Rum Balls

Naturally Hungry Physicists love chocolate, sugar, and liquor. Why not combine everything you love into one epic confection?! I successfully modified this recipe for several different liquors, and you can too! Be creative!

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Rum Balls

Course Dessert, Snack

Keyword powdered sugar, rum, rum balls, vanilla wafers

Prep Time 40 minutes

Resting 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 40 1″ Balls

Calories 71kcal

Author The Hungry Physicist (hungryphysicist.com)

Ingredients

• 1 C Powdered Sugar (111g)
• 2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder (12g)
• 1/2 Tsp Allspice (ground) (1.16g)
• 1/2 C Rum (102.75g)
• 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup (31.25g)
• 2 1/2 C Round Vanilla Wafers, about 70 (finely ground)(238g)
• 1 C Walnuts (finely chopped)(116.5g)
• 1/2 C Powdered Sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

• With a wooden spoon stir together 1 C powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and allspice.
• Add rum and corn syrup, mixing well.
• Add wafers and nuts, mixing well.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Put remaining powdered sugar into a small bowl.
• Remove mixture from the refrigerator and spoon small portions into your hands. The batter will be very wet, so loosely form into balls and drop into the powdered sugar.
• Coat the rum ball with powered sugar. When retrieving them, form them into more compact balls with your hands – they will be much easier to handle.
• Place finished balls on a plate or baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate.

Notes

Source: “Emeril Lagasse Rum Balls.” Epicurious. Web. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/emeril-lagasse-rum-balls-50113266. (modified)

Nutrition

Serving: 1Ball | Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.48g | Protein: 0.74g | Fat: 2.98g | Saturated Fat: 0.543g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.769g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.506g | Trans Fat: 0.015g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 6.42g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.13mg

Powdered sugar, also referred to as Confectioner’s Sugar, is just sugar with a smaller grain size and some cornstarch.  It absorbs differently into a recipe, and in this case helps act as the binder for the mixture.  Substituting powdered sugar with regular sugar simply won’t produce the desired result.

Many types of liquor can be used in this recipe because they don’t cause the dough to behave differently.  However, note that there is no heat involved in making Rum Balls!  Alcohol will NOT be reduced out.  The Hungry Physicist does not recommend eating Rum Balls on the job.  Assign a designated driver and eat responsibly.