Almond Flour Rum Balls
These Almond Flour Rum Balls are a sophisticated alternative to frosting-laden holiday treats, and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Naturally gluten free.
My mom is the designated OFFICIAL sour cream sugar cookie recipe and holiday treat maker for the family, leaving me with the low-stress position of making whatever I want to supplement her treats.
Sometimes it’s chocolate candy cane cookies. Most years, I’ll make my favorite melomakarona cookies, although admittedly, they are a lot of work (I usually make them in a 3-day process).
But this year I decided to go in a different direction with these Almond Flour Rum Balls.
After sharing these with a group of friends, I came to find out that most people my age had never had a rum ball before!
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To be honest, I haven’t had a ton of them either, but I do remember them on the dessert buffet at my grandparents’ family Christmas party when I was young.
They’re an adults-only treat that are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea, and a nice break from the traditional frosting-laden treats this time of year.
They’re also gluten free, meaning even those with that dietary restriction can indulge!
About these Almond Flour Rum Balls:
- You’ll be making almond flour cookies, and then breaking up the cookies and mixing them with rum to make the rum balls. You can make the rum balls as soon as the cookies are cool, or wait a few days! I baked my almond flour cookies, stored them in a zip-top bag once they were cool, and made the rum balls 2 days later.
- As I mentioned earlier, these are entirely gluten free, thanks to the cookies being made with almond flour.
- I prefer dark (not spiced) rum for this recipe, but you can certainly use spiced rum if that’s what you happen to have on hand!
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Almond Flour Rum Balls
Ingredients
For the Almond Flour Cookies:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Rum Balls:
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 2 – 3 tablespoons dark rum
- Sanding sugar and/or additional powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
Make the Almond Flour Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degres F. Line rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. In medium bowl, stir almond flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
- In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat sugar and butter 2 minutes at medium speed or until well combined, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add vanilla; beat until well combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
- Add flour mixture and beat on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture comes together and forms a thick cookie dough.
- Form batter into tablespoon-size balls (13g if you are scaling), and place on prepared pan. You should have 15 balls. Lightly flatten with your fingers. Transfer to oven and bake 9 to 11 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are golden brown. Transfer pan to wire cooling rack and cool cookies on pan completely before making rum balls. Cookies can also be stored in zip-top bag at room temperature up to 2 days before making rum balls.
Make the Rum Balls:
- Place Almond Flour Cookies in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Run mixer at medium speed until cookies are crushed. Add pecans, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and corn syrup and mix until well combined.
- With mixer running on low speed, gradually add rum, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture starts to come together. Start with 2 tablespoons, and add rum in 1 teaspoon increments after that, if needed. Mixture should be wet enough that it can be shaped into balls, but not wetter than that. Transfer to refrigerate and chill at least 30 minutes before rolling.
- Line a plate or small baking pan with parchment paper. Use your hands to shape mixture into 1-inch balls (you should have about 15). Roll each ball in sanding sugar or powdered sugar.
- Place rum balls on prepared plate and transfer to refrigerator 2 hours to firm up. Then, transfer rum balls to covered container and refrigerate up to 1 week. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Home Chef Tip: The powdered sugar decoration on the outside of the rum balls doesn’t tend to last too long in the fridge. If you plan to serve the rum balls later, allow rum balls to come to room temperature for 10 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar just before serving.
Mouthwateringly beautiful! 🙂
These sound wonderful. I just happen to have some Puerto Rican dark rum, and I really like that they are made with almond flour, because that seriously reduces the carb load (I’ve gotten to where I have to watch my carbs, doctor’s orders). I do have a question, though: I do not own a stand mixer. Could I put the balls together using a slow speed on my high-speed blender. Or could I use my food processor? Thanks.
Hi Susan! So, for Step 2, I’m not sure how you would execute the creaming of the butter and sugar without a mixer. I’ve never tried that in a blender or food processor. Do you have a hand mixer at all?
Step 5 can definitely be done in a food processor!
Lori, I do have a hand mixer, and I think it still works. It’s been sitting in the cabinet for several years untouched. Actually, I’ve always done my creaming the butter and sugar by hand – that’s how I was taught to do it. I’m glad to know the food processor would work for step 5. My husband has indicated that he wants me to make these, so it’s good that I have the machines necessary. Thanks for the good news.