Bourbon Balls

Makes Twenty-two 1¼ inch balls

Plan Ahead: Make a minimum of 1 day, up to 6 weeks, ahead.

These no-bake cookies are a holiday favorite of anyone who loves the flavor of bourbon. I perfected them many years ago for my book Rose’s Christmas Cookies, and the recipe has become a treasured part of many people’s annual tradition. The homemade chocolate wafers are truly worth the extra effort.

Makes 450 grams dough

unsalted butter	28 grams	2 tablespoons
chocolate wafers, preferably homemade	192 grams	6.7 ounces
pecan halves	75 grams	¾ cup
powdered sugar	72 grams	½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (lightly spooned into the cup and leveled off)
unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder	25 grams	⅓ cup
corn syrup	42 grams	2 tablespoons (30 ml)
bourbon, preferably Maker’s Mark	22 to 37 grams	1½ to 2½ tablespoons (22.5 to 37.5 ml)
granulated sugar, for coating the balls	75 grams	¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons

Mise en Place

▪ About 1 hour ahead, set the butter on the counter at room temperature (65º to 75ºF/19º to 24ºC).

▪ If using the food processor method, in several batches, pulverize the wafers into fine crumbs. Empty them into a large bowl.

▪ If using the hand method, finely grate the pecans. Smash the wafers into fine crumbs by placing them in a reclosable freezer bag and rolling with a rolling pin. Empty the crumbs into a large bowl.

Make the Dough

Food Processor Method

1. Process the pecans with the powdered sugar and cocoa until finely ground.

2. Cut the butter into 3 pieces and add it and the corn syrup to the nut mixture. Process until combined.

3. Add this mixture to the cookie crumbs and, with your fingers or a wooden spoon, mix until evenly incorporated.

Hand Method

1. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa into the bowl with the cookie crumbs.

2. Add the butter, pecans, and corn syrup.

3. With a wooden spoon, stir until uniform in consistency.

Mix in the Bourbon

4. Add 1½ tablespoons/22.5 ml of the bourbon to the cookie crumb mixture. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture until it is uniform in consistency and begins to clean the bowl. Add a teaspoon at a time of the remaining bourbon if the mixture is too dry to hold together.

5. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to absorb evenly. Add more bourbon if needed.

Roll the Bourbon Balls and Coat with Sugar

6. Scoop out level tablespoons (20 grams each) of the mixture to press and roll between the palms of your hands to shape into 1¼ inch balls.

7. Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Add one ball at a time and roll it around in the sugar. The coating is most attractive when dipped three times. Redip after the sugar starts to disappear.

8. Place the balls in a paper towel– or crumpled parchment–lined airtight container.

Store Airtight: room temperature, 6 weeks.

Baking Pearl

I prefer granulated sugar for coating the balls. Superfine sugar will lend a whiter appearance.

Make This Recipe Your Own

Bourbon gives the best flavor. However, other whiskeys can be substituted.

A mixture of 30 grams/2 tablespoons/30 ml water and 1½ teaspoons /7.5 ml pure vanilla extract can be substituted for the bourbon.

Making Bourbon Balls

Mise en place for the ingredients.

Check to see if the mixture holds together.

Press the mixture together to form balls.

Coat the balls in sugar.