The rum balls recipe is a holiday favorite that’s easy to make and perfect for gifting. Made with rum, pecans, and cookie crumbs, then rolled in sprinkles, these treats taste even better after a day or two in the fridge. Rich with spiced rum, they’re a delicious no-bake treat that everyone will love. A little boozy, and always a hit, the rum balls recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser this holiday season!
The holidays can get pretty busy for us grown-ups, decorating, shopping, baking, and hosting. It’s fun, but it can also be a lot to handle! So, why not take a moment to treat ourselves? Let’s make some rum balls!
I love making sweet treats during the holidays, and these easy, no-bake rum balls are always a favorite. They’re quick to make and have a delicious mix of nuts, cookies, and rum!
This simple rum ball recipe is perfect for the busy season. They’re quick, great for gifts, and look beautiful when packed in a box. You can roll them in sprinkles, cocoa, or powdered sugar to add a festive touch. Plus, they taste even better after sitting for a few days, so you can make them ahead and enjoy!
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⭐Why You'll Love This Rum Balls
- Easy Yet Impressive: These rum balls are so simple to make but taste amazing! No fancy equipment is needed, just a few ingredients and a food processor. They’re gorgeous and so delicious!
- Customizable Coatings: You can coat them in cocoa, icing sugar, or sprinkles, with endless options to match any occasion. Perfect for everything from casual get-togethers to fancy parties.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: These rum balls are great for prepping in advance. Make them a day or two before an event and let the flavors come together in the fridge. Stress-free and perfect for parties or holiday gifting.
- Festive and Fun: With their fun coatings and bright sprinkles, these rum balls are perfect for any celebration. They bring extra cheer to your dessert table and are loved by both adults and kids (you can even make a non-alcoholic version for the little ones!).
- A Sweet Gift: Pack them in cute cups or a decorative tin for a thoughtful, homemade gift. They’re a sweet way to share something special with loved ones during the holidays or any occasion.
🧾Rum Balls Ingredients
Here’s the breakdown of what’s in this rum balls recipe:
- Biscoff Cookies: I love using Biscoff cookies for these rum balls because they add a sweet, spiced flavor with hints of caramel, cinnamon, and brown sugar. They create a cozy base and a slightly crumbly texture that holds everything together. Vanilla wafers work too if you don’t have Biscoff.
- Pecans: Pecans bring a rich, nutty flavor that goes perfectly with the sweet cookies and spiced rum. Their crunch adds a nice contrast to the smooth cookie mixture. Swap out pecans for other nuts like almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts to change the flavor profile.
- Icing Sugar (Powdered Sugar): Powdered sugar sweetens the rum balls without feeling grainy. It keeps the texture smooth and makes the dough easier to roll into balls.
- Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder gives the rum balls a deep chocolatey flavor that blends beautifully with the spiced rum and cookies. It also thickens the mix, making the texture fudgy.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and highlights the flavors of the cocoa, rum, and pecans. It brings everything together.
- Spiced Rum: Spiced rum adds a warm, festive touch with hints of vanilla and cinnamon. It keeps the mixture moist and helps everything stick together. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute rum with apple juice, orange juice, or coffee.
- Honey: Honey adds a gentle sweetness and helps bind the ingredients, giving the rum balls a chewy texture.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla enhances all the other flavors and adds a sweet, fragrant note.
- For Coating: I like to roll the rum balls in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, or sprinkles. Powdered sugar adds a light sweetness, cocoa gives a rich chocolatey finish, and sprinkles make them fun and festive, perfect for special occasions.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Rum Balls
These step-by-step instructions and photos will help you to visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for a printable version of this recipe.
1. Crush the Biscoff cookies into crumbs in a food processor, then transfer them to a large bowl.
2. Grind the pecans into crumbs in a food processor, then mix with the crushed Biscoff cookies in a large bowl.
3. Sift the sugar and cocoa powder over the cookie mixture and add salt.
4. Mix all ingredients until fully combined.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the spiced rum, honey, and vanilla until mixed.
6. Add the rum mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
7. Scoop a tablespoon (about 20g) of the mixture and roll it into a ball.
8. Roll each rum ball in the coating and chill the rum balls in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
📖Variations
- Chocolate Lovers' Rum Balls: Add melted dark chocolate or chocolate chips for a rich, chocolatey twist. You can even use chocolate rum for extra depth! Roll them in shaved chocolate or chocolate sprinkles for an indulgent touch.
- Coconut Rum Balls: Mix in shredded coconut for a tropical flavor, or swap the spiced rum for coconut rum. Roll them in sweetened coconut for a beachy finish.
- Coffee Rum Balls: Stir in espresso powder or strong coffee for a coffee-flavored rum ball. Coffee and chocolate are a perfect pair! Coat them in cocoa powder or a mix of cocoa and espresso for a delicious coffee-chocolate combo.
💭Tips for Recipe Success
Crush the Cookies and Pecans: A food processor makes it super easy to crush the cookies and grind the pecans into a smooth mixture. No processor? Just pop the cookies in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin!
Make Them Even: Use a tablespoon or a small scoop to measure out each ball. This keeps them the same size, so they look great and chill evenly.
Let the Flavors Mingle: Rum balls taste even better the next day! Chill them for at least 1-2 hours, but overnight is best for richer flavor.
Store or Freeze: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Want to make a big batch? Freeze them for up to a month and thaw them in the fridge when ready to enjoy.
Add a Festive Touch: Roll them in sprinkles or edible glitter to match the occasion. For a fancy presentation, use mini cupcake liners or gift them in pretty tins.
🍬More Candy Recipes to Try!
Love these rum balls? You’ll also enjoy these delicious candy recipes:
🍰More Dessert Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite dessert recipes! Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Rum Balls Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g Biscoff Cookies
- 150 g Pecans
- 90 g Icing Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Cocoa Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 100 ml Spiced Rum
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
For Coating:
- Icing Sugar
- Cocoa Powder
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Crush the Biscoff cookies into fine crumbs with a food processor and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Put the pecans in a food processor and grind them into crumbs. Then, place them with the crushed Biscoff cookies in a large bowl.
- Sift the sugar, and cocoa powder, over the cookie mixture.
- Add salt to the cookie mixture.
- Mix all ingredients until well combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the spiced rum, honey, and vanilla extras until combined.
- Add the rum mixture to the dry ingredients and stir the mixture together using a spatula until fully combined.
- Scoop a tablespoon of the mixture (about 20g) and roll it into a ball.
- In separate small bowls, prepare your coatings: one with icing sugar, one with cocoa powder, and two with sprinkles.
- Roll each rum ball in the coating and place it on a mini baking cup. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Once coated, place the rum balls in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1-2 hours, allowing them to firm up and the flavors to meld.
- Once chilled, your rum balls are ready to enjoy! Serve them as a sweet treat for parties, holidays, or as a delightful homemade gift.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sandra says
These rum balls were delicious! So easy to make and perfect for a festive treat.