These boozy Bourbon Balls have been a Christmas tradition in my family for generations! No bake, and just a few easy steps—find a spot for them on the spread at your next holiday cocktail party!
Today would be my Grandma Henrietta’s 91st birthday. Sadly, I never got to celebrate her birthday with her in person, but my mom and sisters and I go out every year on her birthday to celebrate! My mom has kept her memory alive and well for me, and all of my siblings, through countless stories of my adventurous grandma who grew up on a ranch in North Dakota in the 1920’s. I think she and I would have been very close—from what my mom tells me, we have so many similarities. She was super crafty, which she passed down to my mom, who passed it on to me. And while she didn’t do a lot of cooking, when she did, my mom tells me it was always delicious.
^^^ Grandma Henrietta and Mom, 1975
My favorite recipe of hers is her Bourbon Balls. They have been a Christmas staple in our family for generations. My mom has made these every year for Christmas for as long as I can remember. I started making them myself a few years ago, and this year I made a slightly tweaked vegan version, which were quickly devoured at my church group’s Christmas party. These are the real deal—I hope my Grandma would be proud!
The dough for these Bourbon Balls comes together quickly in the food processor, and there is no baking involved. Just some chocolatey, messy rolling and you’re done! I hope that these become a favorite in your family like they are in mine! Share them with your friends too—they’ll love you for it! Be sure to tag me when you make these! {#frieddandelions // @frieddandelions}
Grandma Henrietta’s Bourbon Balls
Ingredients
- 8 ounces plain crispy cookies (I like Annie’s Bunny Cookies, small animal crackers, etc. If you are GF, try some Enjoy Life cookies.)
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs use GF if needed
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar plus 1/4 cup saved for rolling
- 1 cup chopped walnuts see below for a nut free version
- 1/4 cup organic corn syrup or use another liquid sweetener if you prefer
- 1/4 cup bourbon
Instructions
- Pulse cookies and walnuts in food processor until they are a medium crumb.
- Add cocoa powder, bread crumbs, and powdered sugar and pulse again.
- Add corn syrup, bourbon, and mix well.
- Check the consistency—it should be a sticky dough that you can form a ball with. If it’s not moist enough, add more bourbon and corn syrup, 1 T at a time.
- Form into 1 “ balls (I used a teaspoon scoop to keep them uniform in size), and roll in confectioner’s sugar. Your hands will get pretty messy during the rolling process, but it is easy work. Blast your Christmas music and get rolling—I was able to get 5 dozen balls out of this batch of dough!
Notes
