of left over cake, choco-chip cookie balls, and soft ginger cookies along with Fireball whiskey. They taste great!
Question: I’m not sure of the on the weight of the 2 cups of wafers… is that an actual weight of 16 oz. OR literally only 2 cups of measured wafers?
2 cups of measured cookies. Place as many as you can fit in the measuring cup.
These are the best tasting rum balls I’ve ever had!
Can I substitute fireball for the dark rum?
Sure! It will obviously render a different flavor, but it won’t alter the results.
I accidentally put my Rum Balls in the fridge before rolling. Can I still save them ? Will they soften if I leave them out, so I could then roll them?
Thanks
Do you mean, you left the mixture in the fridge longer than 20 minutes before rolling into balls? As mentioned, rum balls are great after chilling for a few days because the flavors deepen, so you’re fine. If you didn’t roll the mixture yet, let it sit at room temp just enough to soften enough to form the balls, then proceed with the directions. Enjoy!
Love these!
Delicious. I love rum balls, I have never made them before. Being a beekeeper, I loved the addition of honey and used a bourbon honey, these are some tasty snacks. I also substituted pecan shortbread (on one batch) because I had some, they need a little fridge time before rolling, but awesome.
This looks like a great recipe. One question: How many Nilla Wafers are in a cup? Is the 2 cups in your recipe equivalent to a 11-12 ounce box? It’s just that 2 cups of cookies can be measured in so many ways. Thanks, and I look forward to making these yummy balls.
Hi Jill! I think an 11 ounce bag contains 8 1/2 cups. I didn’t count how many cookies – I just filled a 1 cup measuring cup, twice with cookies.