Description
This Easy, Festive (and Boozy!) Rum Balls Recipe is a no-bake holiday treat made with vanilla wafers, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, and rum. Perfect for gifting or enjoying at parties, these rum balls are simple to prepare, require no baking, and can be made ahead or frozen for convenience. They offer a delightful balance of rich cocoa and warming rum, rolled in powdered sugar for a festive finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3+ cups (311 g) vanilla wafers (a whole box of Nilla wafers) or substitute with graham crackers, ginger snaps, shortbread cookies, or creme-filled cookies
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (44 g) white corn syrup
- 1/3 cup (74 g) rum, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Crush the Cookies: Place vanilla wafers in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Don’t worry about a few large pieces initially—they will break down as you continue. Alternatively, use a rolling pin and Ziploc bag to crush the wafers finely.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and corn syrup to the crushed wafers in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is well combined.
- Add the Rum: Slowly add 1/3 cup rum to the mixture, pulsing to combine. If the mixture is too dry, add more rum gradually until it forms a cohesive mass that holds together when pinched.
- Form the Balls: Use a teaspoon or #100 scoop to portion the mixture. Roll each portion gently between your hands to form balls.
- Coat in Powdered Sugar: Drop the formed balls onto a plate or shallow container with a thin layer of powdered sugar. Shake gently to coat the balls evenly.
- Store Properly: Transfer the rum balls to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to one week or freeze for up to three months. Thaw and bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- This recipe requires no baking and is perfect for quick holiday gifting.
- If you cannot find vanilla wafers, graham crackers, ginger snaps, shortbread cookies, or creme-filled cookies are excellent alternatives.
- A #100 scoop is helpful for shaping uniform rum balls, but a teaspoon or your hands will work fine.
- Mini foil wrappers are great for gifting these rum balls as treats.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rum ball (approx. 15 g)
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 20 mg
- Fat: 2.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
