Recipes

Bourbon Balls

The Mitchell family recipe for these chocolatey confections is “boozy and bad to the bone.”

  • Serves

    Makes 28

  • Cook

    25 minutes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAOLA + MURRAY; FOOD STYLING BY REBECCA JURKEVICH; PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO

By Shane Mitchell


Updated on March 25, 2022

These chocolaty confections are what Editor-at-Large Shane Mitchell calls Southern truffles—"boozy and bad to the bone." Her family traditionally made them as a treat around the holidays, but these days, they're a year-round staple. We find that Callebaut makes particularly nice sprinkles, but if you’re not wild about them, try swapping in crushed nuts. Chocolate wafers can be substituted for vanilla.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cups light corn syrup
  • 3 Tbsp. bourbon, plus more to taste
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 28 vanilla wafers, finely ground (about 1 cup)
  • ¼ cup small chocolate sprinkles, plus more as needed

Instructions

Step 1

In a small bowl, stir together the corn syrup and bourbon (for boozier flavor, add up to 2 tablespoons more bourbon); set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the pecans, cocoa powder, and vanilla wafers. Add the reserved corn syrup mixture and stir until you have a sticky, slightly gritty uniform mass. Using moistened hands, pinch off 1 scant tablespoon and roll it into a 1-inch ball, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; repeat with the remaining bourbon balls.

Step 2

To a shallow bowl, add the sprinkles and a few of the balls and roll gently to coat. Transfer the balls to paper candy cups or a platter, then repeat with the remaining balls, adding more sprinkles to the bowl if you run out. Serve at room temperature. (Bourbon balls will keep, refrigerated or stored in a cool place, for up to 2 weeks.)

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