Jamaican Rum Balls

I have no idea why I call these rum balls because you can make them with bourbon, rum, fruit juice, or whatever. I don't even know if they are a candy or a cookie.

These make great gifts when they're packaged like fine candy. Most cake decorating stores stock a variety of frilly bonbon cups and decorative candy boxes for you to use.

This recipe will make about 5 dozen, depending on the size, and will keep at least a month in the refrigerate, so I'm told. This doesn't happen at my house. If using fruit juice use them within a week. Choose a fruit juice that will go well with the chocolate, peach, orange, or pineapple.

Jamaican Rum Balls
about 5 dozen
print recipe

DO NOT preheat the oven - these don't require baking

4 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers (a 12-ounce box is about 2 1/2 cups crushed - measure after crushing)
1 cup chopped nuts (measure after chopping - use pecans, English walnuts, black walnuts, macadamia nuts, cashews, whatever you like)
1/2 cup Karo syrup (the clear white kind)
1/2 cup really good rum, bourbon or whatever
2 tablespoons Ghirardelli's sweet cocoa with ground chocolate, or any sweet dry chocolate
1 tablespoon strong coffee (brewed - liquid)

Coating:
Dry cocoa
Powdered (confectioners' sugar)
Chocolate sprinkles

Crush the vanilla wafers in a food processor, or put them in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Measure them and put them into a mixing bowl.

Chop the nuts finely with a food processor, or with your knife. Measure and add those to the bowl.

Mix in the Karo syrup, rum (or substitute), sweet dry cocoa, and strong coffee. Stir until thoroughly blended.

Rub your hands with powdered sugar. Make small balls, large enough to fit into a paper bonbon cup. Dip the balls in the cocoa, or powdered sugar, or chocolate sprinkles to coat them. Do some of each and arrange on a plate, very pretty. You might want to dip some of these in melted chocolate.

Refrigerate these until you serve them.