My Grandmother has been making rum chocolate truffles (or rum balls) every Christmas for as long as I can remember. Everyone would hover over the plate until they were all gone (and they were gone quickly). Now that all of us Grandkids are older, she gifts us our own container of every Christmas which means we don't have to share!
TL;DR
- Prep time: 5 minutes (plus rolling)
- Fridge storage: 7-14 days (may lose a bit of texture)
- Freezer storage: 3 months
- Customise: rum is optional, coat in coconut or cocoa powder or even some sprinkles.
Why you'll love this recipe
No bake. If you're short on time during the Christmas season, these are perfect (along with my cherry ripe balls and gingerbread truffles).
Chocolate. I am a huuuuge chocaholic so these are always a welcome addition to my chocolate snacks with my chocolate peanut butter chip cookies.
Christmassy. These already remind me of Christmas and they're perfect for your snack table with some reindeer brownies and Tim Tam cheesecake truffles.
Ingredients and substitutions
Condensed milk. I use a full-cream condensed milk, but you can substitute for skim, coconut or oat.
The coconut condensed milk works very well because these balls already have coconut in them like my no-bake cherry ripe slice, but some brands can be slightly more runny so you may have to adjust the amount you use.
Sweet cookies or biscuits. My grandmother traditionally used Arrowroot biscuits for these and I think they provide the best texture.
But there was one time when I've made them and I couldn't find Arrowroot biscuits and decided to make them with the Marie's instead. Worked just as well!
If you want to mix-and-match your cookies for the rum balls, just make sure they're a drier cookie as it can impact the texture of the balls if they have additional moisture in them.
Cocoa powder. Or you could use cacao powder (it makes them less sweet), or even milo for an extra bit of fun!
Rum. This is optional. I like to add a couple of teaspoons because I like the hint of rum flavour (which is barely any alcohol as you make about 15 balls with this recipe).
But, you can omit the rum if you don't want to serve them to children. Although, I grew up eating Rum balls every single Christmas and I'm fine! You could also substitute baileys, bourbon or whisky.
How to make Christmas rum balls
Step 1: Add biscuits to a food processor or blender and process until a fine powder.
If you don't have either of these appliances, you can add the biscuits to a large ziplock bag and beat them into a fine powder with a rolling pin
Step 2: Add the cocoa, condensed milk and rum to the processor with the biscuits powder and process until all combined. Or you can add it all to a bowl and mix well.
Step 3: Scoop approx. 1 tablespoon worth of mixture (you could use an icecream scoop to ensure they're all the same size, or just a large spoon) and form a ball. Roll in the coconut, then back into your hands to roll again, then add to the coconut for a second time (my secret 😉 )
If the balls aren't holding their shape, add to the mixture to the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes. This hardens it up ever so slightly to make it easier to form the balls.
Repeat for the rest of the mixture..
Step 4: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (and up to 7-14 days in an airtight container).
You can also freeze rum balls for about 3 months. I would recommend using a reusable ziplock bag and making sure all the air is removed.
My Top Tips
Refrigerate before rolling. If you live in a warm climate and you're having trouble forming the balls or they keep drooping, refrigerate them for 10-30 minutes to firm up a bit.
Mix-and-match. You can mix-and-match the ingredients you roll the rum balls in - try some cocoa, sprinkles or even a drizzle of chocolate!
Storing rum balls
You can store rum balls in the fridge for a couple of weeks (if they last that long!). The flavour may diminish slightly, but they will still taste good.
I recommend adding to an airtight container to maximise freshness.
Freezing rum balls
Freeze in a single layer on a plate for a couple of hours (this way they don't stick together) then transfer into a ziplock bag or container. They'll last in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! The rum is completely optional in rum balls (despite the name). The recipe is delicious both with or without the rum (or with different quantities - although, I wouldn't add too much more than prescribed otherwise the balls might be too soft to form).
You could also make rum balls with baileys, bourbon or whisky.
You can make rum chocolate truffles without condensed milk a few different ways.
Cream base. You can make rum balls with heavy cream or coconut cream. Just let it cool slightly before adding rum and rolling into truffles. Add gradually and adjust as you go.
Fruit base. You could make rum balls with a fruit paste or jam like dates, prunes or raspberry. These will add a fruity dimension to the rum balls.
Sweeteners. You can make Christmas rum balls with maple syrup or honey. They might make the rum balls slightly softer so add it slowly and adjust as you go.
If you're not a fan of the rum taste in Christmas rum balls but still want a little alcoholic kick, I would recommend making baileys truffles instead. Substitute the rum for equivalent amount of baileys in the rum balls, but make sure to refrigerate after making them as these alcoholic chocolate truffles could curdle (especially in the Australian summer).
Other Christmas snack recipes
Or, you can have a browse through my Christmas recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Christmas Rum Chocolate Truffles with Coconut
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 250 g (2 cups) Arrowroot biscuits, See Note 1
- 20 g (2 tablespoon) Cocoa, See Note 2
- 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) Condensed milk, See Note 3
- 30 ml (2 tablespoon) Rum, optional (See Note 4)
- 40 g (½ cup) Desiccated Coconut
Instructions
- Add 250 g Arrowroot biscuits to a food processor and process until a fine powder. Or place the biscuits into a large ziplock bag and beat with a rolling pin until it's a fine powder.
- Add the 20 g (2 tablespoon) Cocoa, 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) Condensed milk, 30 ml (2 tablespoon) Rum to the biscuit powder in a processor and process until all combined. Or you can add it all to a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon worth of mixture (you could use an icecream scoop to ensure they're all the same size, or just a large spoon) and form a ball. Roll in the 40 g (½ cup) Desiccated Coconut, then back into your hands to roll again, then add to the coconut for a second time (my secret 😉 ) (See Note 5 if balls are too soft and not holding their shape)
- Repeat for the rest of the mixture.
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