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    Home » Recipes » Holiday Recipes

    Easy 6 ingredient Rum Balls

    Published: Dec 30, 2020 · Modified: Nov 30, 2022 by Gitta Grether-Sweeney · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Rum balls on glass plate with white pine cone and pine branch

    Rum Balls are boozy no-bake treats that pack a punch! Chocolate, pecans, and rum are decadent combinations. Great for holiday cookie trays and gifting. These are adult-only treats!

    Rum balls on glass tray on red snowflake cloth with white pine cone and pine tree branch

    Years ago, a friend brought Rum Balls to a cookie exchange, and I fell in love with them. She shared the recipe with me, and without fail, I make them every year for Christmas. They are the perfect addition to a cookie tray and make delicious gifts. Believe me, you and your friends will LOVE these boozy treats!

    Why you should make Rum Balls

    Jump to:
    • Why you should make Rum Balls
    • Rum Ball Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Pro Tips
    • Coating options
    • How long do they stay fresh?
    • Gifting Ideas
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments
    • You only need 6 simple ingredients
    • No baking required
    • Easy to make
    • Made in 20 minutes or less
    • They are decadent!
    • Can be made ahead of time

    Rum Ball Ingredients

    Rum ball ingredients, whole pecans, vanilla wafers, confectioners sugar, cocoa, rum, corn syrup all in individual bowls
    • Vanilla wafers-The vanilla wafers provide the body for these treats. You can use low-fat or regular vanilla wafers.
    • Pecans-add bulk and flavor. Take them to the next level by toasting them in the oven. Most rum balls recipes are made with pecans. Experiment with your favorite nut. I think that Hazelnuts or walnuts would be delicious in this recipe.
    • Confectioners sugar-offsets the bitterness of the cocoa powder.
    • Dark rum-provides flavoring and acts as a binder. Myer's Dark Rum is my favorite rum to use in this recipe. However, use what you have on hand or your favorite brand. If you are not a fan of rum, substitute bourbon.
    • Cocoa-provides rich chocolate flavor and color.
    • Light corn syrup-helps bind the ingredients. Honey or maple syrup can be substituted for light corn syrup.

    Instructions

    Make wet ingredient mixture

    Rum, powdered sugar, cocoa and corn syrup in a white bowl with a silver spoon
    Cocoa mixture with whisk in a white bowl

    Combine cocoa, confectioners sugar, rum, and light corn syrup in a bowl. Whisk until most of the confectioners' sugar dissolves.

    Prepare pecans and vanilla wafers

    Ground pecans in a bowl
    Grind Pecans
    Ground vanilla wafers in food processor bowl
    Crush Vanilla Wafers
    ground pecans on the vanilla wafers in a food processor bowl
    Combine vanilla wafers and pecans
    Ground pecans and vanilla wafers in a food processor bowl
    Pulse together in a food processor
    1. Finely grind pecans by pulsing them in a food processor and set aside.
    2. Grind vanilla wafers in a food processor.
    3. Add ground pecans to the vanilla wafers.
    4. In the food processor, pulse several times until the pecans and vanilla wafers are combined.

    Combine wet and dry ingredients

    Wet cocoa ingredients on vanilla-pecan wafers in a food processor bowl
    Rum ball dough in a food processor bowl

    Pour wet ingredients into the vanilla wafer-pecan mixture. Pulse until the mixture is combined.

    Finish Rum Balls

    Scooping rum balls with a #40 scoop
    Scoop rum balls
    Rolling rum ball in powdered sugar in a red bowl
    Roll in powdered sugar
    Rum ball on a white square plate
    Finished Rum Ball
    1. Make balls using a #40 scoop, which is about 1-½ tablespoons. It is 1-½ inches in diameter, slightly smaller than a ping pong ball. If you prefer smaller rum balls, pinch off as much dough as you like and roll it into a ball.
    2. Roll the balls in the confectioners' sugar.
    3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    Rum balls on glass plate on a red cloth with a white pine cone and pine tree branch

    Pro Tips

    • The rum balls get better with age. It is best to let them rest for at least 2 days before you eat them.
    • Store them in the refrigerator, or they will get stale and lose flavor.
    • Be sure that your pecans are fresh and not rancid.
    • Use good quality cocoa.
    • If the dough becomes too soft to roll into balls, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

    Coating options

    While I like to coat my rum balls in confectioners sugar, other options include cocoa or chopped pecans. For a festive look, roll them in holiday sprinkles.

    How long do they stay fresh?

    To keep them fresh, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They hold up to a month in the refrigerator. However, they can also be frozen for up to 2 months. After refrigeration or freezing them, you may need to re-roll the rum balls in the confectioners' sugar.

    Gifting Ideas

    These easy rum balls make the perfect gift. The following are a few great packaging options when you give them to family and friends.

    1. Candy gift bags are a great inexpensive option.
    2. Alternatively, put them in candy cups and place the cups in holiday candy boxes.
    3. Pick up cute holiday metal cookie tins at the dollar store. They are a perfect way to gift rum balls.
    Click here to Pin this for later

    I hope you try this recipe! Please rate it and comment below. I love hearing from you! ❤️

    Print

    📋 Recipe

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    Rum balls on glass plate with white pine cone, pine tree branch

    Easy 6 ingredient Rum Balls

    ★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
    • Author: Gitta
    • Prep Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 35 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: No-bake
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Rum Balls are a boozy and delicious treat.  Perfect for cookie trays and holiday gifting.  They are an easy no-bake dessert.


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 cup confectioners sugar (note you will need additional confectioners sugar to roll the rum balls in)
    • ½ cup dark rum
    • ⅓ cup cocoa
    • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
    • 1-11 ounce box vanilla wafers
    • 1 cup pecans

    Instructions

    1. In a medium-size bowl, combine confectioners sugar, rum, cocoa, and light corn syrup.  Whisk until well combined.
    2. In a food processor, finely chop pecans.  Put the ground pecans in a bowl and set it aside. 
    3. In a food processor, finely chop/crush vanilla wafers.
    4. Add the pecans to the vanilla wafers in the food processor bowl and pulse a few times to combine.
    5. Pour liquid ingredients into the pecans and vanilla wafer mixture.  Pulse the mixture in the food processor until a thick dough forms.
    6. Scoop dough with a #40 scoop (1-½ tablespoons) and roll the dough into balls.
    7. Roll each ball in confectioners sugar.
    8. Place rum balls in an airtight container.  
    9. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or freeze for 2 months.   
    10. Before serving, you may need to re-roll the rum balls in confectioners sugar. 

    Equipment

    Image of Candy Gift Bag

    Candy Gift Bag

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    Holiday Candy Box

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    Image of Candy Cups

    Candy Cups

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    Image of #40 cookie scoop

    #40 cookie scoop

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    Food Processor

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    Notes

    1.   The rum balls get better with age. It is best to let them rest at least 2 days before you eat them.
    2.   Store them in the refrigerator, or they will get stale and lose flavor.
    3.   Be sure that your pecans are fresh and not rancid.
    4.   Use good quality cocoa.
    5.   If the dough becomes too soft to roll into balls, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.  

    *Nutrition Disclaimer

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 each
    • Calories: 49
    • Sugar: 6.1 g
    • Sodium: 0.8 mg
    • Fat: 2.4 g
    • Carbohydrates: 7.1 g
    • Protein: 0.5 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: Rum, vanilla wafers, Rum balls, holiday dessert, cookie tray easy rum balls

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @gittas_kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #gittas_kitchen

    There are links to Amazon for equipment that I use to make this recipe for your convenience. If you purchase the equipment, I'll receive a small commission. For more information, please read my policy.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Elenor

      November 30, 2022 at 12:07 pm

      These Rum Balls are the best! I could not stop eating them!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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