This easy, no-bake Speculoos Rum Balls Recipe is incredibly easy to pull together and delightfully boozy! They have a mix of rum and Grand Marnier for that extra bit of holiday flair!
Day 11 of the annual 12 Days of Christmas Cookies 2021!
In truth, I gave away ALL of the cookies from the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies 2021 except for these rum balls. Sure, sure, I shared a few with friends and my new hubs, but they were my guilty, post-work indulgence. The longer they sit, the better they undeniably taste. Don’t you love cookies like that? Furthermore, this rum balls recipe the easiest addition to a Christmas Cookie tray EVER, along with her friends Holiday Spritz Cookies, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, and Pistachio Cranberry Sablees.
These are BOOZY. I love it and I am not a straight liquor drinker. Apparently I take my booze with sugar, spices and cookies! If these are your jam, and let’s face it they should be, don’t miss my Gingersnap Brandy Balls! In for a penny, in for a pound, amiright?
Table of Contents
How to make rum balls?
Time needed: 12 hours and 45 minutes.
This rum balls recipe makes easy, no-bake Speculoos Rum Balls that are incredibly easy to pull together and delightfully boozy!
- Soak raisins
In a small bowl soak the raisins with the alcohol for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix ingredients
In a large bowl combine 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, ½ cup walnuts, butter, salt, cookie crumbs, and raisins with booze. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Set aside.
- Make coating
In a food processor, pulse remaining walnuts and 6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar until fine. Transfer to a bowl.
- Portion and coat
Roll dough into approximately 1 inch balls and then roll in walnut sugar coating. Set on a baking sheet. Repeat with all the dough. I used a cookie scoop to portion them for speed, but it isn’t necessary.
- Chill
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill for 12 hours. The balls will firm up and the flavors will meld the longer they sit! Serve chilled or room temperature. I ate them straight from the fridge!
Does the alcohol evaporate in rum balls?
No. They are not baked, so all the alcohol that goes into the mixture of this rum balls recipe will stay there!
Rum Balls Recipe Ingredients
- Raisins: Raisins add a little sweetness and a wonderful chewy texture to this rum balls recipe. Use any brand of raisins but subsequently be sure to check the ingredients for additional, unnecessary, added sugar.
- Rum: The rum is here for moisture as well as flavor. You can taste it in the final cookie, so be sure to choose a brand that you like! The surest way to tell is by smell. If it smells good to you, it will taste nice in the cookies. I use dark rum these cookies because I prefer the flavor.
- Speculoos cookie crumbs: I use my homemade Speculoos cookies for this rum balls recipe, which I have ground fine in the food processor, but you can use a store-bought brand like Biscoff cookies!
- Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar adds sweetness but it also an essential dry ingredient in this no bake recipe. You cannot reduce it without adjusting the butter.
- Walnuts: You can finely chop walnuts with a knife or pulse in a food processor until finely ground. I like to toast them for this recipe.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter for baking, because you want to control the amount of salt you are adding. Every brand is different and it makes adjusting the recipe a challenge.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is lass salty than table salt and a teaspoon weighs less than other finer ground varieties. It heightens the flavor in this rum balls recipe and will keep your rum balls from tasting dull or flat.
Substitutions
- Speculoos cookies: I used my homemade speculoos cookies to make this rum balls recipe but you could also use store bought Biscoff cookies. They will be a little sweeter but still PHENOMENAL!
- Non-Alcoholic: You can substitute fruit juice or apple cider for the rum. Consider heating the juice a little before soaking the raisins.
- Grand Marnier: If you don’t have Grand Marnier, you can use all rum!
- Rum: You can substitute up to half the rum with water.
- Walnuts: The walnuts are an essential dry ingredient in this recipe and cannot be eliminated without reducing the butter or rum. You can, however, substitute any other finely chopped nut with no adjustment.
- Raisins: You can substitute any chopped dried fruit you choose in this rum balls recipe, like dried tart cherries if you would like to add some tartness. Just be sure to check the ingredients and make sure there isn’t added sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can easily make them non-alcoholic by substituting fruit juice or apple cider for the rum.
Store these cookies in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container or zip-top plastic baggie for best flavor and texture.
No Bake rum balls will keep up to 10 days in the refrigerator. If they are stored in a tightly sealed container, they will keep a little longer because the alcohol inhibits bacteria growth.
These cookies freeze nicely. They will keep frozen for up to 2 months in a well-sealed container. Try to keep it airtight to prevent freezer burn or subtle flavor changes.
You can make large batches of this rum balls recipe. Since it all comes together in one bowl, you will just have to break it up into batches that will fit in your largest bowl!
These cookies are not ideal candidates for shipping. They are best when refrigerated and I would not suggest shipping without temperature controlled packaging.
What is the best rum to use for rum balls?
Dark rums have a more complex flavor and will therefore be the best rum to use in a rum balls recipe. The most important thing to consider when choosing a rum for this rum balls recipe, is whether you like the flavor and aroma of the rum. Pick one that you enjoy and you can’t go wrong!
Chef Lindsey's Recipe Tips
The balls will firm up and the flavors will meld the longer they sit! Serve chilled or at room temperature. I ate them straight from the fridge!
Recipe
No Bake Speculoos Rum Balls
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Raisins (overflowing because I love raisins)
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
- 3 tablespoons Light Rum
- 1 ½ cups Speculoos cookie crumbs
- 1 cup Confectioner’s sugar
- ¾ cup Walnuts (toasted & chopped, divided)
- ¼ cup Butter (melted)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons Confectioner’s sugar (for the coating)
Instructions
- In a small bowl soak the raisins with the alcohol for at least 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl combine 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, ½ cup walnuts, butter, salt, cookie crumbs, and raisins with booze. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse remaining walnuts and 6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar until fine. Transfer to a bowl.
- Roll dough into approximately 1 inch balls and then roll in walnut sugar coating. Set on a baking sheet. Repeat with all the dough. I used a cookie scoop to portion them for speed, but it isn’t necessary.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill for 12 hours. The balls will firm up and the flavors will meld the longer they sit! Serve chilled or room temperature. I ate them straight from the fridge!
Video Instructions
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