No-Bake Bourbon Balls Recipe
These little nuggets are a perfect holiday treat. They’re easy, no-bake, only take 15 minutes of prep, they’re portable, you can make them days (or weeks) in advance, and just one appliance is dirtied. Love treats like this during this busy time of year! And let’s not forget they’re chewy, fudgy, and have bourbon in them. Candy and booze all in one bite, my kind of holiday cheer. There’s only 1/4 cup bourbon in the entire batch so you’re not going to get tipsy unless you get carried away and eat a few dozen in one siting. These bourbon balls are great for holiday cookie exchanges and perfect to set out at a Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve party.
What’s in These Bourbon Balls?
To make this easy no-bake dessert, you’ll need:
Nilla Wafers Confectioners’ sugar Unsweetened cocoa powder Bourbon Cinnamon Ground ginger Light corn syrup Salt
How to Make Bourbon Balls
Blend the Nilla Wafers in a food processor until they’re finely ground. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until combined. The proper consistency for the mixture is like wet sand; when squeezed it should hold together. Scoop the mixture into small balls, then immediately dredge in confectioners’ sugar. Place the bourbon balls into a container and refrigerate until chilled.
Can I Add Nuts to These Bourbon Balls?
I’ve tried these with nuts in addition to the Nilla wafers, but for this recipe I omitted the nuts. You can substitute up to 1 cup ground pecans or walnuts for 1 cup of the Nilla Wafers if you’re feeling like getting nutty.
Can I Omit the Bourbon?
The bourbon provides a depth of flavor you can’t achieve without it. You can substitute with rum or whiskey if you’re so inclined. Since someone will ask, I don’t think there’s a way to make them non-alcoholic. I recommend these or these instead.
Tips for Making Bourbon Balls
If desired, you can use honey, agave, or molasses instead of the corn syrup. Just use whichever you have on hand! When rolling the bourbon balls in confectioners’ sugar, I always make it a thick coating since it tends to ‘disappear’ a bit over time and become absorbed into the ball. I prefer to store and serve these bourbon balls chilled, although they can be stored and served at room temp.
More Easy No-Bake Desserts:
White Chocolate-Dipped Oreo Cookie Balls – Easy, no-bake recipe for the classic truffles that everyone loves! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Stacks – Easy, no-bake treats that are a holiday favorite! They have it all: Salty, sweet, crunchy, and gooey with chocolate and peanut butter! Great for cookie exchanges or impromptu parties!
Cowboy Bark: Trader Joe’s Copycat Recipe – Just like the real thing & ready in 5 minutes. Salty-and-sweet and supremely good!
Chocolate Saltine Toffee (aka Christmas Crack) – This stuff lives up to it’s name and is extremely addictive! Salty, sweet, crunchy, chewy and a holiday favorite everyone loves! Easy recipe!
Graham Cracker Toffee (aka Graham Cracker CRACK) – Sweet, buttery, caramely, perfectly chocolaty, topped with toffee bits for extra crunch! Lives up to its name and extremely addictive! An easy holiday and party favorite!
