Bourbon Balls are a must make, classic Southern Treat for Christmas! These easy, no-bake bites only require a few ingredients and pack a bunch of boozy bourbon flavor. Any bourbon lover will want Bourbon Balls on the holiday dessert table.
Old Fashioned Bourbon Balls Recipe
Rum balls, bourbon balls, Tennessee whiskey balls...whichever way you make these classic Christmas treats one thing is for certain, they pack a punch! Of all the ways I've tried these boozy balls (ha!) I like bourbon the best. Then again I also love a good Old Fashioned on a cold night so maybe I'm just THAT little old lady, who knows.
Today I teamed up with my fellow Tastes of the Seasons blogger friends to share our favorite Christmas Treats with you! I am supplying the Bourbon Balls but if you read to the end of this post, you will find four more delicious holiday treat recipes to try. Recently we shared Christmas Cookie Recipes if you need some inspiration.
Ingredients in Bourbon Balls
Bourbon Balls really couldn't be any easier to make! With nothing more than a food processor needed and a little time for rolling, these treats can be made in a flash. Here's what you need to make classic old fashioned Bourbon Balls:
- Vanilla Wafers - you know the kind, the classic Nilla Wafer cookies or any other version you might use for banana pudding. Grab a box.
- Pecans - I use whole pecans for this but you can honestly use halves or pieces. You need a lot so grab a large bag.
- Honey - some people use corn syrup in their bourbon balls but I use honey.
- Bourbon - use the good stuff. A bourbon or whiskey that you would love to drink! These are not baked so you really get a strong bourbon punch in the flavor department. Make sure you are using a QUALITY bourbon. Woodford Reserve or Maker's Mark are two that we enjoy.
How to Make Bourbon Balls
- Process: in a food processor with the knife blade, pulse Nilla wafers until you have a fine powder. You do not want any chunks for this recipe. Remove to a bowl.
- Process again: this time, process the pecans the same way, getting the finest crumble possible.
- Mix: In a large bowl, mix together the cookies and nuts.
- Drizzle: Drizzle the mixture with a combination of the bourbon and honey (stirred together.) Mix until well combined.
- Roll: Scoop and roll the mixture into small 1" bite sized balls.
- Roll Again: Roll in powdered sugar or cocoa powder.
Tips For Making Bourbon Balls
- Process your ingredients as finely as possible! This will help you roll out smooth balls that stick together well without crumbing.
- Use a cookie scoop to make your bourbon balls all uniform and work faster! I like using a small cookie scoop for this.
- If you like a sweeter bourbon ball, you might want to substitute the honey in this recipe for corn syrup. Personally I love the flavor of the honey and the subtle sweetness. The cookies add just enough sugar, in my opinion.
- Roll in powdered sugar but then roll again just before serving. Bourbon balls have a tendency to get rather sticky so you will want to freshen them up before serving.
- Refrigerate for the best flavor and texture! Although they can be left at room temperature, I love them cold right out of the refrigerator.
What is the best bourbon for bourbon balls?
The secret to really good bourbon balls, is using really good bourbon. Now, I know my Dad has educated me well on the regional differences between bourbon and whiskey, and you can look that up for yourself if you are interested in some boozy history. My personal favorites are Bulleit Bourbon and Woodford Reserve. Makers Mark will also work nicely for this recipe.
Once you mix in your bourbon and honey, you should have a nice sticky and crumbly dough. From this point on it's just scooping and rolling and dredging in powdered sugar. Enlist help at this point as this recipe makes about 4 dozen!
Rolling Bourbon Balls
You can either roll bourbon balls in powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, or more crushed Nilla wafers. It's really your preference however I will say that classic powdered sugar is the best tasting!
How to Store Bourbon Balls
The amazing thing about bourbon balls is, they last a really long time in the land of Christmas treats and cookies. You can thank the bourbon for that! Store in a sealed tupperware container in the refrigerator for at least a week. If you are coating some with powdered sugar and some with cocoa powder, you may want to separate the flavors with waxed paper.
Can you Freeze Bourbon Balls?
Yes! You absolutely can. I recommend skipping the powdered sugar if you plan to freeze them. Freeze in an air tight container or ziplock bag until ready to serve. Thaw in the refrigerator until soft enough to eat. Roll in powdered sugar just before serving.
More of My Favorite Christmas Treat Recipes:
- White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
- Orange Gumdrop Bars
- Easy Chocolate Pecan Fudge
- Christmas Wreaths
- Eggnog French Toast
- Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Peels
M&M Bars by Ella Claire & Co. | Bourbon Balls by Freutcake | Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls by Inspired by Charm
Famous Christmas Fudge by Handmade Farmhouse | Dairy Free Peppermint Chocolate Truffles by Zevy Joy
Love Bourbon? You Will Enjoy These Recipes:
- Bourbon Maple Apple Cider
- Old Fashioned Cherry Cake
- Whiskey Cherry Nut Fudge
- Baked Eggnog French Toast with Whiskey Whipped Cream
- 4 Bourbon Whiskey co*cktail Recipes to Try
- Manhattan Truffles
- Old Fashioned Mix
I hope you make my Bourbon Ball Recipe I would love it if you would come back and comment and give it a rating in the box below! It means so much to me and to my readers. Also a reminder...these bourbon ball are not for kids as they DO have alcohol in them. Happy Bourbon Ball making!
Old Fashioned Bourbon Balls
Yield: 48
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Classic southern bourbon balls.
Ingredients
- 16 oz box Vanilla Wafer Cookies
- 4 cups whole pecans
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- ½ cup good quality Bourbon
- ½ cup powdered sugar, for rolling
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling
Instructions
- In a food processor fitted with with the knife blade, process vanilla wafer cookies until they are a fine crumb. Remove to a large mixing bowl.
- Add pecans and process as finely as possible. This will be a fine chop. Stir into vanilla wafers.
- In a measuring cup combine honey and bourbon and stir together.
- Drizzle bourbon mixture over the cookie and nuts and mix together until well combined.
- Use a 1" cookie scoop to scoop out dough. Roll into balls in the palm of your hands.
- Roll in powdered sugar or cocoa powder and place on a lined cookie sheet
- Store in an airtight container with a lid in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
Tips For Making Bourbon Balls
- Process your ingredients as finely as possible! This will help you roll out smooth balls that stick together well without crumbing.
- Use a cookie scoop to make your bourbon balls all uniform and work faster! I like using a small cookie scoop for this.
- If you like a sweeter bourbon ball, you might want to substitute the honey in this recipe for corn syrup. Personally I love the flavor of the honey and the subtle sweetness. The cookies add just enough sugar, in my opinion.
- Roll in powdered sugar but then roll again just before serving. Bourbon balls have a tendency to get rather sticky so you will want to freshen them up before serving.
- Refrigerate for the best flavor and texture! Although they can be left at room temperature, I love them cold right out of the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 237Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 76mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 3g
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