Rum balls might be my favorite cookie/candy/amazingly delicious treat! I love how the toasted nuts, cocoa, cookies, and rum come together in a moist chewy, crunchy bite-sized bit of wonder! If you need another dessert recipe, try my cake pops recipe!
What You’ll Need for This Recipe
Rum: Dark rum packs lots of flavor into these treats. Use a brand that you’d drink but don’t go overboard buying the fancy stuff for this recipe.
Vanilla Wafers: You’ll be using Nilla wafers or a similar cookie from this recipe.
Honey: You can use light corn syrup or agave nectar instead if desired.
How to make Rum Balls
1. Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until crushed. Transfer to a large bowl. You can crush the cookies in a bag instead of using a processor.
2. Add the toasted pecans to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not pulverized. These can be chopped by hand instead of processed.
3. Sift the cocoa powder, salt, and powdered sugar into the bowl of cookies and pecans.
4. Whisk the ingredients together until completely distributed.
5. In a small bowl mix the rum and honey together until the honey is completely dissolved.
6. Pour the rum mixture into the dry ingredients.
7. Use a spatula to mix the ingredients. If it’s a bit dry in parts then just add a splash of rum here and there.
8. Roll the balls in the palms of your clean hands. Any size is fine but I find that about an inch and a half in diameter is a nice bite.
9. Once your balls have formed then roll them in your choice of crushed cookies, powdered sugar, and/or cocoa powder.
Pro Tips for this recipe
- You can add two extra tablespoons of rum for an extra kick and to help bring the dough together if they’re a bit dry.
- It’s best to roll the balls in whatever coating you’re using just after they’re formed. If the outside dries then they will not pick up as much material.
- These can be chocolate-dipped rum balls quite easily. Melt 1/2 cup chocolate with a teaspoon of coconut oil (optional). Use a toothpick to dip the balls in the chocolate, tap the excess off and then allow to set on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Sub the rum out for bourbon to make Bourbon Balls!
- Light corn syrup and agave nectar can be used in place of the honey if desired.
- You can use this recipe as an amazing sub in for cookie crusts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make Rum Balls without a food processor?
You can definitely make rum balls without a processor. Add the cookies to a sealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. The pecans can get a fine chop by hand or you can crush them in a bag too and chop any stragglers afterwards.
What are vanilla wafer cookies?
Wafer cookies is the generic term for Nilla Wafers! If you can’t find these cookies then shortbread and butter cookies will work well in the recipe as a substitute.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this rum balls recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Rum balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar plus 1/4 cup for rolling
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder plus 1/4 cup for rolling
- 1/3 cup dark rum
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups vanilla wafers finely crushed, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
- 1 cup pecans toasted, finely chopped
Instructions
- Toast the pecans on a baking sheet at 350F for about 10 minutes. Move the pecans around on the baking sheet halfway through. Set aside to cool.
- Add the cookies to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until crushed. (you'll use about 2/3 a box if you're using Nilla Wafers. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the cooled toasted pecans to the bowl of your processor and pulse until finely chopped but not pulverized. If you go to far you'll have pecan butter. Transfer pecans to the same bowl. Remember to reserve 1/4 cup for rolling.
- Sift the powdered sugar, salt and cocoa powder into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk together.
- In a small bowl mix the rum and honey together until the honey is completely dissolved.
- Add the rum mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together with a spatula. If there's any dry pocket just pour a splash or rum in and mix.
- Add about 1/4 cup of crushed cookies, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar to three small bowls for rolling the balls.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop out enough of the mixture to make a ball that's just over an inch in diameter. Roll out in the palms of your clean hands and then roll the balls in the crushed cookies, powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder.
Video
Notes
- You can add two extra tablespoons of rum for an extra kick and to help bring the dough together if they're bit dry.
- It's best to roll the balls in whatever coating you're using just after they're formed. If the outside dries they will not pick up as much material.
- These can be chocolate-dipped rub balls quite easily. Melt 1/2 cup chocolate with a teaspoon of coconut oil (optional). Use a toothpick to dip the balls in the chocolate, tap the excess off and allow to set on a
- Sub the rum out for bourbon to make Bourbon Balls!
- Light corn syrup and agave nectar can be used in place of the honey if desired.
- You can use this recipe as an amazing sub in for cookie crusts. This could be the base for an amazing cheesecake!
