This recipe for classic, old-fashioned chocolate rum bars is both delicious and easy - no baking required!
It's a Christmas staple perfect to bring to office holiday parties. Try them, they're lightning-fast and amazingly delicious!
Do you remember rum bars with chocolate glaze from childhood? These will remind you of those days and introduce a dose of the sweetest flavors into the kitchen.
Best of all, you won’t need too much time to prepare, and there’s one quite unusual ingredient.
No-Bake Chocolate Rum Bars
I didn't grow up baking Christmas cookies with my mom. In fact, she didn't even make easy, no-bake treats like these rum bars.
Mom disliked any sweets and those few times she tried to bake for us, ended up being a disaster. But she was and is a great cook and there were always savory dishes galore on our Christmas table.
Luckily, you could buy rum bars at the store. They were individually wrapped thin bars coated in chocolate, and they were one of my favorite treats.
I both hated and loved how small they were. I could easily hide them in my pockets and also easily eat them in two bites.
Although I have inherited my mom's aversion for baking, I don't let that minor detail stand in a way of my sweet tooth. I like a good challenge and baked many complicated cakes, but still prefer easy recipes, especially no-bake.
They're like no-brainer fool-proof recipes that any kitchen novice can make. Who doesn't like those?
Specialty Ingredients:
Potato - Choose a starchy potato such as Russet, Idaho, or Yukon gold.
No worries, you can't taste the potato. Mashed potatoes might seem like an unusual ingredient, but they can be used to make sweet treats and are traditional in some countries especially in Europe.
Potato plum dumplings are my favorite fall treat and there's also Irish potato candy perfect for St. Patrick's Day.
Graham Cracker Crumbs - You can use graham crackers or digestive cookies and crush them in your food processor.
Rum - You want to taste the rum (after all, it is called rum bars) so stay away from white rum and go for dark spiced rum like Captain Morgan. It also works well as an ingredient in ice cream. 
Here's how you make it:
*Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, ingredient amounts, and more tips, or click on the "Skip to Recipe" button at the top of the page.
- Make the Mashed Chocolate Potato - Peel, cut, and boil potato until soft for about 15 minutes. Drain. Immediately add the chocolate and butter. Mash with a masher or food processor. You want the chocolate and butter melted and well incorporated with potatoes.
- Add Graham Cracker Crumbs, Sugar, Cocoa & Rum - You will add these all at once, including the salt and vanilla and more rum if you prefer. Continue mixing until you get a homogeneous mixture.
- Spread and Glaze the Rum Cake - Spread onto prepared pan and press down to form a smooth surface. Then melt butter and chocolate and pour over the cake.
- Cool Completely - The glaze needs to cool down for about 20 minutes at room temperature before you put it in the refrigerator to cool completely for about an hour. Cut and store it (or eat it!).
Recipe tips for homemade chocolate rum bars:
- Prep the Ingredients - Use a good quality chocolate bar for cooking, like Ghirardelli. Chop the chocolate bar before you cook potatoes. You don't want to have to do that when potatoes are done because it needs to melt while potatoes are hot. Measure the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cocoa, and the rest of the ingredients while potatoes are cooking.
- Use your hands, a bottom of a glass, or an offset spatula to press down potato chocolate rum mixture into the prepared pan.
- For a stronger rum flavor, use a teaspoon of rum extract.
- These DIY chocolate bars are best cut when they are well chilled.
- For the mess-free cutting of the cake into bars, use a hot knife. To do this, fill a tall container/pitcher with hot tap water deep enough to cover the entire blade of your knife. Dip the knife into the hot water, and wipe it dry on a clean towel before making a cut.
- You can use any kind of starchy potato, but Russet potato works the best.
- For a different shape, roll the mixture into balls and dip into chocolate glaze or roll into desiccated coconut.
Making rum chocolate bars is not difficult. The result tastes even better to me than the store-bought I remember from my childhood.
Maybe you would like to make them on a cold, gray weekend in November? You will then have a delicious snack for the entire week.
More no-bake easy treats you should try:
- South African Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- No-Bake Eggless Chocolate Salami
- No-Bake Edible Christmas Candles
- No-Bake Energy Bites
- Coconut Chocolate Covered Stuffed Fig Balls
No-Bake Potato Chocolate Rum Bars
Equipment
- saucepan
- baking pan
- Potato masher of a food processor
Ingredients
For the bars:
- 1 potato medium size (ca. 10oz)
- 4 oz. chocolate bar, broken in pieces we like Ghirardelli
- 1 stick butter at room temperature
- 1 box (14.4) oz graham cracker crumbs
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons spiced dark rum we like Captain Morgan
Chocolate glaze:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 4 oz. chocolate bar broken in pieces
Instructions
For the bars:
- Line the bottom and sides of a 12x12 or 13x9-inch baking pan with parchment or wax paper. Set aside.
- Peel the potato and cut into equal, bite-sized chunks so that it cooks evenly. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, add potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Using a masher or food processor, mash hot potatoes with chocolate and butter. Mix in graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and rum until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and press down to form a smooth surface.
Chocolate glaze:
- In a small saucepan, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add chocolate and remove from the heat. Mix with a spoon or whisk until all chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Pour glaze over the rum cake. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Flip the cake out of the pan onto a clean surface and remove the parchment paper. Slice into bars.
Expert Tips
- Prep the Ingredients - Use a good quality chocolate bar for cooking, like Ghirardelli. Chop the chocolate bar before you cook potatoes. You don't want to have to do that when potatoes are done because it needs to melt while potatoes are hot. Measure the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cocoa, and the rest of the ingredients while potatoes are cooking.
- Use your hands, a bottom of a glass, or an offset spatula to press down potato chocolate rum mixture into the prepared pan.
- For a stronger rum flavor, use a teaspoon of rum extract.
- These DIY chocolate bars are best cut when they are well chilled.
- For the mess-free cutting of the cake into bars, use a hot knife. To do this, fill a tall container/pitcher with hot tap water deep enough to cover the entire blade of your knife. Dip the knife into the hot water, and wipe it dry on a clean towel before making a cut.
- You can use any kind of starchy potato, but Russet potato works the best.
- Store refrigerated in an air-tight container.
- For a different shape, roll the mixture into balls and dip into chocolate glaze or roll into desiccated coconut.
Nutrition
Flick says
Yum! These look so delicious - perfect for Christmas day 🙂
Jas says
Thank you! 😀
Paula Macc says
My mother in law used to make what she called Ham Dressing. Beside diced up ham she baked it in a potato chip bag. It also had lots of pepper in it. She never did give me the recipe & now she's gone. Have you ever heard of this? She was Croatian background. btw, donuts made with mashed potatoes are wonderful.
Thx for your great recipes.
Jas says
Sorry, Paula, but I've never heard of anything baked in a potato chip bag. I'm afraid I'm no help. 🙁 Was it a ham and potato dish? I know of a recipe but it doesn't get baked in a bag.
Ron says
My kind of sweets making. These sound delicious and chocolate mashed potatoes. Wow! I've got to make these just to check-out the chocolate mashed potatoes. Thanks for a great recipe Jas.
Jas says
When you put it that way, it kind of sounds gross, right? But I'm sure you'll like it! Thanks for stopping in, Ron! Have a wonderful week.
Ron says
No, I don’t think chocolate mashed potatoes sound gross. I think you’ve just opened my mind to using one of my favorite carbs in desserts. I plan to make these tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Ron says
Jas - I just wanted to let you know I made your no-bake rum bars yesterday. We don't have graham crackers over here, so I used digestive cookies which are similar. I did find however that when using the digestives that the bars were a bit wet and soft. Next time I'll increase the amount of digestives a tad. A very tasty and rich bar.
Jas says
It could also be due to the butter you're using. I'd suggest real butter or coconut oil if you want it healthier. Some butter-like spreads always stay a tad too soft. You can also add more cookies. Hope it works out better next time. 😀
Ron says
Just to be clear Jas, your no-bake chocolate bars were a big hit. All that tried them loved them. I did use butter, so I'm pretty sure it's because of the difference between using Grahm cracker and digestives. When next they are made, I'll kick up the digestives. A truly great recipe and everyone was amazed that the bars are made with potatoes.
Jas says
I'm so glad to hear! I hope I can find digestives here since I need them for a recipe. Thought to substitute with Graham crackers, but now am afraid they'd be too dry. I might have to order from Amazon.
Antonia says
I haven't ever had a rum bar. They look so good, and I love that they are no bake. Thank you for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday! 😀
Jas says
Now you can have them, Antonia! Super easy to make. 🙂
passion fruit, paws and peonies says
What an interesting recipe! I have to say I have never heard of a potato chocolate cake. They look more delicious than I'd imagine. I love how you keep introducing me to foods from around the world xx Maria
Jas says
Awe, thanks, Maria! They are delicious and you can't even tell there's a potato in there. 😀
Kat says
I have never heard of Chocolate Rum Bars, but these look so easy and delicious! I think coconut would be a perfect topping! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
These are very popular in Southeastern Europe. Coconut on top would be great! Thank you for stopping in!