No-Bake Rum Balls with Graham Crackers
These no-bake rum balls with graham crackers are a traditional European Christmas treats made with graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, butter, coconut, and rum. They're soft, sweet, and coated in desiccated coconut, perfect for holiday cookie platters and Christmas dessert trays.
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Ingredients
- 315 g 11.2 oz graham crackers, finely crushed
- 200 g 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 140 g about 1⅛ cups powdered sugar
- 80 g about ¾–1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 80 g about 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 30–80 ml (2 tablespoons to ⅓ cup) rum Optional but VERY recommended
- 100–200 ml about ⅓–¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon milk , as needed
- Extra desiccated coconut for rolling
Instructions
- Crush the graham crackers. Place the graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. You can also put them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl: the crumbs, melted butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, desiccated coconut, and rum. Start with less rum (if using).
- Mix the dough. Knead everything together with your hands until the ingredients are well combined. Gradually add the milk, starting with 100 ml, until you have a soft mixture that holds together easily when pressed. (If the mixture seems too dry, add a little more milk. If it's too wet, mix in some extra coconut. If the dough feels too sticky to roll, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes before continuing).
- Shape the rum balls and roll them in coconut. The easiest way to do it is to place some extra desiccated coconut in a shallow bowl and roll each rum ball right after you shape it until it is evenly coated.
- Chill and serve. Transfer the rum balls to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. I think they're even better after a few hours in the fridge, when the flavors have had time to come together!
Notes
- European cookie alternative: If you're making these in Europe, you can use plain butter biscuits (Butterkeks), such as Leibniz, instead of graham crackers. Use the same weight of biscuits. For this version, you can increase the powdered sugar to 159 g, as in my original recipe.
- Graham crackers: Regular honey graham crackers work best. Since different brands absorb moisture differently, start with less milk and add more only if needed.
- Coconut: Use finely shredded, unsweetened desiccated coconut. Don't substitute actual coconut flour, which absorbs much more moisture.
- Rum: Use 30 ml for a milder flavor or up to 80 ml for stronger rum balls. The alcohol isn't cooked off, so these aren't suitable for children.
- Storage: Keep the rum balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
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Nutrition
Calories: 30kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.3mg
