Yum! - Bourbon Balls

[ratcheer]

My wife and I made our first ever Kentucky Bourbon Balls, yesterday. I searched and found the simplest, most authentic looking recipe I could find. They are delicious, and match the first ones I ever tasted back in the 60s. Vanilla wafers, cocoa powder, corn syrup, Kentucky straight Bourbon whiskey, chopped pecans, and confectioner's sugar. Yum!

 

Tim

Edited December 20, 2018 by ratcheer

[Richnimrod]

7 hours ago, ratcheer said:

My wife and I made our first ever Kentucky Bourbon Balls, yesterday. I searched and found the simplest, most authentic looking recipe I could find. They are delicious, and match the first ones I ever tasted back in the 60s. Vanilla wafers, cocoa powder, corn syrup, Kentucky straight Bourbon whiskey, chopped pecans, and confectioner's sugar. Yum!

 

Tim

Check out The Whiskey Apostle blog.   An EXCELLENT, if a bit involved, recipe for Bourbon Balls, as well as Fudge and Tookies.

[Kane]

It's our workplace tradition to bring in bourbon balls before the holidays, so I had plenty today myself! Today's were served with a warning sign on the tray, that they were made with KC SB and contained an "experimental amount" of bourbon. Couldn't catch the chef to ask what that meant, but folks were visibly wobbly for the rest of the day.

[bayouredd]

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 1:44 PM, ratcheer said:

My wife and I made our first ever Kentucky Bourbon Balls, yesterday. I searched and found the simplest, most authentic looking recipe I could find. They are delicious, and match the first ones I ever tasted back in the 60s. Vanilla wafers, cocoa powder, corn syrup, Kentucky straight Bourbon whiskey, chopped pecans, and confectioner's sugar. Yum!

 

Tim

I have tried this same recipe. The first time, I overdid the bourbon a little. hic!!!

[PaulO]

Can you post the recipe?

[fishnbowljoe]

A number of years ago, Dawn (luv2hunt) brought some to Bardstown a few times. They were great, and I asked her for her recipe. She graciously gave me the recipe, and I made them a couple of times. Alas, I misplaced the recipe, so I’ve been without balls the last couple of years. 

 

Biba! Joe

[smokinjoe]

All this ball talk at this time of year brings this SNL classic to mind...

 

[HoustonNit]

My wife and I made our first ever Kentucky Bourbon Balls, yesterday. I searched and found the simplest, most authentic looking recipe I could find. They are delicious, and match the first ones I ever tasted back in the 60s. Vanilla wafers, cocoa powder, corn syrup, Kentucky straight Bourbon whiskey, chopped pecans, and confectioner's sugar. Yum!
 
Tim

Could you share the recipe, I think I have all the ingredients and would like to make some for Santa. Well I might need to get more bourbon, otherwise I got everything.

[Kane]

How long do you chill your balls? The most I went for was 3 days, but there are folks who swear a few weeks of rest in the fridge makes all the difference.

 

Also I learned that the "experimental" stuff I mentioned above contained 1.5oz/ball of KCSB, and they were left in the freezer overnight.

[lilsweetpea]

Please share your recipes!  I know some family members that would love to be guinea pig taste testers to find the best recipe!

 

[ratcheer]

Now, I'm having trouble finding the exact recipe we used. I'll do my best to remember it.

 

One box (12 oz) Nilla Vanilla Wafers, crushed

One cup chopped pecans

4 oz Kentucky bourbon

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 cups confectioner's sugar

 

Combine the crushed vanilla wafers, chopped pecans, cocoa powder, and one cup of the confectioner's sugar.

 

Stir the bourbon and corn syrup until blended.  Mix into the dry ingredients.

 

Scoop the stuff and roll in your hands to make one inch balls. Roll each ball in the second cup of confectioner's sugar. Place in a storage container, separating layers with waxed paper. Refrigerate.

 

I'm pretty sure I remembered everything.

[Kane]

^ That sounds about right. Unfortunately I can't give you folks my own concrete recipe; I cook everyday but have never really followed any recipe in my life, and I can still be consistent somehow! Rather, I have a methodology. You need:

 

- A base: crushed wafers, cookies, old dry brownies, pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts, etc.

- Color and flavor: powdered sugar+cocoa, shaved milk/bitter/white chocolate

- Something to hold everything together in a ball: corn syrup, butter, or both

- Whiskey: Stir in to taste, as long as the mixture still holds form

- Coating to slow down alcohol evaporation: roll in powdered sugar, dip in melted chocolate

- Chill for a few days and enjoy! 

Edited December 26, 2018 by Kane

[HoustonNit]

Ratchet I believe we used the same recipe. I’m a pretty decent cook, meat on the grill etc., but for some reason anything that resembles baking I tend to screw up. Didn’t really think it through but decided to skimp a little on a few of the dry ingredients and surprise, surprise go a little more heavy on the bourbon. My bourbon balls where more like bourbon puddles. Still edible but not desired result. I’ll give it another go.

[GaryT]

On 12/26/2018 at 11:58 AM, ratcheer said:

Now, I'm having trouble finding the exact recipe we used. I'll do my best to remember it.

 

One box (12 oz) Nilla Vanilla Wafers, crushed

One cup chopped pecans

4 oz Kentucky bourbon

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 cups confectioner's sugar

 

Combine the crushed vanilla wafers, chopped pecans, cocoa powder, and one cup of the confectioner's sugar.

 

Stir the bourbon and corn syrup until blended.  Mix into the dry ingredients.

 

Scoop the stuff and roll in your hands to make one inch balls. Roll each ball in the second cup of confectioner's sugar. Place in a storage container, separating layers with waxed paper. Refrigerate.

 

I'm pretty sure I remembered everything.

Sounds delicious!  Reminds me of my aunt's rum balls (but with bourbon).  

 

My bourbon balls are a bit different (more of what I had when I visited Kentucky at some of the distilleries, etc).  But a lot more work to do the hard chocolate coating (and they absolutely improve with time; I can't explain why).

 

I need to try your recipe sometime!

 

https://whiskeyapostle.com/2018/12/recipe-bourbon-balls/

 

[WhiskeyBlender]

Wow, I just now saw this thread! I don't have any recipes to offer up, but I do have very fond memories of when my mother would make Bourbon balls around Christmastime in the 1970's. I still remember that yummy smell wafting through the kitchen and all over the house! I should try to make some at some point. 

 

Cheers,

Nancy