Christmas is not Christmas without cookies. Growing up in the Midwest, Christmas cookies are a huge thing. Every year my mom would spend weeks making dozens upon dozens of Christmas cookies. One might ask, "What do you do with so many cookies?" (After all, even a child can only eat so many cookies.) Most of the cookies were made to give away to neighbors, coworkers, and fellow church parishioners. Among all of the delicious cookies, one stood out as our favorite - the Rum Ball. A small helping of chocolate, crushed pecans, sugar and rum, squashed up into a little ball and then smashed gently with a pecan. Who could resist such a wonderful treat? No one, especially when it was the end of the rum and mom would just dump whatever was left in the bottle into the mix. Somehow, those rum balls always seemed to get taken by my dad to work. Those were "the good old days," as my boys would say. (Sometimes a 37-year old man gets tired of hearing his children ask, "What was it like back in the good old days, when you were a boy?" Damn it kids, I’m not that old!) While times have changed, and not everyone makes Christmas cookies anymore, or at least not the amount they once made, these cookies you will find yourself making throughout the years.
Great-Grandma's Rum Balls
- ½ lb. Vanilla Wafers – Crushed Fine
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar + extra to roll each ball in.
- 2 TBSP Coca
- 1 Cup Chopped Pecans + some left whole to place on top of each ball
- ½ Cup Light Karo Syrup
- ¼ Cup Rum (Be #RumCurious try all kinds)
Mix together vanilla wafers, powdered sugar, cocoa, and pecans. In a separate bowl/measuring cup blend Karo syrup and rum. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry and then keep mixing until all ingredients are moist (if more moisture is needed only add a small amount at a time) and shape into balls about the size of walnuts. Roll ball in powdered sugar. Place on wax paper and flatten. (We used a fork) Put pecan on top of each smashed ball. They keep best in cool place and covered tightly.
When I met my wife, I told her about these great cookies and how they were always a favorite. She informed me her grandma had a recipe that I might like even more: Bourbon balls! While I cannot share this secret family recipe with you, I can tell you that it is very close to the rum ball recipe but uses walnuts and bourbon; amounts are a little different (little more cocoa, little less syrup). With a little searching on the web, and experimenting on your own, I am sure you will figure it out. My wife and I have been experimenting with the recipe for several years to get it just right. My wife thinks of recipes as guidelines, not to be followed exactly but changed to make them into what you want. Each year we try different bourbons and/or whiskeys to see which make the best balls. Cheaper normally blends better than higher end; but what happens when you use bourbon that many bourbon lovers dislike?
You end up with a bourbon ball that has an enhanced flavor profile; chocolate, nuts, and the smoothness and warmth of the bourbon. What bourbon could possibly do this? Bib & Tucker. Like many of you, I’m not a fan of Bib & Tucker as a sipping or drinking bourbon. The first time I tried it I made a face, which lead my wife to have a sample. She right away said it was "nutty;" even before I read on the bottle that it had hits of hazelnut. The hazelnut or nuttiness of the bourbon just does not work for me. Hazelnuts just aren’t my thing, but my wife likes it. And yes, she does have an amazing pallet. The reason behind my ramblings is... Bib & Tucker (B&T) and its nutty profile work amazingly for bourbon balls. That is our secret to making some truly amazing cookies. If you’re daring enough to #DrinkCurious why not #CookCurious or #BakeCurious as well, and try making bourbon balls with B&T, or add some B&T into another cookie recipes that is made with nuts. Let me know how any experiments turn out. You might change your mind on the pour. While many of us have no interest in drinking it, you may be able to move that bottle into the kitchen for baking instead.
Kyle was born in St. Louis and has lived in the Midwest his entire life. His father introduced him to bourbon when he was 21 years old, and has been enjoying it ever since. Kyle has completed the Kentucky Bourbon Trail on three different occasions, and cannot wait for the opportunity to return. He shares his love of bourbon with his wife, Emily, who traveled the bourbon trail with him for their first wedding anniversary in 2011. He enjoys comparing bourbons from different distilleries and different areas of the country and enjoys sharing a glass with friends and family. Currently, he spends the majority of his time caring for his two young sons but manages to share his love of bourbon with them as well. His four year old frequently says, "When I'm older, I'm going to drink wine and bourbon."
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just for a change try ginger snaps instead of vanilla wafers.
O Yes! This is something I can celebrate with the whole year round. Looks super delicious. Great recipe. I wonder how it will taste with some peated whisky?
Great recipes to emulate. They look delicious. Can’t wait for Christmas.
Thanks for posting.