Need Help with a Recipe

Hi Dear Friends,
I'm new and will introduce myself as soon as I have some time, but here I go. I have this recipe. Here it is.

Rum Balls with candied Cherries


Ingredients:

2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers ( 40 to 50)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped red candied cherries
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup rum
3 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter melted
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Preparation:

In medium bowl, combine crushed wafers , 1 cup powdered sugar, cherries, and pecans. Add rum, syrup and butter. Blend well. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in the 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Cover tightly; let sit 24 hours for flavors to blend. Makes 3 dozen.

My question is can I mix these ingredients by hand??? I don't have a dough mixer and I think a hand mixer would have everything in the blades. Also should I chop the cherries by hand or put them in a food processor? Thank you for any and all help.

Sincerely,
Angelaine

You can easily mix by hand. Many no-bake cookies are hand beaten. I would cut the cherries by hand - you can control the "mushiness" that way. I hope this helps.

Oh, thank you so much for your help. Some people that I know that consider themselves excellent bakers really gave me some horror stories that almost made me not want to make this. One example was to go out and buy a dough mixer. The one that was recommended was over a $1000. Thank you so much for your encouragement, explanation, and saving me money (which I wouldn't have purchased that anyway.). You're just a dear!!!

Elaine

You're very welcomed - and sometimes you just can't trust anyone. I come from the days when "Betty Crocker was stir crazy" - meaning - you beat all cake batters with 300 strokes and the most modern convenience we had was a rotary beater! don't let anyone scare ya - fabulous foods have been made for years without the use of gizmos!!!!