Looking for a deliciously simple holiday treat that’s sure to impress? These classic Rum Balls are the answer! With a rich blend of cocoa, vanilla wafers, nuts, and a kick of rum, these no-bake confections are perfect for parties, gifting, or satisfying your sweet tooth. Best of all, they come together in a snap, making them an ideal addition to your festive dessert lineup at your holiday parties.
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What are rum balls?
These classic rum balls with vanilla wafers are a sweet confection similar to a cake ball or a truffle. While these have a different base, the idea is quite the same.
Traditional rum balls are an easy, no-bake treat you can prepare ahead of time and enjoy as an appetizer or finger food at a party or as a dessert! They are great for homemade holiday gifts.
Why you’ll love these rum balls
- Versatile: Coat in powdered sugar, cocoa, nuts, or even dip in chocolate
- Quick and easy: No baking required – just mix, roll, and enjoy!
- Make-ahead friendly: Taste even better when made a day or two in advance
- Customizable: Swap the rum for your favorite liqueur or make them non-alcoholic
- Gift-worthy: Perfect for holiday sharing and homemade presents
Ingredients needed for rum balls
This is a simple recipe so you don’t need a lot of ingredients. Just take a glance at this list of rum balls ingredients to make sure you have everything to get started on your no-bake rum balls.
- Unsweetened Cocoa powder – Provides a rich, chocolatey base for the rum balls
- Powdered sugar – Adds sweetness and helps bind the ingredients together
- Rum – Offers a distinct, boozy flavor that’s synonymous with the holidays
- Light corn syrup – Contributes moisture and helps create a smooth texture
- Vanilla wafer cookies – Crushed to form the main body of the rum balls
- Walnuts or pecans – Chopped nuts add crunch and depth of flavor
What type of rum should you use in rum balls?
Since rum is the star of the recipe, this is a great place to use a very flavorful rum.
If you are buying rum specifically for this recipe, I would suggest either gold rum or dark rum.
However, if you’re a rum drinker, get your favorite kind so you can enjoy it after making the rum balls.
Do I need to use rum?
If you like the idea of the rum balls but can’t stand the taste of rum that is okay! Switch it out for something you enjoy. You can use substitute rum with your favorite alcohol or liqueur. Here are some suggestions:
- Bourbon
- Brandy
- Whiskey
- Madeira
How to make rum balls
- Whisk cocoa and powdered sugar together in a large bowl.
- Add rum and corn syrup. Stir to combine.
- Crush the vanilla wafers with either a food processor or by placing the wafers in a plastic bag and crush them buy using a rolling pin, crush until you have very fine crumbs.
- Fold in the crushed vanilla wafers and chopped nuts.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. You can use a cookie scoop to portion it out so you have the same size balls.
- Roll each ball in powdered sugar.
Tips & Tricks
- Use a fork to easily roll the rum balls in their coating and remove excess.
- For a non-alcoholic version, replace the rum with apple juice, orange juice, or rum extract (use 2 teaspoons).
- Experiment with different coatings like shredded coconut, ginger snaps, or sprinkles for a festive touch. You can discover your favorite coating by experimenting.
- Dip rum balls in melted chocolate (dark, milk, or white) for an extra layer of indulgence.
- To make these gluten-free, you can swap the nilla wafers for graham crackers.
How to coat rum balls perfectly
- Once you are ready to roll the rum balls, put a generous amount of the coating ingredient in a large container. A pie plate works well.
- Place a rum ball in the coating and gently use a fork or a spoon to roll the ball around.
- Once the ball is completely covered, use a fork to pick it up from the bottom and place it in an airtight container.
- Continue doing this for the rest of the rum balls until they are all covered.
Storage instructions
- Rum balls taste best when made a day or two ahead, allowing the flavors to develop and intensify.
- Store rum balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- For longer storage, freeze rum balls in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Great boozy holiday recipes
Favorite holiday treat recipes
- Almond Brittle
- Chocolate Butterscotch Haystacks
- Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies
- Homemade Peppermint Bark
- Microwave Peanut Brittle
- Rocky Road Candy
- Spiced Pecans
- Zebra Cake Truffles
Check out more of my easy dessert recipes and the best Christmas recipes here on CopyKat!
Thanks to tlczoo for sharing this recipe.
Rum Balls Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup rum
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 2 cups powdered sugar to roll balls in
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cocoa and powdered sugar.
- Add the rum and light corn syrup. Stir to combine.
- Fold in the vanilla wafers and chopped nuts.
- Roll the mixture into balls, and roll each ball in powdered sugar.
I made these with 1/2 walnuts and 1/2 pecans- used white rum and added a tsp of rum flavouring to amp up the flavour ( didn’t have dark rum) Rolled in icing sugar- amazing!! Love this Xmas staple from the olde days!!
I’ve heard they can be made with rum extract or flavoring, i LOVE rum, but don’t do alcohol. Anyone have recipe or thoughts on how I could try this? I know it won’t be near the amount as the rum drink. Thank you
I would add 2 teaspoons of the rum extract to the rum balls.
I loved this reciepe… I used 1/2 walnuts and 1/2 pecans along with fresh coconut. (Left out the cocoa for those who don’t do chocolate).
Blended them all up in the blender to get the base.
Turned out amazing!