Description
These Bourbon Balls are rich, sweet, and boozy bite-sized treats made with crushed vanilla wafer cookies, toasted pecans, cocoa powder, and bourbon. Coated in powdered sugar, they offer a perfect combination of chocolate and nutty flavors with a smooth bourbon kick. Ideal for parties or festive occasions, these no-bake desserts are easy to prepare and keep well refrigerated.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 (11-ounce) package vanilla wafer cookies
- 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Powdered sugar for coating
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or flavoring
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Instructions
- Crush the cookies: Use a food processor or food chopper to crush the vanilla wafer cookies into fine crumbs. Alternatively, place the cookies in a large zip-top bag and crush them finely using a meat mallet or rolling pin, ensuring uniform crumbs for the mixture.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the crushed cookie crumbs, finely chopped toasted pecans, unsweetened cocoa powder, and powdered sugar until evenly mixed.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the bourbon, vanilla extract, and light corn syrup until well blended to create the liquid component of the dough.
- Form the dough: Pour the bourbon mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients. Stir thoroughly to combine until a thick, cohesive dough forms, indicating it is ready to be shaped.
- Shape the bourbon balls: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure, portion out about 1 tablespoon of dough each. Roll each portion between your palms to form roughly 1-inch diameter balls for uniform size and easy serving.
- Coat the balls: Place powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Roll each bourbon ball in the powdered sugar to fully coat, giving them a sweet, powdery finish.
- Chill and store: Transfer the coated bourbon balls to a sealed container. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to meld and balls to firm up. Store them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Crushing cookies finely helps achieve the best texture for the dough.
- To toast pecans, bake them at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden.
- You can substitute bourbon with rum or whiskey for a different flavor profile.
- Use wax paper or parchment paper when storing the balls to prevent sticking.
- The balls firm up after refrigeration but can be served at room temperature for softer texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bourbon ball
- Calories: 57 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 21 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0.1 mg
