Bourbon Balls Recipe - Easy Christmas Candy (2024)

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Katerina

5 from 2 votes

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Homemade Bourbon Balls are a boozy treat that’s perfect for your Christmas tray! Made with ground vanilla wafers, pecans, chocolate, and a generous amount of bourbon, this classic Southern dessert is always a hit.

Bourbon Balls Recipe - Easy Christmas Candy (2)

Booze-infused sweets always create a buzz, and my Kentucky Bourbon Balls are a perfectly delicious example. Popular at Christmas, these delightful treats are old-fashioned rum balls made with pecans, chocolate, and crushed cookies.

Why You’ll Love This Bourbon Balls Recipe

  • DIY Holiday Treat. Searching for unique homemade gifts this holiday season? Look no further than bourbon balls – a hit with all who receive them.
  • Quick to Prepare. Making these treats is incredibly easy. This no-bake recipe involves mixing the ingredients and shaping them into small, delectable balls. It’s a hassle-free process, perfect even in the busiest holiday times.
  • Make Ahead. They can be refrigerated or frozen, making them a convenient treat to prepare in advance. This flexibility means you can enjoy them fresh or have a stash ready for unexpected guests or last-minute gatherings.
Bourbon Balls Recipe - Easy Christmas Candy (3)

Ingredients

  • Vanilla wafers: You could also use crushed chocolate wafers or crushed gingersnap cookies.
  • Pecans: For added texture. Toast them for more flavor.
  • Powdered sugar: This will be used twice. Once for the ball mixture, then again to coat the bourbon balls.
  • Cocoa powder: Provides that rich chocolaty punch.
  • Bourbon: The star of the show. You could also use whiskey or rum.
  • Light corn syrup: Acts as a binder.

How to Make Bourbon Balls

Let’s make these classic Bourbon Balls with vanilla wafers, pecans, and chocolate. They are an ideal treat for holidays, gift-giving, and co*cktail parties. Enjoy the simplicity of this no-bake treat!

Bourbon Balls Recipe - Easy Christmas Candy (4)
  1. Prep your ingredients: Crush the vanilla wafers in a food processor and finely chop the pecans.
  2. Mix: In a bowl or a food processor, combine and mix the crushed cookies, pecans, powdered sugar, and cocoa.
  3. Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the bourbon and corn syrup.
  4. Mix it all together: Pour the bourbon mixture into the dry mixture and blend well.
  5. Chill: Cover and chill for 3 hours. This will make it easier to shape the balls.
  6. Shape and coat in sugar: Shape small bits of the dough into balls and roll them in the powdered sugar.
Bourbon Balls Recipe - Easy Christmas Candy (5)

Recipe Tips And Variations

  • Use a Food Processor: To make things even easier, you can use a food processor. First, combine the vanilla wafers and pecans, pulsing a few times until you have a mixture that looks like breadcrumbs. Then, add the sugar and cocoa. Pulse again. Finally, add the liquid ingredients and pulse until everything is well combined.
  • Make in advance. This recipe is best made 2 to 3 days before you want to serve them. This gives all the flavors time to meld together and really makes for the best bourbon balls!
  • Experiment with flavors. You can also make these with gingersnap cookies or different kinds of nuts, such as walnuts.
  • Alcohol: Instead of bourbon, you could also use whiskey. You could also turn these into rum balls by substituting the bourbon with rum.
  • No-Alcohol: Instead of alcohol, you can make these with orange juice, apple juice, or apple cider.

How To Serve Bourbon Balls

Pair these classic bourbon balls with treats like Peppermint Mocha Fudge and Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies. Complement them with salty-sweet delights like Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Pinwheels and Bacon and Chives Cheese Balls. They also make a great addition to a cookie assortment featuring Strawberry Cream Cheese Kolacky, Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Macadamia Nut Cookies.

Bourbon Balls Recipe - Easy Christmas Candy (6)

How to Store

  • Bourbon balls are best stored in the fridge. Place them in an airtight container after you have added the powdered sugar coating. They will keep for up to 2 weeks.
  • You can also freeze these in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to eat one simple defrost in the fridge overnight, or go the single-serving route and just take one out! Frozen bourbon balls are pretty satisfying, just give them a bit to thaw so they are easier to bite into. I may or may not keep some bourbon balls in the freezer for “emergencies.”

More Christmas Dessert Ideas

  • Spiked Crockpot Hot Chocolate
  • Cheesecake Bark with Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl
  • Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
  • Chai Spiced Snowdrop Cookies Recipe

Bourbon Balls Recipe - Easy Christmas Candy (7)

Bourbon Balls

Katerina | Diethood

These traditional Bourbon Balls are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, made with vanilla wafers, pecans, chocolate, and a hearty splash of bourbon.

5 from 2 votes

Rate this Recipe!

Servings : 36 Cookies

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Chilling Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 package (11 ounces) vanilla wafers, finely crushed
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup bourbon
  • tablespoons light corn syrup

Instructions

  • Place cookies in the food processor bowl equipped with a steel blade and pulse the cookies until finely crushed. Be sure to use the pulse function, as continuously running the food processor can turn the mixture into a butter-like consistency.

  • In a deep bowl, combine the crushed vanilla wafer crumbs, chopped pecans, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and cocoa.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk the bourbon and corn syrup.

  • Pour the bourbon mixture into the dry mixture; mix and blend well until a soft dough forms.

  • Cover and chill for 20 minutes.

  • Remove it from the fridge, scoop small sections of dough, and form them into 1-inch balls. Then, roll them in powdered sugar. Store in refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

  • For a more intense flavor, make the bourbon balls 3 days in advance.

Notes

  • Use a Food Processor: To make things easier, you can use a food processor for the entire recipe. First, combine the vanilla wafers and pecans, pulsing a few times until you have a mixture that looks like breadcrumbs. Then, add the sugar and cocoa. Pulse again. Finally, add the liquid ingredients and pulse until everything is well combined.
  • Bourbon balls are best stored in the fridge. Place them in an airtight container after you have added the powdered sugar coating. They will keep for up to 2 weeks.
  • You can also freeze these in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost them in the fridge overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 65 kcal | Carbohydrates: 9 g | Protein: 0 g | Fat: 2 g | Saturated Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 12 mg | Potassium: 18 mg | Fiber: 0 g | Sugar: 8 g | Vitamin A: 0 IU | Vitamin C: 0 mg | Calcium: 2 mg | Iron: 0.1 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bourbon candy, christmas candy recipe, christmas cookies

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Categories:

  • Christmas
  • Cookies
  • Desserts
  • Holidays
  • Recipes
  • Thanksgiving
Bourbon Balls Recipe - Easy Christmas Candy (2024)

FAQs

Can you get buzzed from bourbon balls? ›

Can I get drunk from eating your bourbon balls? Highly unlikely. The balls are bite-sized, maybe two bite-sized, so you would have to eat a lot of them. You are more likely to experience a sugar high, than a buzz, so we feel it is a safe indulgence.

How long do you soak pecans in bourbon? ›

The Longer The Soak, The Stronger The Flavor

Whether you choose pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or a mixture of many different types of nuts, you need to soak them in bourbon for at least 30 minutes. Before soaking, the nuts must be lightly toasted in the oven to intensify the nutty flavors.

Does alcohol evaporate in bourbon balls? ›

As long as you store them in an airtight container, then these will store easily in the fridge for up to a week. Of course, the alcohol, if it is in there, will evaporate some, but the flavor is still great.

How much bourbon does it take to get buzzed? ›

On an empty stomach, I'd say you could get drunk off 2–4 shots if you are a medium-weight drinker. On a full stomach I'd say it will take 4–6 shots. (1 shot = 1.5 ounces). For me, going over 6 shots is where I start to get sick (everything spins so I can't close my eyes if I try to sit down).

Can whiskey candy get you drunk? ›

Maybe to no one's surprise at all, there's no good way to get a buzz on liqueur-filled candy. The fat and sugar just messes you up too much—and not the way SoCo can mess you up. It's like eating a bunch of cake icing and then doing a few shots.

What are the three ingredients of bourbon? ›

The process is much like that of starting a sourdough bread. The Recipe - Bourbon is distilled from a fermented mash of grain, yeast and water.

How long can you store bourbon balls? ›

Bourbon balls will last for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Storing them uncovered will result in a more defined “crust”, and storing them covered will keep them moist. To Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months.

Who invented bourbon balls? ›

Bourbon balls were invented in 1938 by Ruth Hanly Booe, who operated a shop called Rebecca Ruth Candy. The history behind this candy shop is actually pretty notable. Initially, Booe founded the shop with her friend, Rebecca Gooch.

Why are my candied pecans soggy? ›

If your pecans are soft, it's most likely because they weren't baked long enough and are still retaining moisture. The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts.

Which bourbon is best for pecan pie? ›

The 5 Best Whiskeys for Pecan Pie
  • Old Grand-Dad 114 $30.
  • Rittenhouse 100 $22. Piquant with a malty-sweet finish, this whiskey's vanilla and cinnamon spice flavors will complement flaky pastry crust. ...
  • Wild Turkey 101 $20. ...
  • Old Overholt $15. ...
  • Elijah Craig Barrel Proof $100.
Oct 6, 2016

Why do you soak pecans in water? ›

"Essential nutrients like iron, protein, calcium, and zinc are better absorbed by the body when you soak the nuts. The water removes the phytic acid present in acids which causes indigestion. So, soaking nuts helps in digesting them properly and reaping the benefits of these nutrients.

Why are bourbon balls so expensive? ›

If you've ever wondered why store bought bourbon balls are expensive it's because they're time consuming. Once our filling has chilled we'll scoop it out using a small cookie scoop and then it back into the fridge to chill again.

Where did bourbon balls come from? ›

The bite-size sugary treat was created by Ruth Booe of the Rebecca Ruth Candy Co., in 1936, in Frankfort, the state capital just north of Louisville.

What is the history of bourbon balls? ›

A bourbon ball is a Southern delicacy invented by Ruth Hanly Booe of Rebecca Ruth Candy in 1938. Bourbon balls come in many different shapes, sizes, and flavors but are usually bite-sized confections incorporating bourbon and dark chocolate as the main ingredients.

Do bourbon balls contain alcohol? ›

This twist on old fashioned Bourbon Balls, a classic Southern no bake candy made with finely ground pecans, crushed cookies, chocolate, and a heavy pour of bourbon, is everything nice.

Are Buzz Balls high in alcohol? ›

BuzzBallz resemble single-serve tennis balls, complete with pull-tab pressure seals. The drink inside is most commonly a bright neon color, though some dessert flavors take on a silken opacity. At 15% ABV (30 proof), there's enough alcohol under that Dunlop seal to get you well and truly drunk.

Are BuzzBallz high in alcohol? ›

They are 15% ABV, best served chilled.

Can you get a buzz from liquor chocolates? ›

You'll need to consume a lot of alcoholic chocolates to actually become inebriated. Most people would need to consume more than 700 grams of chocolate to exceed the legal blood alcohol limit of . 08%. To get quite drunk, most would need to eat close to two kilograms (roughly 1.5 pounds), according to Good Food.

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