Rum Balls

• Makes 9 dozen
• At Christmas, it is Houle family tradition to get together for a day of baking. The main recipes are Hello Dollies, Adventure Balls, Nutmeg Logs, Rum (or Bourbon) Balls, Bûche de Noël, and the Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge.

Ingredients

• 24 oz vanilla wafers, crushed
• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ⅔ cup dark rum (or bourbon)
• ⅔ cup light or dark corn syrup

Directions

1. Mix vanilla wafer crumbs, nuts, cocoa, and powdered sugar.
2. Starting with half the quantity of rum and half of the corn syrup, gradually stir liquids in. Continue to add a little at a time, checking consistency as you stir. Once mixture can hold its shape, don’t add any more liquid. Note that you may not need the full amount for the recipe as some cocoa brands contain fillers that absorb liquid.
3. Shape mixture into 1" balls. Roll in coconut, chocolate sprinkles, or powdered sugar before serving.