This is an authentic Kentucky Bourbon Balls recipe. They are rich, smooth, decadent, and delicious! It’s a Southern delicacy of a sweet boozy confection of sugar, pecans, and bourbon.
Bourbon Balls
We recently took a trip to Kentucky and did the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. I wasn’t a fan of bourbon until this trip. After learning the process and testing all the different bourbon formulas, I quickly became a fan. Although I prefer Woodford Reserve and Maker’s Mark over the others, every tour offered a unique and interesting experience.
Bourbon Balls – Shop this post
You may also like Peppermint Bark, Oreo Cookie Balls, and Buckeye Balls.
Bourbon Balls
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 3 Tablespoons Woodford Reserve Kentucky bourbon
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar sift and measure carefully
- 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- Optional toppings - pecan halves chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds, cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, sea salt
Instructions
- Mix pecans and bourbon in a bowl and allow to soak for an hour.
- Cream (or mix) butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until smooth
- Then add pecans and bourbon to the butter and sugar mixer.
- Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. Refrigerate 2 hours.
- Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted, stirring after each interval. Using a fork to hold the bourbon ball, dip each ball in chocolate covering completely. Hold ball over chocolate a few seconds to allow excess to drip off. Place back on waxed paper to cool completely. *If you choose to top with a pecan half, nuts, or salt immediately press on top of the ball before chocolate cools and hardens.
Notes
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EMILY says
Are these thick enough to leave plain? I am thinking i want to make some bourban bars ( I hate dipping things in CHoc) But the recipe i have used in the past was too wet to do that I had to freeze them then choc coat them
Paula says
Yes, they’re are dense and I think they’ll do fine to leave plain
Sam says
Hi,
If I freeze these, do I do so before or after they are coated in chocolate?
Paula says
I would freeze before dipping in chocolate.
Jeanie says
I’ve made these twice and both times ended up using 1/2 cup of butter. I also like more bourbon flavor so on the 2nd try I added a little extra bourbon after everything was mixed and then “kneaded” it in with a little extra powder sugar. They came out great!!!!
Monica says
3 1/2cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 C (4 T) butter do not “cream”. At best, in those proportions they creat a powdery mix. Suggestions? Only two days to Derby!
Paula says
Add more butter or bourbon if needed to stick together, however be careful of adding too much or they won’t be firm
Dianna says
How much butter did you end up using? Having same problem, just a powdery mix.
Marvina says
You say your recipe is correct. Yet , the cream that you talk about is not on your recipe. So what type of cream????
Paula says
It is correct. “Cream butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until smooth” as in “Mix butter and sugar together….”
Michele says
In the recipe yiu have 3T of boubon to mix with pecans. In comments 3T cream to be mixed with chocolate. I’m confused if the bourbon amount is correct.
Paula says
3 T bourbon with pecan. no cream in chocolate
Tracy says
Can these be frozen then thawed prior to use?
Paula says
yes, I typically make a lot early then freeze for Christmas gifts