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These easy rum balls are vegan, gluten-free, and make a fun little no-bake treat that’s perfect for the holidays.
This chocolate rum ball recipe took a bit of experimenting to get right. I first made them without the chocolate coating and nuts. They ended up kinda mushy and not so good. I actually was ready to scrap the recipe until my husband said I should add chopped nuts on the outside.
I then added the chocolate as a way to stick the nuts onto these rum truffles. I’m no candy maker here, so no, that idea didn’t occur to me for a while. 😛
I think that the crunchy chocolate and nut layer is the perfect outer coating for the soft filling and gives these tasty morsels the delicious finishing touch they needed.
Anyway, this gluten-free rum balls recipe is sorta reminiscent of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, but homemade… and boozy. The middle is soft, and since I used coconut flour, there’s a nice coconut taste.
The rum isn’t crazy strong, but it’s definitely there. Why not make them Christmas rum balls? What better occasion? 🙂
Pro tip: I like to keep these in the fridge in a sealed container. They stay fresher longer and the chocolate coating remains nice and crisp.
Will you be making this chocolate rum ball recipe?
Let me know in the comments below if you’ve made ’em.
Gluten-Free Rum Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 1-2 cups vegan chocolate chips
Filling:
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2-3 tablespoons dark rum
- 3/4 cup water
Instructions
- Whisk together the dry filling ingredients in a medium bowl (the coconut flour, cocoa powder, and the sugar) then stir the wet ones (vanilla, maple syrup, rum, water) in. Stir until you've got a smooth mixture and pop the bowl in the fridge.
- The walnuts need to be in really small pieces. You can either chop them up in a food processor (but don't totally pulverize them) or put them in a Ziploc and smash them with a rolling pin.
- Form the filling into balls. I find smaller balls work a lot better for this recipe... I aimed for 3/4"-1" balls.
- Melt the chocolate. I do this in 15 second intervals in the microwave (note: it's really easy to burn dairy-free chocolate so do it very carefully or use a double boiler). I suggest starting with one cup and melting more if/when you run out so you don't waste it.
- Dip the balls in the chocolate and then gently roll them in the walnuts. This process can get a little messy, so just have fun with it. Add the finished balls to a plate or baking sheet. Once they're all done, pop them in the freezer for about 20 minutes to set. Once they've set, I suggest keeping them in a sealed container in the fridge and taking them out just prior to serving.
Notes
- Please check to ensure the chocolate and rum you use are gluten-free as not all varieties are if you have a gluten sensitivity.
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If you’re looking for more holiday treats, you may also like my vegan cranberry mini cheesecakes or my vegan gingerbread bars.
This is a very dry dough, and difficult to work with. Additionally, there’s a lot of waste with the chocolate. I found that I had to wash my hands after each ball I covered in chocolate. When dipped in chocolate, the balls fell apart, so I tried drizzling the chocolate. It was all over my hands each time I drizzled, and I still had to be very careful that the formed ball didn’t fall apart. After 10 rum balls, I gave up and packed the whole batter into a casserole dish, drizzled the chocolate between layers and spread the remaining chocolate over the top and sprinkled the remainder of the walnuts and put it in the freezer overnight. Still, the dough is very crumbly and come apart when cut into. Between the waste, the difficulty working with dough, the mediocre taste and the amount of trouble this recipe causes, I’ll find another recipe next time.
Just wondering if these can be frozen?
Hi! I think you could try, but I haven’t ever tested that.
Okay, thanks. I will give it a try.
Can my children eat these cuz I really like them but I don’t know if they can eat them?
So glad you like them! They have uncooked rum in them, so there is a bit of an alcohol content. It really depends on what you’re comfortable doing as a parent… sorry I can’t advise haha.
LOVE these truffles!!! yum!
Thanks, Alice!!