German Rum Balls (Rumkugeln)

A favorite treat in Germany during the holiday season, this Rumkugeln recipe (German rum balls) will show you how to make them from scratch!  Super easy and so much better than store-bought, they come together in a jiffy and make terrific gifts to hand out to your friends and family!

During Christmastime throughout Germany you’ll find stores stocked with Rumkugeln (“rum balls”), a traditional treat during the holidays.  Many of the brands are proud to advertise their Rumkugeln are made with real Jamaica rum.  As a child and teenager I never cared for them.  Growing up in Germany, year after year I would somewhat reluctantly grab a package from the store and sample them (thinking, I suppose, that another year older meant maybe they’d finally grow on me), but to no avail.

Fast forward many years, when I moved to the U.S. as an adult and sorely missed all of the German Christmas goodies I knew and loved, I got to work trying to recreate all of them in my own kitchen.  This year the memory of these German rum balls randomly came to mind and I decided to once again have a go at sampling them.  The difference this time was that they were homemade Rumkugeln.  And THAT made all the difference.

There are many variations of Rumkugeln and several brands in Germany that make them.  Some include Lebkkuchen (gingerbread) while others include ground nuts (or both Lebkuchen and ground nuts) and others still are made strictly with chocolate.

Growing up in Germany I was more accustomed to the versions without the Lebkuchen filler (which means less chocolate!) and prefer the more decadent chocolate-loaded Rumkugeln.  I like the addition of just a touch of ground almonds or hazelnuts which contribute both flavor and a more delicate texture.

Tips for Making German Rum Balls (Rumkugeln)

Rumkugeln are typically rolled in either cocoa powder or chocolate sprinkles but you can also find them rolled in desiccated coconut.  You can also roll them in finely chopped nuts, Christmas sprinkles, or whatever else your creativity inspires you to do.

An important key to ensuring that whatever you roll them in “sticks” is to roll them while they’re still very warm and somewhat moist.  Otherwise, as chocolate does, they’ll get hard and dry as they cool and the sprinkles or coconut won’t adhere.  If you’ve waited too long and the Rumkugeln are too cold, you can still roll them in cocoa powder.  Keep the bowl of the chocolate mixture over a pot of steaming hot water to keep it warm while you’re rolling the balls.  A quick zap in the microwave will also work.

Given that chocolate is the primary ingredient, the quality and flavor of your Rumkugeln is highly dependent on the quality of your chocolate.  Select chocolate that you enjoy eating plain.  We recommend using either semi-sweet chocolate or a combination of dark and milk chocolate.

If you’re unsure about how much rum to add, we recommend starting with less, tasting the mixture, and adding more if you like.  Just don’t go too crazy or your mixture will be too wet to roll into balls!

Rumkugeln keep for a long time, not containing any highly perishable ingredients.  Store them in an airtight container in a cool place or in the fridge and they’ll keep for several weeks.  They’re best eaten at room temperature.

Do I Have to Use Real Rum?

No, you can use rum extract instead.  Keep in mind that rum extract, which is still made with alcohol, is very concentrated and so you’ll use less of it than actual rum.  Start with less, taste the mixture, and add more as needed.

German Rum Balls Recipe (Rumkugeln)

Let’s get started!

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler (recommended) or in the microwave.

Melt the butter in a saucepan.

Add the powdered sugar and stir to combine.  Continue to cook the powdered sugar mixture for a minute or two until the mixture is smooth.

Stir the nut meal in the melted chocolate (still over the double boiler to keep warm).

And the warm powdered sugar/butter mixture, the rum and vanilla extract, and stir to thoroughly combine.

Scoop some of the chocolate mixture to form a 3/4 to 1 inch round ball.

Note:  To ensure that the sprinkles adhere, roll them in the sprinkles while the Rumkugeln are still very warm and somewhat moist.  Keep the bowl of the chocolate mixture over a pot of steaming hot water to keep it warm while you’re rolling the balls.  A quick zap in the microwave will also work.  If you’ve waited too long and the Rumkugeln are too cold, you can still roll them in cocoa powder.

Roll the Rumkugel into chocolate sprinkles. cocoa powder, desiccated coconut, finely chopped nuts, or your choice of sprinkles.

Place them on a baking sheet or other clean surface to cool and set.

These Rumkugeln keep for a long time, not containing any highly perishable ingredients.  Store them in an airtight container in a cool place or in the fridge and they’ll keep for several weeks.  They’re best eaten at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Be sure to also try our homemade Mozartkugeln!