Yes, you can taste the rum in Grandma’s Rum Balls! They’re an easy, no-bake cookie that everyone will love.
Every Christmas, my grandma made Rum Balls. And everyone LOVED them. They’re packed with chocolate, walnuts, and of course, rum! One taste sends me right back to Christmas at grandma’s.
Rum Balls get their name from the addition of ⅓ cup of rum. I used Bacardi White Rum, which is about $12 for an entire bottle. You can definitely taste the rum, so I wouldn’t go with a super cheap variety. Choose whatever rum you like (or just get Bacardi if you’re not a rum drinker—it’s good without being overly expensive).
Rum Balls are also no-bake. That’s a big plus when there’s a lot of Christmas cooking/baking going on!
Here’s a look at grandma’s typewriter-written recipe:
I refined the recipe only slightly, adding clarification for ingredients and instructions. Here are the step-by-step instructions!
Ingredients
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips make these balls extra chocolate-y. You could also use dark chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate chips.
- You’ll need granulated sugar both for the rum ball mixture and for rolling the balls.
- White rum is best for this recipe. Avoid anything labeled spiced rum.
- Grandma’s recipe calls for walnuts. Pecans work, too! Make sure they are finely chopped.
How to make rum balls
Start by placing the vanilla wafers in the bowl of a food processor
. Process until the wafers are in fine crumbs. Alternatively, place the wafers in a large zip-top bag, seal, and crush the wafers using a rolling pin or meat mallet.
If you’re using a food processor, you can also use it to chop the walnuts into very small pieces. Otherwise, a knife and a cutting board work great for chopping the walnuts.
Next, microwave the chocolate chips in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir in between each 30 second interval so the chocolate chips melt evenly.
Stir in the sugar, rum, and corn syrup. Tip: when measuring the corn syrup, spray the tablespoon with cooking spray—the corn syrup will slide right out!
I use an oil mister
that I refill with vegetable oil. It’s way cheaper than buying cooking spray, and you know exactly what’s in it.
Then, stir in the vanilla wafer crumbs and walnuts. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes.
When you’re ready to roll the rum balls, place ⅓ cup of granulated sugar in a shallow dish. Scoop the dough into 1 inch pieces, roll with your hands until round, and roll in the sugar.
I find that a cookie scoop/ice cream scoop with a release lever is the easiest way to scoop out the dough. I have this cookie scoop
, which I fill about halfway with dough to create 1 inch balls.
If the dough is too firm to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then try again. It will continue to soften as it sits.
FAQs
Can I use another type of alcohol for rum balls?
Instead of white rum, try using bourbon to create bourbon balls!
Can I use spiced rum?
I don’t recommend using spiced rum for this recipe. It has spices added such as anise, allspice, and ginger. White rum has a very mild flavor and no spice, which is best for rum balls.
How do I crush the vanilla wafers if I don’t have a food processor?
To crush vanilla wafers, place them in a large zip-top bag and seal the bag. Pound the bag with a meat mallet or rolling pin to crush the wafers. It might take a few minutes, but they will turn to crumbs eventually!
Can I make these without the nuts?
To make rum balls that are nut-free, simply omit the nuts. You do not need to change anything else about the recipe. It will yield fewer rum balls but they will still be really delicious.
More holiday cookie recipes
This season, I’m sharing six of my grandmothers’ Christmas cookie recipes. I hope you enjoy them as much as our family has throughout the years!
Grandma’s Do Re Mi Cookies—nutty and tangy…I adore these
Grandma’s Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread—so festive (and buttery!)
Grandma’s Cocoa Drops—a must-make for chocolate lovers
Classic Ginger Cookies—these are SO soft and chewy!
Snowball Cookies—a holiday classic
7 Layer Bars—super easy and everyone loves them
If you make the rum balls, please leave me a comment and rating below, or tag me on Instagram or Pinterest. I love hearing from you!
Grandma's Rum Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup white rum
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 50 vanilla wafers (about 2 cups when crushed)
- 1 cup walnuts, very finely chopped
- Granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Place the vanilla wafers in the bowl of a food processor or in a zip-top bag. Process or crush with a rolling pin until the wafers are fine crumbs.
- Place the chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted.
- Stir in the sugar, rum, and corn syrup. Fold in the vanilla wafers and nuts. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar.
- Store in an airtight container.
Can these be made ahead and frozen?
Yes! I have some in my freezer right now. 🙂 Put them in something to protect them (like a freezer bag) and then thaw at room temperature overnight. Hope you enjoy them!
These are seriously addicting!
Is this a spiced rum or white rum?
White rum!
Malibu balls are chilling in the fridge (no Bundy rum on hand ??). Made the mistake of trying to mix a double batch in the TM5. The mixture was a little too heavy to blend so I dropped it out onto the pastry mat and kneeded the mixture like dough. Blended quickly and was processed in half the time it normally takes me.
Is the sugar in this recipe powdered or granulated? Want to make these. They look delicious.
Hi Nancy! It’s granulated sugar. I’ll update the recipe now so there’s no confusion—thanks!
Thanks!
Hi Shannon, thanks for your comment! Did you measure them after you crushed them? If so, I wonder if the brand of wafers makes a difference. Just guessing here—I’m curious as to why you needed a whole extra cup!
Will they come out ok if I skip the corn syrup?
Hi Fran! Unfortunately, the rum balls won’t stick together without the corn syrup. I haven’t experimented with any other sweeteners to know if you could substitute honey or agave. If you try it, let me know!
Is the two cups of vanilla wafers before or after they are crushed?
Hi Diana, they are measured after they are crushed.
I can’t use nuts of any kind, would I have to increase the vanilla wafers for consistency? Or sub chocolate chips.
Hi Jeannette! You can just leave out the nuts. The recipe won’t yield as many rum balls, but they will still taste amazing! I haven’t tried it, but I suspect mixing in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips would be delicious, too (don’t melt them with the other chocolate chips, just mix them in whole). You do not need to increase the vanilla wafers if you leave out the nuts. Happy baking!
How long can you store in an airtight container? If I send them in a military care package overseas would they still be okay to eat after 2-3 weeks?
Hi Andrea, I’m honestly not sure! I *think* that they would still be good after 2–3 weeks. I’ve kept them as long as a week and they tasted the same and still had the same consistency. Thank you for you and your loved one’s sacrifice to serve our country. <3 Happy holidays to you!
If no one in my family likes walnuts, what substitute would you suggest?
Hi Meghan, you could use pecans instead!
Thank you! Also, are the vanilla wafers like the round cookies or the rectangular crispy ones?
The round ones! Nilla wafers or a similar version.