Mocha Rum Balls

¼ cup instant coffee

1/3 cup rum

¼ cup cocoa powder

2 cups crushed shortbread

1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1. Put the coffee and rum in a bowl and stir until coffee is dissolved.

2. Mix the cocoa powder with the powdered sugar and then add all of the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. It takes a few minutes for the crumbs to absorb the moisture.

3. If the mixture is a bit dry, add a tablespoon of water. You can test this by trying to form a small round cookie using about 1 rounded teaspoon of dough. Press the mixture together and then roll it between both hands to make it round. If it won’t stick together, add more water or honey.

4. After forming the mixture into balls. Roll them in a mixture of powdered sugar and cocoa powder. You could also experiment with other coatings, such as raw sugar, coconut flakes, or melted chocolate or leftover cookie crumbs.

5. These area traditional holiday treat, but there is no reason that the holiday can’t be Easter or Valentine’s Day or the Fourth of July. One of the best things about these cookies is that they can be frozen and saved for one of those occasions where you need to come up with a dessert, but have no time to make it. 

The recipe makes about 4 dozen small cookies. The ones you see below were rolled in eggy shapes, dipped in colored frosting and then rolled in chopped walnuts. (I did not put walnuts in the dough; instead I crushed a Heath bar and added it to the dough.)

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.

Anthony J. D’Angelo