Description
Chocolate Bourbon or Rum Balls are rich, no-bake chocolate treats made from crumbled chocolate cake infused with bourbon or rum and rolled in chocolate sprinkles. These bite-sized delights are moist, flavorful, and perfectly balanced between sweetness and warmth. Ideal for holidays, parties, or gifting, they’re effortless to make and endlessly customizable from alcohol-free to vegan variations. Each ball delivers deep chocolate flavor with a hint of boozy decadence in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Base:
- 1 (9×13-inch) baked chocolate cake (homemade or from a mix)
- ½ cup dark rum or bourbon (or rum extract for alcohol-free)
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk (or plant-based condensed milk for vegan)
Coating:
- ⅓ cup chocolate sprinkles
Optional Add-ins:
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ¼ cup crushed nuts or coconut flakes
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder or cinnamon (for depth)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake Base: Crumble the baked chocolate cake into fine, even crumbs using your hands or a food processor.
- Mix: Add rum (or bourbon) and sweetened condensed milk to the cake crumbs. Mix until a soft, moldable dough forms.
- Shape: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of mixture per ball. Roll between your palms to form smooth, 1-inch balls.
- Coat: Roll each ball in chocolate sprinkles (or cocoa powder, nuts, or coconut) until evenly coated.
- Chill: Arrange on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for 1–2 hours to firm.
- Store or Serve: Transfer to an airtight container. For the best flavor, refrigerate for a few days before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- Use moist cake for better texture.
- Non-alcoholic extract versions are great for kids or alcohol-free guests.
- Vegan-friendly when using dairy-free condensed milk and egg-free cake.
- Freeze balls briefly to firm them before serving or gifting.
- For extra richness, drizzle with melted chocolate before chilling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 1–2 hours
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert / No-Bake Treats
- Method: Mixing / Rolling / Chilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: ~140
- Sugar: ~10 g
- Sodium: ~45 mg
- Fat: ~6 g
- Saturated Fat: ~3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ~18 g
- Fiber: ~1 g
- Protein: ~2 g
- Cholesterol: ~15 mg