Description

These festive and boozy rum balls are an easy no-bake treat that’s perfect for holiday gifting and celebrations. Made with vanilla wafers, cocoa powder, confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, and rum, they’re rolled in powdered sugar to create bite-sized, deliciously rich snacks. They require minimal prep time, no baking, and can be stored at room temperature or frozen for later enjoyment.

Ingredients

Scale

Base 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

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Instructions

Crush the Vanilla Wafers: Place vanilla wafers in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. There might be a few larger pieces, but they will be broken down as you continue. Alternatively, crush the wafers in a zip-top bag using a rolling pin until finely ground.
Combine Ingredients: Add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and corn syrup to the food processor with the crushed wafers and pulse until mixed. Slowly add 1/3 cup rum while pulsing until the mixture forms a uniform mass that holds together when pinched. Add more rum gradually if needed.
Shape the Rum Balls: Use a teaspoon or a #100 scoop to portion out the mixture. Roll each portion gently between your hands to form smooth balls.
Coat with Powdered Sugar: Place the formed balls into a plate or shallow container with a thin layer of powdered sugar. Shake or roll the balls to coat them evenly in powdered sugar.
Store and Serve: Transfer rum balls to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to one week or freeze for up to three months. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.

Notes

These rum balls require no baking and can be made ahead, making them perfect for holiday gifts.
Substitute vanilla wafers with graham crackers, ginger snaps, shortbread cookies, or creme-filled cookies, based on availability and taste preferences.
Mini foil wrappers make excellent gift packaging for rum balls or similarly sized treats.
A #100 scoop is ideal for shaping consistent-sized balls, but teaspoons or hands work well too.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 rum ball (approx. 18 g)
Calories: 70
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 20 mg
Fat: 2.5 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Fiber: 0.3 g
Protein: 0.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg