These rum balls are an easy, festive holiday treat. Cocoa, pecans, vanilla wafers and spiced rum are blended together to make this easy treat that gets better with a bit of age and is perfect for gift giving.
While my favorite holiday treat has to be peanut butter buckeyes, liquor infused rum balls and amaretto truffles come in at a close second. They're incredibly simple to make and that slight hint of dark rum is so delicious.
These no bake treats are so quick to put together, and with the hustle and bustle of busy holidays... who doesn't love quick treats?
Rum balls also taste better when they're allowed to age just a tad. So, making them a few days in advance means they'll be bursting with flavor. They're good fresh, but they're even better when you have the patience to wait just a little.
These also freeze really well. Which means you can make them, freeze them ahead of time and pull them out when you're ready for gifting or serving to guests.
Do rum balls actually have rum in them?
They do. While you could definitely sub a rum flavor or vanilla extract to make a non-alcoholic version that's perfectly kid friendly.
Since these aren't cooked, the rum still contains the alcohol (when used in cooking, the alcohol evaporates).
Are you going to get drunk off of them? No. There is very little alcohol in volume in these. That being said, it's not advisable to serve them to kiddos. Use the rum flavoring or vanilla extract if you want to make them sans alcohol so the whole family can enjoy them.
What's the best rum to use in rum balls?
Dark rum is typically best to use in rum balls as it contains a deeper, more obvious flavor. An alternative to dark rum is spiced rum which pairs really well with the flavors in these rum balls. Spiced rum is typically aged just as long as dark rum, it just has some spices and sugars added to it. It's what I chose to use for this particular batch.
And lastly, you can use amber rum. This isn't as flavorful, but it's still a good addition to the flavor palate of these rum balls.
📖 Recipe
Rum Balls
Cocoa, vanilla wafters and pecans are blended with spiced rum to make this delicious holiday treat.
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Pecans
- ½ Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 Cup Vanilla Wafters
- 2 Tablespoons Cocoa
- 2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
- 2 Ounces Dark Rum
Instructions
- Place pecans and vanilla wafers in a food processor or work in batches with a spice and nut grinder until both are ground to a coarse consistency, then place them in a large bowl.
- Add the cocoa and powdered sugar in with the nuts and vanilla wafters and combine the ingredients.
- Pour in the light corn syrup and rum, knead the mixture until it forms a sticky ball.
- Break off tablespoon-sized bits or use a cookie scoop and roll them into balls.
- Place the balls on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and place them in the refrigerator until firm, about an hour.
- Coat the balls with cocoa, powdered sugar or sprinkles. Keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 61Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 0g
Rum balls are super easy to make and great for gifting or enjoying during the holiday season. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Other Holiday Recipes You'll Love:
Leave a Reply