Let’s give the grownups some credit around the holidays. We have a LOT to do in a short amount of time. Between decorating, shopping, wrapping, baking, planning for guests or travel, hosting/attending parties… it’s a fun time of year, but also the busiest. So let’s do a little something especially for the grownups for a change… let’s make rum balls! One reader, Sandra, commented: “I made the non-alcoholic version but added 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of rum extract as well. They had such a unique but delicious flavor. I will make these again. Thanks for the recipe! ★★★★★“ [SIDE NOTE: While not strictly a cookie recipe (after all, I do have a different version of these in my Sally’s Candy Addiction book), I decided they qualify for Sally’s Cookie Palooza because they’re often included on a holiday cookie tray. And they are made with crushed cookies, so… let’s just roll with it. Pa-RUM-pum-pum-YUM.]
Why You’ll Love These Boozy Rum Balls
2-bite little treats Make-ahead friendly dessert—in fact, they’re even better when they’re made ahead! Quick and easy no-bake recipe Using Biscoff cookies elevates these to the best rum balls you’ve ever tasted Dairy-free, egg-free recipe
Only 7 Ingredients
Pecans: You can use large pecan halves or smaller pieces; either way, they’ll get finely chopped with the cookies in the food processor. Biscoff cookies (or Nilla Wafers): My team and I tested making rum balls with Nilla Wafers, which is what most rum ball recipes use, but the Biscoff ones were the clear winner in a taste test. By far the favorite! If you’d prefer to use Nilla Wafers instead of Biscoff, see recipe Notes below. Confectioners’ sugar: Sweetens the rum balls. Cocoa powder: I used high-quality Guittard brand dutched cocoa powder here, rather than the basic cocoa powder I usually use for baking (Hershey’s). This is not sponsored at all, but we really noticed a difference when using the high-quality stuff. You only need 2 Tablespoons (10g) in the recipe. See what your grocery store carries, and select a higher quality product if you can. Rum: I love these with spiced rum, especially around the holidays, but you could also use dark rum or even coconut rum, whichever is your preference. Vanilla Extract: Homemade vanilla extract would be great in these rum balls! Honey: A little honey is the “glue” that makes the mixture come together.
If you’ve ever made this older recipe for dark chocolate coconut rum truffles, you’ll notice some key differences in the ingredients. That recipe uses graham crackers, coconut rum, and shredded coconut; and we also give them a dip in melted chocolate.
How to Make Rum Balls
Start by grinding the Biscoff cookies and pecans together in a food processor into a fine crumb. Add the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder, and pulse a few times to combine. Transfer the dry mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients and stir well with a silicone spatula until a moist dough forms. Very easy, but I do have some success tips below. You don’t need to refrigerate the mixture before rolling, because you want the dough to be sticky, so the coating will stick to the rum balls. But let it sit for about 10 minutes before rolling into balls, to give the crumbs some time to absorb the liquid. Scoop a Tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball. Give it a roll in one of your coatings of choice (suggestions below!), and place it on a tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Add a Coating
After coating, place the tray of rum balls in the refrigerator. These taste even better after a day or two of chilling, when the flavors really meld together and mellow out the rum flavor.
Finely shredded/desiccated unsweetened coconut Confectioners’ sugar (roll rum balls in this twice, like with snowball cookies) Finely chopped nuts Sprinkles Biscoff cookie crumbs Cocoa powder Dunk in melted chocolate, like we use for chocolate peanut butter balls and Oreo balls
Dos and Don’ts for the Best Rum Balls
Do use whichever type of rum you prefer the taste of—dark, spiced, coconut… Don’t let the rum balls sit for too long before rolling them in your coatings. They’ll get too dry and the coating won’t stick as well. Do keep them out of reach of children! They look like chocolate truffles, especially if coated in sprinkles. Don’t use a food processor to combine the wet ingredients with the dry. The mixture quickly becomes overprocessed, and overly moist and greasy. Transfer the dry mixture to a mixing bowl and use a silicone spatula to stir in the wet ingredients by hand. Do chill them in the refrigerator for a day or so, for the best tasting rum balls. Don’t eat too many at once!
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page including:
Soft Molasses Cookies Nutella Crinkles Snowballs Cookies Mini M&M Cookies Eggnog Oatmeal Cream Pies
and here are 75+ Christmas cookies with all my best success guides & tips.
