Rum Balls Recipe

This Rum Balls Recipe uses good ol' Aussie Weetbix as a base ingredient. I researched several old-fashioned recipes to come up with a recipe that delivers perfectly soft and delicious balls of rum bliss. So, ready to Rum Ball?

Rum Balls have been a part of Christmas for as far back as I can remember. They're so simple to prepare and are perfect to prepare ahead – they'll keep for several weeks in the fridge and can also be frozen for several months.

(Also, if you don't have weetbix in your country (or cupboard), don't fear. You can use 140 grams of a wheat breakfast cereal instead of Weetbix.)

Jump to:

• An Aussie Christmas tradition
• The recipe
• Ingredient notes
• How to make Rum Balls
• Looking for more Christmas treats?
• Rum Balls

An Aussie Christmas tradition

It shouldn't be too surprising that we Aussies love a little rum. Our first permanent hospital was financed thanks to a 45,000 gallon rum deal!

And in 1808, Governor William Bligh tried to regulate the colonial trade of spirits and was overthrown from government by the military – in an event now described as the  "Rum Rebellion". 

From time to time there is another type of rum rebellion – with the major supermarkets quietly ditching this classic Christmas ball due to "changing consumer preferences".

Well, my preferences haven't changed. I love rum balls. Are you with me?

The recipe

I searched old newspapers, Nana Ling's handwritten recipe books, old home cooking supplements and vintage recipe books to find the perfect rum balls recipe. But I wasn't quite satisfied with any I came across.

I turned to my mum and she shared some recipes she'd collected during her time working in bakeries. Still, not quite what I was looking for.

So, armed with plenty of other recipes, I set about creating my very own.

The weetbix recipes are often criticised for being on the dry side, so I wanted to avoid that problem and now I had a plan – and a couple of extra little ingredients – to do just that.

This recipe is a mash-up of old rum balls recipes. I've borrowed from here and there to create a perfect rum balls – with weetbix – recipe.

Ingredient notes

You'll need these ingredients to make rum balls:

• weetbix (or another wheat breakfast cereal)
• rum
• desiccated coconut
• cocoa powder
• dried diced apricot
• strawberry or raspberry jam (adds that moistness that you may think is not achievable using weetbix)
• sweetened condensed milk.

Keep scrolling for the recipe card at the bottom of this post to find the precise quantities for the ingredients.

Variations ideas

While I think this is the perfect recipe, here are a few ideas to mix things up:

• add glace cherries or dried diced cranberries instead of dried apricots
• add orange marmalade instead of strawberry or raspberry jam
• add some chopped almonds or hazelnuts to the mix
• add a little cinnamon or cardamon in with the cocoa powder.

How to make Rum Balls

Making this recipe is a fun and straightforward process.

First, you get your hands into crushing mode! Make sure your Weetbix or other cereal resembles fine crumbs. You could also use a rolling pin or food processor – but it's just as easy to crush them up with your hands.

Place the weetbix crumbs into a large bowl and then sprinkle over the rum.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix away.

Now, get ready to roll. Your small balls of rum bliss should be rolled again and coated in coconut.   Place your rum balls on a tray lined with baking paper and place in fridge for at least a couple of hours to set.

Want to keep rolling?

Let's go! Check out my recipes for Tim Tam Balls, Fruit Salad Balls, Pineapple Balls, Apricot Balls, Midori Balls, Christmas Balls and Snowballs.

Recipe FAQs

Looking for more Christmas treats?

Enjoy more festive favourites with these recipes:

Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)

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