No bake pumpkin rum balls recipe
Pumpkin rum balls are the perfect treat for all of your fall celebrations. This version is made with graham crackers instead of the usual wafer cookies, making them reminiscent of pumpkin pie. For a traditional rum ball recipe, this one packs a punch.
Rum balls are great for this time of the year. They are a quick and easy no-bake treat. Perfect for game day parties, Halloween and even for Thanksgiving gatherings.
How to make rum balls
To make these pumpkin rum balls, you simply mix up crushed graham crackers, ground nuts, spices and sweeteners in a bowl, then let the mixture chill for 30 minutes before rolling into balls.
If you’re feeling extra jazzy, roll a few in orange sanding sugar like I did. It makes a nice contrast against the powdered sugar or granulated sugar.
Rum Ball Basics
Here are some tips to getting perfect rum balls every time!
You are probably not doing anything wrong at all. When you scoop the rum balls, press the scoop against the palm of your hand to pack the rum ball mix.
Lightly pressing the mixture together will help the ball keep its shape.
The flavor of a rum ball develops even more overnight, so it is the perfect make ahead sweet. If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, they will last for a few weeks.
Pumpkin Spice Rum Balls
Normally, rum balls are made with vanilla wafer cookies (and if that is your preference, by all means do that), but I wanted to make a rum ball that reminded me of fall.
Graham crackers have that extra something that makes these pumpkin rum balls taste even better. A bit of pumpkin pie spice in the mixture makes them taste like a bite of pumpkin pie. And that is never a bad thing!
What do I need to make these pumpkin rum balls?
One tool that I use to make rum balls is a food processor. It makes quick work of chopping nuts and grinding cookie crumbs. If you don’t have one, you can certainly break the graham crackers up with a rolling pin.
I will say this about a food processor – I bought mine before I went to culinary school and started working in professional kitchens. That’s been a long time ago and it is still going strong.
The moral of the story – invest in a good one and you won’t have to replace it for a long time.
Another helpful tool is a kitchen scale. I often use weight as a measurement instead of volume because it is more accurate. The link below is the newer version of the scale I own and love.
Finally a small cookie scoop will ensure that your rum balls are all the same size. This is especially important if you’ve had a few of these and now you’re feeling a little sassy and you’re mad that your cousin took the big one.
But, in all seriousness, I use this scoop all year for meatballs, fritters, cookies, etc.
Pumpkin Rum Balls
I had some leftover pumpkin from these pumpkin dog treats that I made for Sugar last week and I didn’t want it to go to waste.
I’ve only made traditional rum balls in the past, but that is about to change. I’ll be doing a series of different rum ball recipes and I can’t wait for you to try them.
These pumpkin spice rum balls don’t have quite as much rum as my original recipe, so if you are a light-weight like me, you might appreciate that. Then again, an extra splash never hurt anyone.
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Food for a fall themed party
Looking for a few things to put together a fall menu? You will find everything from Simple Turkey Chili to Easy Pumpkin Empanadas on my Favorite Fall Recipes Pinterest board.
Here are a few of our favorites:
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili
- Arugula Butternut and White Bean Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
- Potato Corn Chowder
- Caramel Apple Cupcakes
- Day of the Dead Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes
Pumpkin Rum Balls
Ingredients
Rum Balls:
- 10 oz. graham crackers 2 packages or 18 sheets
- 1 cup toasted pecans
- 1 cup powdered sugar also known as confectioners or icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
- 1/4 cup spiced rum 50ml or 1 airplane size bottle – I used Sailor Jerry Rum
- 2 tbsp. honey or corn syrup
- 2 tbsp. pumpkin purée
Sugar Coating:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, process graham crackers and pecans until finely ground. Set aside. (You may have to do this batches if you have a smaller food processor.)
- In a large bowl, sift together 1 cup powdered sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
- Stir together pumpkin purée, rum and honey, then add to the bowl with powdered sugar.
- Next, add graham cracker/pecan mixture to the bowl with the powdered sugar and stir to mix everything together until uniform.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Combine remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a shallow bowl and set aside.
- Scoop out tablespoon portions, roll into balls and toss to coat in sugar mixture.
- Place on parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂
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