Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (2024)

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We take our rum balls and bourbon balls seriously in this household as they are Mr Magpie’s favourite treat. Which also means that I leave the rum ball making up to him during the holidays! These rum balls are nut free, melt in your mouth, fudgy delights!

Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (1)

How to Make Rum Balls

Making rum balls in my house is SO EASY. First, I ask Mr Magpie to make them. And second, he makes them! Magic! But honestly, here are the super quick and easy steps to making rum balls.

  1. Prepare your cake. You can make a chocolate cake mix or you can bake up my Crazy Cake or Wacky Cake Recipe. It’s so easy you don’t really need a cake mix to be honest.
  2. Break up the cake and place it into a large bowl.
  3. Add in rum or bourbon and condensed milk.
  4. Make the rum balls, roll them in sprinkles and let sit.

Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (2)We prefer the rum balls or bourbon balls to be chewy and fudge-like, not dried out like the rum ball recipes that use nuts. Consider these to be rum brownie balls, even, to understand the texture that I am talking about. Take a peek at the photo below, you can tell that these are truly spectacular rum balls! That photo was taken right after I made them, so they are now sitting in my freezer with the flavours melding together until Christmas. The consistency will be the same as shown in the photos.
Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (3)

Tips & Tricks for Making Bourbon Balls or Rum Balls

  • Use a good quality rum or bourbon, a dark rum for sure but you could also try spiced!
  • These rum balls freeze exceptionally well and are better after sitting for a while in a container. I make these a few weeks before Christmas and then freeze them until the big day.
  • Once you try my version of rum balls, you aren’t ever going back to those nut filled dry versions but you could add in some walnuts or favourite nut into the mixture if you wanted to. You can really adapt these to your liking!
  • Refrigerate the dough before rolling and wet your hands when you go to form the balls. These are sticky and your hands will get a bit messy making them, so make sure you have everything ready to go before you make them!

Happy baking everyone! I’m sitting here thinking of these babies that are in the freezer and wondering if I can sneak one…

Love,

Karlynn

Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (4)

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Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (5)

My Favourite Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Ball Recipe

These rum balls are SO much better than the dried out ones that use nuts! These are so decadent they are like chocolate rum truffles! Nut free and chocolate cake based!

4.96 from 91 votes

Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (6)

Review

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Prep Time
30 minutes
Total Time
30 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Servings
24 rum balls
Calories
147
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients

  • one 9x13 baked chocolate cake use a mix or my cake recipe
  • 1/2 cup dark or spiced rum or bourbon
  • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/3 cup chocolate sprinkles

Instructions

  • Crumble up the baked cake into a medium mixing bowl.

  • Add in the rum and the condensed milk. Mix together until all of the ingredients are combined and the cake is now a dough that can be rolled into balls.

  • Roll the mixture into one inch balls, then roll the balls into the chocolate sprinkles, covering them completely.

  • Place the rum balls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze them individually first, then transfer to a sealed container to keep frozen.

  • These are best if left to sit a few days in the refrigerator if you are eating them soon, or keep them in the freezer until you are ready to eat.

Recipe Notes

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION is going to vary depending on what cake mix you use or what cake you bake up!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 147kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 4mg, Potassium: 11mg, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 10IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 9mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a co*cktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

Site Index Chocolate Christmas Christmas baking Confections Rum

Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Lynda says

    Reply

    Hi, I do NOT like chocolate! I know I am weird. That being said, can I use a white cake mix or another flavor. If so will the results still taste as good? Maybe I should use chocolate, then I won’t eat any.:-))Thanks so much. Merry Christmas!

  2. Susan T. says

    Reply

    I used the linked Wacky Cake recipe (my longtime go-to recipe for chocolate cake) and it worked out perfectly – did not have to add extra rum or condensed milk and the sprinkles adhered to the balls. I believe the secret is to not over-bake the cake. It’s also not necessary to fully cool the cake – in fact, I think that when it’s slightly warm, it forms a better, stickier dough. I refrigerated the dough for about an hour before forming the balls.

    I’ve had mixed results with other chocolate rum ball recipes – they’re often too dry. Last year, we couldn’t find vanilla wafer or crumbs so I tried a recipe without them and the result was balls of chocolate icing – too sweet! I really like this recipe because it’s easy, moist, chocolatey and not too sweet!Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (11)

  3. Marta Roberts says

    Reply

    For the chocolate cake you suggest a 9 x 13 cake from a mix or your chocolate cake. Your cake is 9 x 9. Will your cake be enough?

    • Karlynn Johnston says

      Reply

      The wacky cake is a 9×13 cake, it will work!

  4. Margaret says

    Reply

    These are so very yummy! Definitely a Christmas favourite. Thanks for sharing the recipe.Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (12)

    • Jenn says

      Reply

      I just made this recipe & they are delicious. I have an issue with them being wet on the outside though. The sprinkles and the outside of the ball are wet, but the inside is fine. I did wet my hands when rolling them, could that be what caused this? Thanks!

      • Jill says

        Reply

        Rolled some of mine in coconut!

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Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does chocolate rum balls contain alcohol? ›

They are roughly the size of a golf ball and often coated in chocolate sprinkles, desiccated coconut, or cocoa. As their name implies, these treats contain rum. Because they are not baked, the alcohol flavour and kick are not neutralized during preparation. Rum balls are especially popular during the holiday season.

Can you get buzzed from bourbon balls? ›

Can I get drunk from eating your bourbon balls? Highly unlikely. The balls are bite-sized, maybe two bite-sized, so you would have to eat a lot of them. You are more likely to experience a sugar high, than a buzz, so we feel it is a safe indulgence.

How much alcohol is in a bourbon ball? ›

It is unlikely that anyone could catch a serious buzz from bourbon balls. Yes, this recipe does call for a half cup of bourbon. But it also makes 24 balls (with a serving size of two balls), so the alcohol is distributed across many servings and diluted with other ingredients.

What are bourbon balls made of? ›

  • 2 tbsp. Maker's Mark® Bourbon.
  • 1 cup bourbon-soaked chopped pecans.
  • 1 lb. confectioners' sugar + 2 cups extra.
  • 1/4 lb. unsalted butter.
  • 8 oz. Hershey's® All Natural unsweetened baking chocolate.
  • 4 tbsp. grated paraffin.
  • Whole pecans for topping each bourbon ball.

Do rum balls get you drunk? ›

Can rum balls make you drunk? This is a no bake recipe, which means any alcohol we use in the process won't be cooked away or made less effective. However, we're not using that much of it, so getting drunk isn't something to worry about! After all, there's only ¼ cup of rum divided among 24 individual bites.

Can kids have rum balls? ›

Most classic rum ball recipes are made with a dash of rum (totally delicious but adults-only, of course!)... but my rum ball recipe has absolutely no rum in it at all, making it perfect for kids!

Does alcohol evaporate from bourbon balls? ›

The most common variation for home cooked recipes is regional to the southern United States and incorporates crushed cookies, corn syrup, chopped pecans, and bourbon into a mixture that is formed into balls and coated in powdered sugar to prevent the evaporation of the alcohol.

Does bourbon chocolate contain alcohol? ›

Note: This product contains real alcohol -- must be 21 or older to purchase! Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not consume this product. Gift box contains 16 ounces of Maker's Mark Bourbon Liquor Chocolates.

Is bourbon heavy alcohol? ›

Bourbon has to hit certain ABV marks

The mash must be distilled at 160 proof (or 80% alcohol by volume) or less, and aged in barrels until it is no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume) or less. Before bottling, bourbon is filtered and diluted down to no less than 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume).

Should bourbon be refrigerated? ›

You should keep your bourbon at room temperature, which is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're going to drink it within a few days, you can place your container in the fridge. However, leaving bourbon in the cold for a long period of time can alter the flavors.

What is the difference between bourbon and whiskey? ›

🥃 Quick summary. Whiskey is a general term for an alcoholic liquor made from fermented mashed grains. Bourbon is the term for a whiskey made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. Bourbon was traditionally made in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and most bourbon is still produced in the state of Kentucky.

What are the three ingredients of bourbon? ›

The process is much like that of starting a sourdough bread. The Recipe - Bourbon is distilled from a fermented mash of grain, yeast and water.

Does rum chocolate have alcohol? ›

Sink your teeth into a Chocorish's Rum flavored chocolate and enjoy with these exotic chocolates! Note:- THESE ARE ONLY FLAVORED CHOCOLATES. THERE IS NO ALCOHOL.

Does chocolate rum cake have alcohol? ›

Well, technically, yes. But let's just say, you'd have to eat a lot of cake. This rum cake contains a half-cup of rum that's baked into the cake itself and another half-cup that gets whisked into the glaze.

Does chocolate liquor in chocolate have alcohol? ›

Chocolate liquor is one of the key ingredients in any bar of chocolate. It's made from the nibs of cocoa beans, and contrary to what the name suggests, it doesn't contain any alcohol. Despite the misnomer, chocolate liquor helps give chocolate its distinctive taste and texture.

Can rum chocolate make you drunk? ›

No for sure. Also, depending on the quality of your chocolate, many cheap brands put rum flavouring into their chocolates and not the real thing. Even if you have never had alcohol, it takes more that the couple of ml in chocolate to get drunk.

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