Chocolate Rumballs
These Chocolate Rumballs coated in shredded coconut are a delightful bite sized treat sure to make you want to reach for another and another.
I’ve been making these chocolate rumballs for quite a few years now, don’t want to tell you exactly how long because it will give away my age and I’d like you all to think I’m still 29. Ahem! I think I saw my nose grow a bit. Anyway, I can’t remember the name of the book, very old book, but my friend had this book full of desserts made from cake mix and this recipe comes from that book. There is no holiday at my house without these rumballs. Any potluck I ever attend, I bring chocolate rumballs. We absolutely love them.
Let me tell you why. The secret is the rum, and I love to add a bit more rum. In the recipe I say 1/4 cup of rum. But not me, I add 1/2 cup and when you eat one, it’s like having a chocolate rum shot. They remind me of a chocolate martini.
The beauty of these rumballs is how easy they are to make because you’re using cake mix. You make the cake, add the rest of the ingredients, and roll ’em up. Usually what I do is as I roll them, I throw them in the bowl with the shredded coconut. After I have a few in the bowl, I wash my hands and I roll the rumballs in the coconut. You don’t want to wait too long, the balls might dry out and the coconut won’t stick so well. Repeat until you’re done rolling all the cake mix. And that’s all there is to it. Now you can enjoy eating them. They are delicious. One of my favorite holiday cookies.
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Chocolate Rumballs
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 1 hr
Serves: 60
These Chocolate Rumballs coated in shredded coconut are a delightful bite sized treat sure to make you want to reach for another and another.
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts finely chopped
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups shredded coconut sweetened
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer add the chocolate cake mix, eggs, milk and vegetable oil. Beat on medium for 2 minutes until well incorporated. Pour cake batter into prepared baking pan.
- Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cooked through. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, if the toothpick comes out clean the cake is done. Let the cake cool completely.
- Remove the cake from the baking pan, and crumble it up in a big bowl. Add the powder sugar, rum, cocoa powder and the chopped pecans. Mix well. Initially you may think there's not enough moisture, but as you mix it, it will all incorporate really well and you will be able to roll rumballs.
- Start rolling, the rumballs should be just a little over an inch in diameter. After you rolled them between your hands, roll them in the coconut.
Video
Recipe Notes
If you're looking for an alcohol free version, try a cake pop recipe. While rum is my favorite for this recipe, you can use whichever your favorite type of liquor is for the flavor. You can store the rumballs in an airtight container in the fridge for over a week. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used. ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 29gCalories: 102kcal (5%)Carbohydrates: 11.6g (4%)Protein: 1.4g (3%)Fat: 6g (9%)Saturated Fat: 1.8g (11%)Cholesterol: 9mg (3%)Sodium: 79mg (3%)Potassium: 63mg (2%)Fiber: 0.8g (3%)Sugar: 7.8g (9%)Calcium: 20mg (2%)
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Rumballs
Amount Per Serving (29 g)
Calories 102 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1.8g11%
Cholesterol 9mg3%
Sodium 79mg3%
Potassium 63mg2%
Carbohydrates 11.6g4%
Fiber 0.8g3%
Sugar 7.8g9%
Protein 1.4g3%
Calcium 20mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Deb says
I’m altering the recipe to Red Velvet cake mix with A good brand of Amaretto I lv experimenting all works out Usually !! I’ll keep u posted the original recipe sounds so great but my family lvs red velvet cakes I lv Amaretto
Jf says
How many cookies does this recipe make?
Nicole Beaulieu says
As per the recipe card, this will make 60 rumballs 🙂
Susan Mlynarczyk says
I am going to try yours this year.
This is from “Chef on the Run” Ingredients:
RUM BALLS
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted) (340g)
• 1⁄2 cup almond paste
• 1 cup sour cream
• Pinch salt
• 8 cups finely crushed Christie Vanilla Wafers (approx 3 boxes)
• 3 cups icing sugar
• Pinch salt
• 11⁄2 cups melted butter
• 2/3 cups cocoa
• 11⁄2 cups white rum
• 2 cups pecans finely chopped
• Chocolate shot or sprinkles approx 5 cups (can use coconut, crushed nuts, melted chocolates
in different colours etc.)
Directions:
1. Combine melted chocolate, sour cream, paste and salt. Cream well and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the wafers and the rest of the ingredients except for the
chocolate shot. Mix until it holds its shape.
3. Add chocolate-sour cream mixture and knead with your hands until blended and soft.
4. Refrigerate until firm enough to form small balls in the palm of your hand, yet soft enough
to pick up the chocolate shot.
5. Take tablespoons of the mixture and form into balls then roll in chocolate shot and put on
trays lined with wax paper to harden overnight in the refrigerator (I use smaller amounts and
make smaller sized balls approx teaspoon sized). Put them into tins and refrigerate.
6. If keeping for more than 4 weeks they should be frozen. Take them out of the refrigerator a
few hours before serving to soften slightly and bring out the rum flavour.
Note:
This recipe is from Diane Clement’s Chef on the Run.
Tips I have learned over the years.
1. Use disposable gloves! It makes clean-up easier and prevents chocolate/sugar overload.
2. Instead of scooping batter to roll into balls I flatten the batter before refridgerating so that
when I want to finish the process all I have to do is cut even rows of batter then cut even
slices. This is much easier on the hands and much quicker.
3. I dip the rolled ball into very warm melted dark chocolate (from Charlie’s CF or from
Whole Foods) before rolling in the chocolate vermicelli/shot (also from Charlie’s Chocolate Factory) or coconut or crushed candies or finely ground nuts etc. Not only do the toppings stick better but the layer of solid chocolate around the rumball keeps it fresh much longer (Tip from Charlie himself!). I use a slotted spoon full of melted chocolate then place rolled rumball onto the spoon and roll it until covered before dropping it into the vermicelli/coconut/etc.
4. Use parchment paper covered plated or paper plates as they fit into the fridge better than big pans. Clean up is also faster and easier.
Joanna Cismaru says
Oh, thanks for this recipe. I will have to try it!
Tracey says
Is it okay to use a home made chocolate cake recipe or is a boxed cake recommended?
Joanna Cismaru says
For sure!
Brenda says
Any suggestions to replace the alcohol in these?
Fenne Kieken says
you need liquid to moisten them a little bit. You could try juice but not sure if that would work out.You could add a bit of juice and some extract. Let me know how it works out
GINA says
SOMETIMES I HAVE A PROBLEM PRINTING YOUR RECIPES, WHY
I WOULD LIKE TO PRINT THE CHOCALATE RUM BALLS
Fenne Kieken says
Not sure as all you have to do is click on the print button for it to print.
Sara @ Last Night's Feast says
Yum! Can’t wait to try these
Lorna says
These sound sooooo good but I bet they’d be even better using Spiced Rum. Will have to try.
Rebecca Cruz says
I used 1/2 cup of spiced rum in one batch and rumchata in another and they were both super yummy
Cheryl Patterso says
I have always made the chocolate fudge rumballs with the wafers, chocolate, ground nuts etc. and they are wonderful but my favorite place to eat and buy unusually good sweets which is called Andres on the Plaza in KCMO, anyway they have a lovely cake type rumball and wanted to make some and I found your recipe which sounds wonderful but my question is I always send my cousin in England my fudge and rumballs etc., etc. Do you think this type of cake rumball could also be sent by mail and still be good? Let me know what you think. Thanks for the recipe, looking forward to making them asap.
karl says
Instead of cocoa powder, I use melted chocolate and omit the sugar too. Simply divine!
Kay says
Love the taste. Was not crazy about consistency. Too gooey and sticky. I have to keep adding powdered sugar. I used 1/2 c of rum instead of 1/4 so maybe that is what made them wetter than they should be.
jo says
It probably is, but I’m sure they were boozy 🙂
Danielle says
WOW! I followed your basic recipe but used a 13×9 pan of homemade brownies and Krupnik, a Polish honey liqueur and then rolled them in powdered sugar. They’re amazing! So easy and will be a hit, I’m sure. Thank you!!
jo says
Glad you liked them Danielle!
patincc says
Do these get better as they set like regular rtum balls?
jo says
They sure do, the longer they sit, the better they are.
Maz Jones says
how long will they keep?? what is the best way to store them if I am making for a party about 4 weeks time??
jo says
I usually keep them in a plastic container in the fridge. I’ve never kept them for 4 weeks, but they will last at least 1 to 2 weeks.
Erin says
So I had a total cake fail. Made a chocolate rum cake from another blogger. Delicious cake, but it totally stuck to the pan. So I scoured the Internet in an effort to salvage what I could and came across your recipe. Thank you. Clearly that cake was destined to become these chocolate rum balls. I rolled mine in chocolate jimmies, and they are little bits of heaven.
jo says
Lol, see sometimes kitchen accidents can turn into kitchen wonders.
Jc Zindell says
thanks nice stuff…Keep bloging