Rum Balls

Easy Chocolate Coconut Balls (Truffles) kept on each other on tray

4.85 from 13 votes

Rum balls are the easiest 4-Ingredient Christmas treat! NO BAKE and NO MELTING CHOCOLATE! Where chocolate and coconut meet condensed milk and crushed cookies, with a hint of rum to make the BEST treats to give as gifts OR serve to your guests!

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Christmas, Desserts

Cuisine: American, Australian

Keyword: churro nutella christmas tree, easy, quick, rum balls, sweet treat

Servings: balls

Author: Karina Carrel

Ingredients

For Chocolate Coconut Balls:

9 ounces vanilla wafers cookies or plain chocolate cookies
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk I use Nestle
3 tablespoons rum (optional) dark or spiced
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder I use Hershey's
½ cup desiccated coconut or finely shredded
1 pinch salt

For Coating:

¾ cup desiccated coconut or finely shredded

US - Metric

Instructions

Set up a work station with a large ziplock bag and rolling pin (or a food processor); a large bowl for mixing; and a shallow bowl with 3/4 cup of coconut for rolling in.
Place the cookies in ziplock bag, seal and crush with the rolling pin. Alternatively, crush in the food processor until fine crumbs form. It's ok if there are some slightly larger pieces.
Add the crushed cookies, coconut, cocoa powder, condensed milk, rum and vanilla to the large bowl. Mix the ingredients well using a wooden spoon, then your hands once it gets too thick. (If mixture is too thick, mix in 1-2 tablespoons milk).
Scoop out a tablespoonful of mixture and roll into a 1 - 1 ½ inch ball, then roll in coconut until completely covered. Place on a baking sheet or tray and repeat until all the mixture has been rolled into balls.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Biscuits/Cookies:
- Australia: Arnott’s Marie biscuits, Arrowroot, or Scotch Fingers work best.
- USA/Canada: Vanilla Wafers (Nilla) or Animal Cookies are the best substitute. If using Graham Crackers, you may need slightly less condensed milk as they are drier.
The Rum: Dark Rum or Gold Rum (like Bundaberg or Bacardi Gold) provides the best flavor. Avoid white rum as the flavor gets lost.
- Non-Alcoholic Version: Swap the rum for orange juice, milk, or even cold coffee for a mocha twist.
Consistency Check:
- Too Dry? If the mixture crumbles when rolling, add a teaspoon of water or extra rum until it holds together.
- Too Sticky? If it sticks to your hands, refrigerate the bowl for 20 minutes before rolling. You can also dampen your hands slightly with water.
Cocoa Powder: Always sift your cocoa powder before mixing to avoid bitter, dry lumps in your finished balls.
Storage: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. They can be left out at room temperature for serving but will soften.
Freezing: These freeze perfectly. Place in a freezer-safe container separated by baking paper for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.

Nutrition