There are many different recipes for bourbon balls. This one is my favorites and the easiest for me to make. These smooth chocolate confections are so good and addictive!
1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, not margarine, softened(I use organic)
16 ounces or 2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup pecans, finely ground
4 tablespoons 100 proof Kentucky bourbon (can use more or less and could use another kind of bourbon)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
pecan halves for garnish
Cream butter and sugar. Add pecans, bourbon and vanilla extract mixing well with mixer. Chill this mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and make into balls using about a teaspoon of mixture for each one. Place on wax paper on cookie sheet and put back in freezer for 30 more minutes. When 30 minutes are up, melt the chocolate chips about 2 minutes in the microwave. (The smaller the container or bowl you use to melt the chips the easier it is to dip the bourbon balls in the chocolate). Some people use a toothpick to hold the bourbon balls. It is easier for me to just drop them in the chocolate and use a wooden spoon to cover. Remove each bourbon ball and place on a clean piece of wax paper on cookie sheet. Add a pecan half on top. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes until chocolate hardens. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 30 bourbon balls depending on the size you make them. Enjoy!
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Easy Chocolate Beignets
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my dear friend Mickie Clayton loved her bourbon – I will make these in her memory…
Thanks for sharing..what a nice gift these will make….
I cannot print this recipe. These bourbon balls look delicious! Could you tell me how to print or I guess I can just copy by hand. Many thanks Have a happy holiday season Gran C
Sent from my iPad
You click on the name of the recipe at the top, then look at the bottom of that page and you will see where it says: “print/pdf”. Click on that and you can remove the picture and any text you don’t want and print.
Ok dumb questions but can you taste the bourbon and are they ok for kids to eat?
Yes, you can taste the bourbon. They are not cooked so it is like giving them alcohol I guess.
What could you use instead of the boubon? I know bourbon is their name, but I would like to substitue it. Thanks
You could use rum extract.
I have a daughter with nut allergies. While I could leave off the pecan garnish, what would I use in place of the ground pecans? Thanks.
I guess you could try leaving them out. You could try coconut.
I believe you can use vanilla wafer in place of the nuts. They would still absorb liquid but not change the overall taste. I developed a severe nut allergy after having eaten them for years and had to find ways to adjust some favorite recipes.
I have a bottle of Buffalo Trace with that work?
Yes, it will work. I don’t think it is 100 proof but they just won’t be as strong, that’s all.
I’ve made a cookie very similar to these for years. My step sons and daughter-in-law look for them each year. I have never coated them with melted chocolate before. I’ll do that this year. Thanks for the idea. Have you started making your cookies yet? I have a couple in the freezer and it’s not even Dec.
Balisha
Hi Balisha, I have been making candy and cookies since Thanksgiving. I can’t get ahead. They get eaten before I can store them away for Christmas! Hope you and Joe had a great Thanksgiving.
i love this site it has a lot of recipies i really like thank you very much
i love to cook bbq , chicken, ribs, deer, pigs, we do a lot of out door cooking
Could I use Irish whiskey?
Yes, you could.
Could I use ground almonds instead of pecans?
Yes, you could use almonds.
These were one of Katherine’s favorites when we toured some bourbon distilleries last year. These look great.
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Could I use Cherry Rum instead of the Kentucky Bourbon? Think it would give them a completely different taste. Cherry flavored chocolate balls…yes??
Yes, you could. Sounds good.
Awww..Thank you very much..
How do you keep the bourbon balls from melting when dipped in the hot chocolate?? Mine fall apart, melt and make a runny mess..What am I doing wrong???
Did you put the filling in the freezer for 30 minutes twice? Maybe, you have your chocolate too hot, try letting it cool a little or freezing the filling longer. You do have to work fast when coating them.
Yes Maam I did both the 30 min steps. Not sure what I’m doing wrong but I will keep trying. Thank you so much answering so quickly. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
I wanted to make these for my mother for Christmas and they turned out horrible. I’m not sure what I did wrong. I added all they ingredients like you said but my mixture turned out way too runny. I put it in the freezer for up to an hour and it still didn’t harden. I felt like I should have used less bourbon. I’ll try again next year I suppose.