All I Want for Christmas is Bourbon Balls
Photo: Jennifer Davick. Styling: Buffy Hargett
Holiday treats don’t come much easier than these no-bake bourbon balls, requested by Mary Robinson of Macon, Georgia. They make a large batch, so they’re great for parties or gift giving. They do, err, pack a slight punch, so be judicious when sampling them!
Bourbon Balls
Makes 5 dozen
Hands-on time: 55 min., Total time: 55 min.
- 1 (12-oz.) package vanilla wafers, finely crushed
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 2 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- Powdered sugar
1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl until well blended.
2. Stir together bourbon and corn syrup until well blended. Stir together bourbon mixture and wafer mixture. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in powdered sugar. Cover and chill up to 2 weeks.
Yum! One of my favorite holiday treats my mom has always made. Great post to share
I love bourbon balls!! Thanks for sharing
Any alternate ideas for the nuts? We can’t have nuts in our house because of our little girl.
You can substitute an additional cup of vanilla wafers for the nuts.
We have nut allergies in our house too. Can crushed pretzels be used to replace nuts? I was wondering what could duplicate the crunchiness of nuts…
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I think pretzels are a great idea! Crunchy, and you’d get a touch of salt, too, which would be very nice.
As a Kentuckian, I have to say these aren’t real bourbon balls. Real ones are not made with wafers or rolled in powdered sugar. The recipe I made was handed down through my family and is over 100 years old.
Seems really tasty
Leanne, any chance you’d share your family recipe? My most favorite bourbon balls I’ve ever tasted were not rolled in sugar nor do they appear to obtain vanilla wafers, but I’ve never been able to find a recipe other than that standard one.
My grandfather would probably haunt me if I gave out the family recipe. But this one is similar: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kentucky-bourbon-balls/
Contain. Not obtain. Oops!
Thanks very much, Leanne- i wouldn’t want to cause any haunting
That will at least get me started and hopefully in the right direction!
Happy new year!