Description
These Easy, Festive (and Boozy!) Rum Balls are a delightful no-bake holiday treat combining vanilla wafers, cocoa, confectioners’ sugar, and rum for a rich, boozy flavor. Perfect for gifting or indulging, these rum balls require minimal preparation, no baking, and can be stored for weeks or frozen for longer enjoyment.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3+ cups (311 g) vanilla wafers (a whole box of Nilla wafers)
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar (plus more for rolling)
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons (44 g) white corn syrup
- 1/3 cup (74 g) rum, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Crush the Vanilla Wafers: Place the vanilla wafers into a food processor and pulse until they are turned into fine crumbs. Some larger pieces may remain initially but will be pulverized with continued pulsing. Alternatively, place wafers in a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin until finely ground.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and white corn syrup to the food processor with the crushed wafers. Pulse until all ingredients are well combined and evenly mixed.
- Add Rum and Combine: Pour in the 1/3 cup of rum and pulse the mixture until it begins to form a dough-like consistency. If the mixture is too dry and crumbly, add rum slowly, a little at a time, until the mixture holds together when pinched or forms a mass around the blade.
- Shape the Rum Balls: Using a teaspoon, a #100 scoop, or your hands, scoop out portions of the mixture and roll gently to form smooth balls.
- Coat with Powdered Sugar: Place a thin layer of powdered sugar in a shallow plate or container. Drop the formed rum balls into the powdered sugar and gently shake or roll them until fully coated.
- Store Properly: Transfer the coated rum balls into an airtight container. Store them at room temperature for up to one week or freeze for up to three months. If frozen, bring to room temperature briefly before serving.
Notes
- These rum balls require no baking and are incredibly quick and easy to make, making them perfect for holiday gifting.
- If you cannot find vanilla wafers, graham crackers, ginger snaps, shortbread cookies, or creme-filled cookies work well as substitutes.
- Mini foil wrappers make for an attractive presentation if gifting the rum balls.
- A #100 scoop is helpful for portioning and shaping, but teaspoons or hands work just as well.
- Store rum balls in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rum ball
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 35mg
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
