Chocolate Rum Snowballs

4.8
(4)
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2 Photos

These chocolate rum snowballs put a seasonal twist on the classic rum ball, which is one of the easiest, most delicious no-bake cookies ever. For the full snowball effect, these are coated in white chocolate, then rolled in coconut, but you can also finish them more simply by rolling them generously in powdered sugar.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
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Updated on December 1, 2023
2
coconut white chocolate covered rum balls arrayed on a faux moss mat with leaves and sticks in background
2
Servings:
24
Yield:
24 rum snowballs
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 24 servings

  • 1 (11-ounce) box vanilla wafers

  • 3/4 cup confectioners sugar, plus more for rolling

  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips, or finely chopped dark chocolate

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon dark rum, plus more as needed

For Coating:

  • 3 cups finely shredded sweetened coconut

  • 10 ounces white chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Directions

  1. Combine vanilla wafers, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips in a food processor. Pulse on and off until mixture is finely ground.

  2. Add maple syrup and rum. Pulse until mixture comes together to form a stiff, but moldable dough. If mixture is too dry to scoop and roll balls, add more rum, a little at a time, and pulse again, until the proper texture is reached.

    Chef's Note:

    At this point you can finish snowballs by rolling in confectioners’ sugar to coat; wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

  3. Scoop out portions of dough and roll into smooth balls. The ideal size is between 1 and 1 1/2 inches. Place on a plate; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the white chocolate coating. 

  4. Place coconut in a shallow bowl; set aside.

  5. Place a heat-proof (metal or glass) bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water over low heat. Reserve about 20% of white chocolate to stir in later; place the rest in the bowl, and let sit, without stirring, until almost all the pieces are melted. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the chocolate should read 105 degrees F (41 degrees C). Add in reserved white chocolate, and stir until smooth and runny.

  6. Drop a rum ball into white chocolate. Use 2 forks to roll it around to coat, then lift out, letting excess chocolate drip off. Drop into the bowl of coconut; toss to coat. Using your hands, do the final shaping, pressing coconut lightly into coating. Transfer to a plate. Repeat until all rum balls are coated. Place the bowl of white chocolate back over hot water if it begins to harden.

  7. Wrap and refrigerate until needed. Rum balls are best made ahead and left to “age.” Can be made a week or more ahead, as long as they are kept tightly wrapped.

    coconut white chocolate covered rum balls arrayed on a faux moss mat with leaves and sticks in background

    Chef John

    Chef's Notes:

    Any liquor can be used instead of rum.

    There will be leftover white chocolate and coconut, but you need a certain amount of excess to be able to coat the rum balls properly. 

    For a more detailed procedure on making the white chocolate coating, have a look at our Nipples of Venus recipe, as referenced in the video.

    From the Editor:

    Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of coconut and white chocolate ingredients. The actual amount consumed will vary.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

208 Calories
10g Fat
28g Carbs
2g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 24
Calories 208
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g 12%
Saturated Fat 6g 31%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 94mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 2g 3%
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 27mg 2%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 96mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.