Ohio’s weather is confusing right now. Today was sunny with almost 50 degrees, which is disappointing because Christmas is only four days away, and we had expected a big winter storm to hit around this time last year.
What can I say about this? I am all for a snowy Christmas.
Despite the sunny and warm weather, we’re ticking off our list of holiday baking items individually.
I have all the ingredients for peanut butter flowers, snowballs, gingerbread cookies, and saltine toffee.
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WHAT ARE RUM BALLS
It was about 30 years ago that I first had a gumball.
Can you believe it? It’s hard to believe I missed this holiday classic for over 30 years.
These babies are worth the effort.
The rum balls are similar to Turtle Cookie Balls and Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls but slightly boozier.
Rum balls are homemade bite-sized treats made from vanilla cookie crumbs and pecans. They also contain cocoa, sugar, and spiced, spiced rum.
Keep in mind that these do taste like spicy rum. If rum is not your preferred spirit, make these with bourbon.
Rum balls won’t make you drunk. You’d need to eat a lot of them, as there are only 4 ounces in the whole batch.
You can make easy, no-bake gifts without alcohol by creating my no-bake cookies and my homemade truffles.
How to make Rum Balls
The rum balls are straightforward to make. These are a great alternative if you want to make a tasty treat for your friends but feel like you need to turn on the oven.
Use a large bowl for mixing everything and a wooden or silicone spoon.
Crush some vanilla wafers. Use a food processor or place the cookies in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling ball.
Pour the crushed wafers into the bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients. Make sure everything is evenly distributed.
Pour in the corn syrup, vanilla, and rum. Stir thoroughly to ensure that all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Squeeze a small mixture into a ball and check if it is wet enough. You’re ready to go if it remains in a ball-shaped shape.
You can add more rum or crushed wafers to achieve the desired texture.
Roll the mixture into 1-inch-sized balls using a cookie scoop, then place them in a shallow dish filled with your favorite coating.
RUMBALL VARIATIONS
What could you use to roll your gumballs in?
Use cocoa powder or powdered (confectioners) sugar, crushed nuts, sprinkles, or shredded coconut.
You can also do a bit of everything! This recipe yields about 20 large gumballs, so it would be fun to try different toppings.
You may need to reroll the cookies in powdered sugar just before serving them since the powdered sugar tends to absorb some moisture while they are in the fridge.
Try different flavors of rum to change the taste of your rum ball. Try these alternatives to spiced rum:
Dark Rum
Coconut Rum
White rum
Vanilla rum
Bourbon
Are you out of vanilla wafers? You can still make rum balls! You can make rum balls with crushed cookies like Grahams or butter cookies.
STORAGE TIPS
This recipe is the best: It tastes better when made ahead of time AND lasts forever in the fridge.
Okay, they may not last forever. They will last a long time.
Like fruitcake biscuits, rum balls are better after a few days of letting the flavors develop.
Please put them in an airtight container, and keep them in the refrigerator for at least two days and possibly up to two weeks.
The best flavor is when rum balls are kept in a cold, dry environment.
My pies are chilled in a holiday tin with wax paper lined, ready for unexpected guests.
Do you need to know when you will need your gumballs? You can freeze them to store them for longer! Rum balls can be frozen for up to two months.
I suggest packing them as tightly as possible. A vacuum sealer will do the trick.
Use a zip-top freezer bag, and remove any excess air before sealing. Your rum balls will stay fresh and tasty!
Remove them from the fridge and let them thaw until they become soft enough to bite.
This recipe is perfect for gift-giving, holiday parties, or just your personal dessert stash.
