Our traditional Southern recipe for Bourbon Balls is so deliciously festive, once you try them, you’re sure to make them a part of your holiday traditions!
No, the holidays are not a requirement for whipping up a batch of Bourbon Balls. Nonetheless, every single time I make them, I can feel the holiday spirit come over me. My Easy Bourbon Pecan Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze gives me that feeling too.
That heartwarming feeling is definitely not coming exclusively from a batch of cookies (or the bourbon), no matter how tasty they might be. My Grandma never went a single year without including this recipe on her Christmas cookie tray. She made these from scratch, she didn’t care for the newer tradition of bourbon balls recipe vanilla wafers.
Looking for more no bake treats? I hope you’ll try my rum balls, polar bear paws, or crockpot candy next!
WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT THIS RECIPE
- Super easy to make!
- Perfect for cookie bakes and party trays.
- No baking necessary! Now that’s Holiday helpful ♥
What Are Bourbon Balls?
A delicacy that originated in the South, Bourbon Balls are a popular addition to holiday cookie trays throughout the country. They’re easy to make, incredibly delicious and combine chopped pecans and punchy bourbon rolled with butter and powdered sugar…and covered in a lovely chocolate coating. If you’re staying on theme, they make a fantastic compliment to my decadent Bourbon Brownies. Just sayin’.
My Grandma made these no bake only, which makes them incredibly appealing for holiday gift giving! They leave the oven free, so you can technically make two types of cookies at once! We’ve all had those optimistic times that start out as a good idea but end with sleepless night and exhaustion getting the neighbors’ goodies finished! These can help change that. More treats, less bake. Good idea?
Bourbon Balls Ingredients
This is a Bourbon Balls recipe without vanilla wafers, and therefore differs quite a bit from the Bourbon Balls recipe Southern Living has posted.
- Pecans
- Bourbon
- Butter
- Powder Sugar
- Chocolate Chips
- Shortening
Recipe Notes for Bourbon Balls
Chocolate: I often switch up the type of chocolate that I use. Milk, dark or even white works! You can also skip the coating all together and just roll them in powdered sugar like the classic Kentucky Bourbon Balls recipe. So yummy!
Shortening: Don’t skip it! Adding oil to the chocolate before melting will keep it from drying out. If you overheat your chocolate, a little bit of shortening is a quick fix as well!
Vanilla Wafers: These can be made with or without. My Grandma made hers without, so that’s how I make them, but there’s no harm in trying a bourbon balls recipe with vanilla wafers. Finely crush them and substitute them for half of the pecans in the cookie recipe. Subbing all the pecans for vanilla wafers is a great way to make a bourbon balls no nuts recipe.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead + Shipping
- How To Store: If kept in the refrigerator, Bourbon Balls will stay tasty for 7-10 days. If you freeze them, you’re looking at 3-6 months of goodness.
- How Do You Freeze Bourbon Balls? Are you suffering from an overabundance of Bourbon Balls? Maybe you’re making batch after batch in anticipation of
- holiday demand. Either way, you probably want to freeze them. All you’ve got to do to freeze your Bourbon Balls is place them in a freezer safe bag or container and pop them in the freezer! Simple.
- Can You Make Bourbon Balls Ahead Of Time? Yes you can! In fact, Bourbon Balls are perfect to make in advance. You can make the entire recipe ahead of time, and that makes them easy to tote to a holiday party or cookie bake. Bourbon balls also make a wonderful gift! I keep them in the fridge until I’m ready to take them on the go! Pop them into a cute holiday container and you’re all set!
- Are Bourbon Balls Good For Shipping?
- **NOTE- If I’m planning on making these for travel, I omit the vegetable shortening when making the melted chocolate dipping. Without the shortening the melted chocolate will be a little more fussy as it begins to cool during the duration of the dipping process and the coating may not be quite as shinny. BUT, the coating will harden more densely as it cools, making it more suitable for shipping.
- Once they harden, they can travel. You’ll want to place each bourbon ball in individual paper candy cups and if you’re traveling with more than one layer, place waxed paper in between the layers, in an airtight tin or container.
- These honestly aren’t my favorite for shipping, but you can do it. Surround them with bubble wrap, packing peanuts and love…so they don’t usually crack or break. Shell out the extra cash for priority shipping as well, to make sure your tasty treats arrive quickly and intact.
How Do You Make Bourbon Balls?
1. In a bowl, pour whiskey over chopped pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and soak overnight, or up to 3-5 days. Stir pecans occasionally to ensure it’s evenly soaked. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside. Add butter to a mixing bowl and beat the butter until it’s creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually.
2. Beat until the mixture is dry and crumbly, like coarse salt.
3. Add soaked pecans to the mixture.
4. Mix.
5. Form dough into 3/4 inch balls and set on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate overnight.
6. Microwave chocolate chips and vegetable shortening on high for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir. Continue heating for 30 seconds until completely melted.
7. Poke a toothpick into the top of each ball. Dip it into the melted chocolate and cover ball completely.
8. Use spoon as needed to cover the top with chocolate.
9. Return the chocolate covered ball to the tray. Remove toothpicks and dab a little chocolate on the top to cover the toothpick hole.
10. Sprinkle the top of each bourbon ball with chopped pecans. Place in the fridge overnight to set.
More No Bake Holiday Treats…
- Haystack Cookies
- White Trash Recipe
- Reindeer Nutter Butter Treats
- Reindeer Oreos
- Rocky Road Candy
- Scotcharoos
- Buckeye Recipe
- Church Window Cookies
Bourbon Balls
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 (16-ounce) package confectioners' sugar
Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
- 1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the chopped pecans to a small bowl. Pour whiskey over pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to soak for a minimum of overnight, or for best results, 3-5 of days.
- Stir the pecans occasionally to make sure they all get a chance to soak up the bourbon. If the bourbon gets soaked up before you're ready to make these, I top them off with extra bourbon.
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside.
- Add butter to a medium mixing bowl. Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the butter until it is creamy. Gradually add in powdered sugar, beat until the mixture is dry and crumbly, like coarse sand. Stir in soaked pecans.
- Form dough into 3/4 inch balls and set on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate overnight.
- Add chocolate chips and vegetable shortening to a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir vigorously. Continue as needed, heating for 30-second intervals and stirring until melted.
- Poke a toothpick a 1/4 inch into the top of each ball. Dip in melted chocolate and cover the ball completely, in chocolate, using a spoon as needed to cover the top with chocolate.
- Return the chocolate covered ball to the tray so the chocolate can set. Remove toothpicks and dab a little melted chocolate on the top to cover the toothpick hole.
- Sprinkle top with a few chopped pecans. Continue with the rest of the balls. Place in the fridge overnight to set completely.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
How many cups of powdered sugar in a 16 once bag? I have been using 3 1/2 cups for my recipe but I’m not sure if this is correct. Please help.
Vonnie
Hi, Veronica. 16 ounce bag of powdered sugar is equivalent to 3.63 US cups.
Any chance you could make these without the nuts? I had a client who made them that way because my husband has allergies but I don’t have her recipe… this is the closest I have found….
Hi Jennifer. I’m sorry I haven’t made these without nuts so I can’t advise!
I would love to send a batch of these to my son in Japan. He is stationed in there in the Navy and would like to know how they would send. Thanks
Hi Cynthia, I don’t think these would travel well. Sorry 🙁
They sound great, but I don’t drink and I don’t want anyone to see me buy a bottle of bourbon, neither do I want my kids to see it in my kitchen. Any suggestions, like maybe orange juice? Thank you. I would like to make them and the fact they can be frozen is an excellent bonus. Thank you for your answer and the recipe.
Hi Jeannette! That sounds like a delicious way to make them. I’d consider trying cherry juice as well. Good Luck! <3
This looks like an old recipe I had (and misplaced) for Bourbon Balls or Kentucky Colonels. A difference being soaking the pecans vs adding the bourbon to the butter/ps mix. I think as you have outlined will yield a neater experience for sure. If they stayed around long enough or were not designated for gifting, they were awesome straight out of the fridge – the coolness was a nice contrast to the warmth of the bourbon. I’m anxious to give this one a go. Thanks for posting.
Hi, Adrea! I hope you’ll give this a try. You can do it! 🙂 <3
I think I could handle these! Pinning!
Thank you, Karly!! 🙂
Pecan allergy here – I’m assuming no change is needed if I sub almonds for the pecans?
You are correct! Enjoy <3