Keto Rum Balls

Low carb dairy-free rum balls are a holiday classic made healthy! Made with organic chocolate and coconut, they pack a delicious punch. These delicious keto rum balls are perfect for gift-giving.

You know those foods that flood you with nostalgia and a warm remembrance of happy childhood days? These Low Carb Chocolate Rum Balls are that food for me right now. Biting into one of them is like stepping back through time to Toronto, circa the 1980s, during the holidays. Rum balls were always on offer because a family friend always made them. I remember holiday parties at Garth and Michelle’s house, and a lovely tin of homemade rum balls on a side table near the tree. They always looked so enticing, rolled in chopped nuts or chocolate sprinkles. And every year, I got a surprise as I bit into one and that strong rum taste came through. I wasn’t sure if I liked them or not back then, but I always tried them.

I wanted to make a dairy-free version of this holiday classic treat, and used both the coconut oil and the shredded coconut in the truffles themselves. Then they got a nice little roll in more shredded coconut. I was very impressed by the quality of the unsweetened chocolate, as it melted smoothly and wasn’t prone to seizing. The whole mixture does become very thick as you add the rum, and that’s part of what gives it structure. You could really use any liquid you want here in place of the dark rum. If you want to play up the coconut flavor, try coconut rum. Or coffee liqueur. Or brandy, whiskey or bourbon. For a non-alcoholic version, try just plain old water with a little rum extract. The rum flavor of these is very strong at first but it mellows out as they sit around for a few days.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces O Organics unsweetened chocolate chopped

• 1/4 cup O Organics coconut oil

• 1/2 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener

• 1/8 tsp monk fruit extract or more Swerve

• 1/2 cup dark rum

• 1/2 tsp O Organics vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 2 1/2 cups almond flour

• 1 cup O Organics shredded coconut

Garnish

• Additional coconut for rolling

• Sugar-free dark chocolate for dipping or drizzling

• Additional coconut oil to thin out the dark chocolate

Instructions

• In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, combine the chopped chocolate and the coconut oil. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.

• Whisk in the sweetener until well combined, then whisk in the dark rum, vanilla extract, and salt. The mixture will thicken considerably when adding the liquid.

• Add the almond flour and shredded coconut and stir in until the mixture forms a cohesive dough. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. If you are using shredded coconut to garnish, roll them immediately in shredded coconut.

• To dip in chocolate, place the rum balls on a waxed paper lined tray and freeze for at least one hour. Chop the sugar-free dark chocolate and melt with a little coconut oil to thin it out (for dipping half the rum balls, you would need about 3 ounces chocolate and 1 tbsp coconut oil).

• Drop a frozen rum ball into the melted chocolate and use a fork to roll it around to coat. Lift out and tap the fork firmly against the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Return to the wax paper and sprinkle with a little shredded coconut. Repeat with remaining rum balls.

• Store on the counter for a few days and in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.