Sweet, rich, creamy, and loaded with bourbon flavor, these bourbon balls make the perfect addition to your holiday cookie tray. Try this no-bake recipe for an easy and delicious festive treat.
Bourbon balls
My love of bourbon has taken on a new form: bourbon balls! These are my favorite new addition to my Christmas cookie tray!
I probably sound like a broken record these days as I continually profess my love of bourbon, but I just can’t help myself. I once hated it; now I want it in every cocktail and baked good.
As I mentioned above, I’m sharing my classic bourbon balls with you. Apparently, these are a southern favorite, but they are relatively new to me.
Bourbon balls are a no-bake candy made up of crushed vanilla wafers, pecans, bourbon, butter, and sugar. That alone tells you they are going to be delicious. And by delicious, I mean ridiculously addicting, and I want to eat all of them.
When I first learned that these bourbon balls were made with vanilla wafers, I was really confused because I would have never guessed it.
The interior texture is super smooth and creamy, kind of like a chocolate truffle, but with bourbon. I used a food processor to get my vanilla wafers to a really fine crumb.
No-bake make-ahead treat
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I’m trying to be a bit more conscious of my diet, so I’ve been avoiding sugar and my beloved bourbon. The moment I finished photographing these bourbon balls, I wrapped them up and put them in the freezer, where they will remain until Christmas!
Can you freeze these?
They stay great in the freezer for up to three months or in the fridge or at room temperature for two weeks. This means you can make them well in advance before the craziness of the holiday itself sets in.
Want more festive holiday treats? Try these:
- Salted Caramel Crumb Bars
- Orange-Almond Mushroom Sugar Cookies
- Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
- Whipped Shortbread Cookies
- Chai Spiced White Russians
And speaking of holiday cookie baking, I have a collection of 30+ amazing Christmas cookie recipes, including my all-time favorite: cream wafer cookies.
I highly recommend giving these bourbon balls a try, especially if you are a bourbon fan.
Now, if you’re looking for a delicious bourbon (which isn’t sponsored in any way), I would suggest Four Roses Single Barrel. It’s my favorite, and it works well in this recipe.
Ingredients for bourbon balls
This dessert is quite simple to make. Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make this treat:
- Crushed Vanilla Wafers: Think of the wafers as your sweet version of bread crumb base! They help to keep things all together, even when processed to a fine crumb.
- Butter: Because every good dessert needs butter.
- Bourbon: My go-to is Four Roses Single Barrel, but you can easily swap out bourbon for your spirit of choice.
- Corn Syrup: This is where all the sweetness comes from! The corn syrup adds the perfect consistency to keep the ingredients all packed together.
- Pecans: I love pecans for the crunchy, nutty taste this brings the dessert. However, you can easily substitute it for your nut of choice, such as walnuts or hazelnuts.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: Not only does this help to sweeten the recipe, but it also absorbs some of the liquid from the bourbon balls.
- Cocoa Powder: Roll your bourbon balls in cocoa powder after for a dusting of rich chocolate flavor.
Kitchen tools I recommend for this recipe:
Whether you’re wondering what equipment you’ll need for this recipe, curious about my favorite utensils, or if you’re just looking to stock your own kitchen, these are the kitchen tools I recommend for this recipe:
- Food processor
- Wooden spoon
- Mixing bowls
- Plastic wrap
- 1 tablespoon cookie scoop
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
Want more? You can find the list of My Ultimate Kitchen Essentials HERE.
How to make bourbon balls
Ready for some delicious treat-making? Here’s exactly how to make this no-bake dessert. I’ve provided a full list of the ingredients and detailed recipe instructions in a printable recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, stir together crushed vanilla wafers, butter, bourbon, corn syrup, vanilla extract, confectioners’ sugar, chopped pecans, and salt.
- Cover and chill until firm: about 30 minutes.
- Place all of the toppings into three separate bowls.
- Remove the bourbon ball mixture from the refrigerator and shape it into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the prepared toppings. (You should get about 11 balls of each topping.)
- Pack and store the bourbon balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
FAQS about no bake bourbon ball dessert
Can I substitute bourbon for different alcohol?
Absolutely! Another classic variation of this recipe is made with rum. However, you can substitute it with any liquor of choice, such as brandy, whiskey, coconut rum, or even tequila or gin (best with white chocolate balls!).
How much alcohol is in a bourbon ball?
Yes, there is real alcohol in this recipe. Since it’s a no-bake recipe, the alcohol does not burn off like it might in other recipes. You can play around with the amount of bourbon, but I think this is the perfect amount.
There’s ¼ cup of bourbon in this recipe, making around 33 balls. So you’re certainly not going to feel a buzz from eating a few of these!
The balls also get a little boozier in flavor the longer they sit, so feel free to keep them in storage until they’re ready to be eaten.
Can I make a non-alcoholic version?
Yes! Instead of using a spirit, you can substitute the liquid with juice. Whatever juice you decide on, the balls will take on that flavor. I recommend apple cider for a Christmas-inspired flavor, though it will make the balls quite sweet.
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That’s a wrap on homemade bourbon balls!
And that’s it. As you can see, they are so simple to make. I always like to include a few no-bake treats on my holiday cookie tray; these are a must-have.
I hope you’ll give these bourbon balls a try, but remember my warning: it’s hard to stop at having just one!
Nevertheless, ENJOY!
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Bourbon balls recipe:
Bourbon Balls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter - softened
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the crushed vanilla wafers, butter, bourbon, corn syrup, vanilla extract, 2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, and salt.
- Cover and chill until firm: about 30 minutes.
- Place each of the toppings into a separate bowl.
- Remove the bourbon ball mixture from the refrigerator and shape it into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the prepared toppings. (You should get about 11 balls of each topping.)
- Pack and store the bourbon balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Just finished making these and they are to die for! So simple to make too!!
Can the nuts be simply omitted for folks with nut allergies or should something be subbed for them?
Thanks!
Looks delicious! What are the prepared toppings? Looks like cocoa, powdered sugar… and what is the other? Thank you!
Hi there! All of the toppings are listed in the printable recipe card at the end of the post. The third is chopped pecans.
xo Michael
You had me at bourbon! 🤎
Pinned it! My niece makes fabulous bourbon balls but I will try this recipe, which I’m sure is fabulous.
any ideas how to make these nut free????