Walnut Chocolate Rum Balls

These walnut chocolate rum balls are a holiday candy classic that requires zero oven time and only five ingredients.

Finely chopped walnuts fold into grated milk chocolate and powdered sugar, then a generous pour of rum brings everything together into a dense, fudgy dough. Each ball gets a dusty coat of cocoa powder that hits your tongue first, bitter and dark, before giving way to the sweet, boozy center.

They look gorgeous piled on a platter, and they taste even better after a night in the fridge when the rum has had time to mellow into the chocolate.

Chef Tips

• Use a good-quality dark rum for the richest flavor. Spiced rum works too and adds warm notes of vanilla and cinnamon.
• Grate the chocolate on the fine side of a box grater so it blends seamlessly into the dough. Chunks will make the balls crumbly.
• Chill your hands in cold water before rolling. The warmth from your palms can melt the chocolate and make the dough sticky.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The flavor deepens each day.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for pecans or toasted almonds for a different nutty character.
• Roll some in shredded coconut or crushed candy cane pieces for a festive holiday assortment.
• Replace rum with bourbon or brandy for a different boozy twist.