Oh, Balls, Bourbon Balls.

There are client offices where I have been told, “DO NOT BRING THOSE COOKIES IN HERE unless you brought at least six dozen.” Yes, Virginia, they are, in fact, that good. And yes, I ALWAYS had a box for the building security office as well.

While the taste and aroma of bourbon are present, there is actually very little bourbon in each ball. (No blaming me for getting wasted at the office. My fruit cake is much more deadly.)

From Wikipedia:

A bourbon ball is a Southern delicacy invented by Ruth Hanly Booe of Rebecca Ruth Candy in 1938.

Bourbon balls come in many different shapes, sizes, and flavors but are usually bite-sized confections incorporating bourbon and dark chocolate as the main ingredients. In Rebecca Ruth’s recipe, the center piece of the bourbon ball is a creamy candy dough that is infused with bourbon and other secret ingredients. The creamy center is then enrobed in dark chocolate and topped off with a southern pecan. Knowing whether or not the center piece is bourbon filled or infused creates a strong difference for the taster: bourbon filled is usually likened to taking a shot, whereas bourbon infused may be described as having more of a subtle kick.

The most common variation for home cooked recipes is regional to the southern United States and incorporates crushed cookies, corn syrup, chopped pecans, and bourbon into a mixture that is formed into balls and coated in powdered sugar to prevent the evaporation of the alcohol. Once molded they are aged for up to a week in a sealed container in a cool dark place before serving. They will stay edible for up to a month before becoming too frail to pick up in one piece as the evaporation process desiccates the packed structure of the cookie.

Another variation has a similar filling, but with a chocolate exterior. The filling can also be similar to a truffle or a cherry cordial, with added bourbon.

Using other types of alcohol one can make rum balls, flavored vodka balls, or liqueur balls.

Oh, Balls, Bourbon Balls that is

A no-bake cookie, strong with the spirit of the season

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Age Time 1 day d

Total Time 1 day d 3 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert, PubGrub, Snack

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 36 balls

Calories 67 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Vanilla wafer crumbs Put them in a bag and beat tar out of them
• 1 cup Pecan Finely chopped, spiced, roasted or raw
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup Bourbon Drinkable, but not top shelf
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup

Instructions

 

• Thoroughly combine the vanilla wafer crumbs, chopped pecans, 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, and cocoa powder.
• In a separate bowl, blend the bourbon and corn syrup.
• Stir the bourbon mixture into the dry mixture. Stir and mix well with the help of a wooden or stainless steel spoon.
• Cover the mixture and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
• Once the mixture is chilled and ready to be shaped, sift about 1/2 to 1 cup of confectioners' sugar into a wide, shallow bowl.
• Wet your hands with cold water and shape small bits of the dough into balls.
• Roll them in the confectioners' sugar.
• Place in a container with a tight lid, separate layers with wax paper
• store in the refrigerator tightly covered for a day to age

Notes

One can replace the bourbon with

• Tequila
• Rum
• Frangelico
• Baileys
• Kahula

You can replace the pecans with other nuts; peanuts are not suggested.

One can roll the balls in a half-and-half mixture of cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar

If the balls are sticky when you take them from the fridge, you used too much bourbon, you lush.  Just take them for a roll in the sugar mixture

Nutrition

Calories: 67kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 0.4gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 0.03mgSodium: 13mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.1mg

Keyword Bourbon, Candy, Cookies

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