Rum balls

If you’re looking for a quick and easy Christmas treat or gift, these adults-only rum balls will hit the sweet spot. It’s just 15 minutes from mix to rolled, and how much rum you add is up to you – a wee splash or a good slosh makes a merry Christmas indeed!

How to make rum balls: key tips

All the ingredients are placed in a bowl and mixture together using your hands – the mixture is quite thick and would be difficult to stir and combine well. Roll about 1 tbsp mixture to make each ball, using damp hands so the mixture doesn’t stick to your fingers.

To coat the balls in coconut, spread the coconut over the base of a shallow bowl or plate, then roll each ball in the coconut one at a time.

What’s in these rum balls?

Arnott's Milk Arrowroot biscuits are great for making rum balls, but you could also use Scotch Finger biscuits, Marie biscuits or even Choc Ripple biscuits for more chocolatey rum balls.

Sweetened condensed milk helps these rum balls stick together, while adding a moreish caramel-like sweetness, while the desiccated coconut gives the balls a lighter texture on the inside, while making them less sticky to handle on the outside.

These wouldn’t be rum balls without the rum! Dark rum is used such as Bundaberg rum. For a change, you could swap this for a spiced dark rum such as The Kraken.

Rum balls are fun to make and are the perfect bite-sized treat. Try these rum balls and truffles recipes for your festive treats and gifts. And for a non-alcohol version, these Christmas balls will make the kids smile.

This recipe was originally submitted by Mrs Tempest, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.