Rum balls are a truffle-like confection of sweet, dense cake or biscuit material flavoured with chocolate and rum. They are roughly the size of a golf ball and often coated in chocolate sprinkles, desiccated coconut, or cocoa. As their name implies, these cookies contain rum. Because they are not baked, the alcohol flavour and kick are not lost during preparation. This cookie is especially popular during the holiday season.
Typical Danish rum balls with different kinds of sprinkles
Rum balls are a popular Christmas treat in England, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Denmark (where they are called romkugler and enjoyed all the year round).
There are many different ways to make rum balls, as recipes vary from region to region and family to family. All rum balls must include chocolate and rum, but the rest of the ingredients vary in kind, form, and amount.
To make rum balls, the cake (or biscuit) material is crushed and mixed with cocoa and a moist binding ingredient, such as jam or condensed milk. Other optional ingredients can also be added, such as nuts. When the mixture holds together firmly, it is rolled into balls and then coated.