Name: Rum balls from sponge biscuits – no-bake Christmas “cookies in no time”
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 30 servings
Ingredients: Base for the balls; 200 g ladyfingers (or other dry biscuits); 80 g softened butter; 50 g icing sugar; 30 g cocoa (unsweetened); 80 g apricot or currant jam/preserve; 40 ml dark rum or domestic rum; 40 g ground nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts – optional but highly recommended); 20 ml milk (as needed to adjust consistency); For coating; 60 g desiccated coconut; 30 g ground nuts (optional, you can mix with coconut); 10 g cocoa (for some of the balls for a “dark” effect – optional)

Rum balls from sponge biscuits – no-bake Christmas “cookies in no time”

Rum balls are a classic you often pull out when you feel you really don’t have the patience or time for another tray of Christmas cookies. This version relies on very ordinary ingredients – sponge biscuits, cocoa, butter, jam, and a bit of rum. Mix everything in one bowl, roll into balls, coat in coconut, and you’re done. No baking, no oven-watching, no complicated shapes – just a one-bowl Christmas dessert you can make in the evening after work. Great for the Christmas table, with afternoon coffee, for visitors, or as an edible gift in a small box.

⏱ 30 min● easy♨ 30 servings

Step by step

Instructions

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1Step 1First prepare the sponge biscuits. You can either grind them in a blender/food processor, or put them in a sturdy plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a cup. The goal is a fine “breadcrumb” — the finer, the smoother the rum balls will be.
2Step 2Pour the crushed biscuits into a large bowl, add cocoa, powdered sugar and ground nuts. Mix everything so the cocoa is evenly distributed and you don't end up with cocoa bombs in just one ball.
3Step 3Add softened butter, jam and rum. Ideally the butter should be at room temperature – it will blend better with the other ingredients. Use a spoon or your hands to combine the mixture into a compact mass. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add milk by the spoonful until it holds together. If it’s too wet, you can add a bit of crushed biscuit “breadcrumbs”.
4Step 4When you have a cohesive dough that doesn’t stick terribly to your hands, let it rest for 5–10 minutes. The biscuits will absorb some moisture and the rum will distribute better throughout the mixture. Meanwhile prepare the coating: pour coconut into a bowl, and you can mix in ground nuts or some cocoa if you want the balls to look varied.
5Step 5Scoop small portions of the dough (about the size of a walnut) and roll them into balls in your palms. Immediately coat them in coconut or the prepared mixture. It’s ideal to set up a “line” – a bowl with the dough,
6Step 6Arrange the finished rum balls side by side on a plate or tray lined with baking paper. Don’t stack them so they won’t stick together at first. Then chill them in the fridge for at least 1–2 hours. During that time the flavors will meld and the texture will firm up – they’ll be easier to handle and taste a level better than right after rolling.
7Step 7After cooling you can serve them immediately, or transfer them to a sealable container or a tin box for cookies. They keep in the fridge for several days, so you can easily prepare them in advance as a “backup” for the Christmas table or guests.

Kitchen tip

If you want to make some rum balls for kids, split the mixture into two parts. Put rum in one and in the other use a little milk instead of rum and more jam for juiciness. Mark the kids’ version — for example a different coating (just coconut, while the “adult” ones have coconut with cocoa or nuts) — and you’ll have two variants from one dough.

Customize this recipe

Variants and alternatives

For a more “Rafaello” style: skip the cocoa and most of the nuts, add more coconut to the dough and use a little coconut milk or cream instead of part of the milk.

Approximate per serving

Nutritional values

Energie90 kcalProteins1.5 gSacharidy11 gTuky4 g

Rum balls from sponge biscuits – no-bake Christmas “cookies in no time”

Instructions

Variants and alternatives

Nutritional values

Save this recipe for next time.

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Instructions

Variants and alternatives

Nutritional values

Save this recipe for next time.

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Homemade muesli bars with apple and raisins for a school snack

Carrot and pumpkin purée with potato for little ones in under 20 minutes

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Write a comment Cancel reply

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