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This no-bake chocolate bourbon balls recipe is a Southern classic. The combination of Kentucky bourbon, cocoa powder, chopped pecans, and Nilla wafers packs a powerful, festive punch!
Table of Contents
- Old Fashioned Chocolate Bourbon Balls Were Grandmother’s Favorite
- Why You’ll Love these Kentucky Bourbon Balls
- Ingredients
- How to Make Kentucky Bourbon Balls
- Serving Suggestions
- Preparation and Storage Tips
- Chocolate Bourbon Ball Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Chocolate Bourbon Balls Recipe
- Kentucky Chocolate Bourbon Balls Recipe
For even more delicious, party-friendly holiday treats, be sure to try these 3-ingredient Scottish shortbread cookies, Aunt Bee’s 4-ingredient graham cracker toffee bars, a batch of soft ginger molasses cookies, and these magic cookie bars, too!
Old Fashioned Chocolate Bourbon Balls Were Grandmother’s Favorite
My grandmother was famous for her bourbon balls during the holiday season. This recipe is a chocolatey twist on her delicious treats, since these include the more traditional combination of cocoa powder and pecans (instead of sweetened condensed milk and walnuts).
If you’re not familiar with the no-bake Christmas cookies, bourbon balls were supposedly invented in 1938 by Rebecca Ruth Candy Company based in Frankfort, Kentucky. While some chocolate bourbon balls are dipped in melted chocolate (like truffles), this version is rolled in powdered sugar. They look like festive little snowballs, while the simple coating allows the flavors of the cocoa powder, Nilla wafers, pecans, and bourbon to shine through.
Why You’ll Love these Kentucky Bourbon Balls
- Simple Ingredients. This classic Southern treat only requires 6 basic ingredients.
- No-Bake. If you don’t consider yourself a baker, then these are the holiday cookies for you! There’s no need to turn on the oven, so they’re practically impossible to mess up. Just stir everything together, chill, roll into balls, and coat with confectioners’ sugar.
- Make-Ahead. The holidays are busy enough, so we don’t need to add extra stress to our schedules. Instead, you can prepare a big batch of bourbon balls when it’s convenient, and keep them stashed in your fridge until you need them. They don’t even need to be reheated before serving!
The Alcohol in Bourbon Balls
Let me be very honest: the bourbon flavor in these cookies is not subtle! Since you don’t bake the cookie “dough,” the alcohol will not evaporate or cook off in an oven.
While the bourbon taste is prominent, it’s very unlikely that you will get “buzzed” or drunk from enjoying the dessert. You’d have to consume a lot of the bite-size bourbon balls to notice the effects of the alcohol — and you’d likely get a stomachache or a sugar high before that happened!
That said, you definitely want to use a high quality Kentucky bourbon that you would actually sip on, because the taste of the bourbon comes through in these cookies. We typically opt for either Woodford Reserve bourbon balls or Makers Mark bourbon balls (the good stuff)!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a batch of easy chocolate bourbon balls. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Vanilla wafer cookies: I use an entire box of Nilla wafers, which keeps it simple — no measuring required!
- Pecans: these are a classic addition to the traditional cookies, but you can sub with walnuts or another variety of nut if you prefer.
- Powdered sugar: for sweetness, and for rolling.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: gives them their chocolate flavor. I use Hershey’s cocoa powder, but any similar variety will work.
- Corn syrup: Karo light corn syrup is my favorite for its subtle vanilla flavor.
- Bourbon: pick a high quality Kentucky bourbon, since this is the prominent flavor in the bourbon balls.
- Salt: just a pinch or two will balance the sweetness and add depth of flavor.
How to Make Kentucky Bourbon Balls
This old fashioned bourbon balls recipe is about as simple as it gets — no baking necessary! You’ll find the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Stir together all of the ingredients.
- Cover the mixture and chill for 1 hour.
- Scoop and roll the dough, then coat in powdered sugar.
- Refrigerate until read to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Thanks to their boozy nature and festive snowball appearance, Kentucky bourbon balls are a classic addition to holiday cookie trays. Prepare a big batch in advance and store them in your fridge for drop-in guests, for the cookie tray at your next Christmas party, or for packaging and sharing as gifts with friends and neighbors.
They’re delicious alongside cocktails, additional bourbon, a mug of hot chocolate, or a cup of mulled cider.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Unlike other Christmas cookies that get dry, hard, or stale after just a few days on the counter, you can easily prepare a batch of these cookies in advance. The bourbon balls will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 weeks.
- How to Freeze: Wrap the bourbon balls in plastic wrap and again in aluminum foil. Package in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Storage: If you have deep containers, you can store them in layers, separating them with wax paper or parchment paper. They’re fine to leave out on a holiday cookie tray for a party, but they tend to get soft if they’re left out for too long. I prefer to keep the balls in my fridge, only taking them out when I’m ready to serve them.
Chocolate Bourbon Ball Recipe Variations
- Instead of Kentucky bourbon, use an equal amount of another type of whiskey or rum for whiskey balls or rum balls.
- For a more mild bourbon flavor, replace half of the bourbon with water or milk.
- Swap out the pecans for walnuts or other nuts that you enjoy.
- Cut the ingredients in half for a smaller batch of bourbon balls.
- For a more prominent pecan flavor, toast the nuts before adding them to the dough. Just allow plenty of time for them to cool before combining them with the other ingredients.
- I use regular Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder; however, you can try the Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder if you like dark chocolate bourbon balls.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Bourbon Balls Recipe
- To quickly crush the vanilla wafers and pecans, put them in a food processor and pulse until they’re in fine crumbs.
- The cookie mixture should not be sticky or wet, but it should be moist enough to hold together when rolled. If it seems too dry and crumbly, gradually add extra bourbon or water until it comes together in a workable dough.
- I like the flavor of Karo light corn syrup, which has a bit of vanilla in it. That said, you can use any variety of corn syrup that you have on hand.
- For a thicker coating of powdered sugar, roll the balls in confectioners’ sugar a second time before serving.
- A little bit of salt balances the sweetness and adds depth of flavor. Start with a pinch, and then gradually add more, if desired, to suit your taste.
More Easy Holiday Dessert Recipes
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Grandma’s Old Fashioned Whiskey Cake Recipe
3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Kentucky Chocolate Bourbon Balls
Ingredients
- 1 (11 ounce) box Nilla wafers, crushed or processed into fine crumbs (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup (about 4 ounces) finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup (I use Karo light corn syrup)
- ¼ cup Kentucky bourbon (I use Woodford Reserve)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine wafer crumbs, pecans, 1 cup of powdered sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, bourbon, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Stir until a soft dough comes together. If the dough looks too dry and crumbly, gradually add a little bit more bourbon (or some water) until it holds together. The dough shouldn’t be wet or sticky. Taste and season with a little bit more salt, if necessary. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
- Pour about 1 additional cup of powdered sugar into a shallow dish. Dip the palms of your hands into the powdered sugar, scoop the dough by teaspoonfuls, and roll into round balls. Roll each ball in the powdered sugar to coat.
- Store bourbon balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If desired, roll in additional powdered sugar just before serving.
Notes
- To quickly crush the vanilla wafers and pecans, put them in a food processor and pulse until they’re in fine crumbs.
- The cookie mixture should not be sticky or wet, but it should be moist enough to hold together when rolled. If it seems too dry and crumbly, gradually add extra bourbon or water until it comes together in a workable dough.
- I like the flavor of Karo light corn syrup, which has a bit of vanilla in it. That said, you can use any variety of corn syrup that you have on hand.
- For a thicker coating of powdered sugar, roll the balls in confectioners’ sugar a second time before serving.
- A little bit of salt balances the sweetness and adds depth of flavor. Start with a pinch, and then gradually add more, if desired, to suit your taste.
