December is here and the holiday baking season is in full swing at my house. However, one of my favorite holiday desserts is also one of the simplest to make. Bourbon balls are a classic Southern dessert. They have a rich velvety chocolate flavor that makes them irresistibly good. They are always a hit with guests and they don't require baking.
Bourbon balls are said to have been first created by the Rebecca Ruth Candy Co. in Frankfort, Ken., in 1938. There are lots of different versions of this recipe, but most are made from vanilla wafer cookies, coco powder and bourbon. As a kid I remember one of my mom's friends would always bring us a little bowl or tin of these for Christmas. They were so good that they had to be rationed out so they didn't disappear all at once.
My recipe is adapted from "Julia Reed's South: Spirited Entertaining and High Style Fun All Year Long." Reed was a celebrated journalist and foodie who was known for her entertaining. These black and white bourbon balls were her signature Christmas party dessert. She served them in a large footed bowl and would even send them home with guests in little cellophane bags as a treat.
When making these bourbon balls, I use the Nabisco Nilla wafer brand cookies because the store brand cookies just can't compare. I also like to use a good bourbon, like Maker's Mark or Michter's, because you can taste the difference.
This festive little dessert has a way of disappearing quickly, so I usually make several batches for the holiday season. I love making them for a party because they can be made ahead of time. The black and white powdered sugar and pecan topping contrast gives them an easy elegant touch. So, add a little merry to your holiday season with my Southern bourbon balls.
- Amy McCauley of Hinsdale is the paper's food columnist. Readers can email her at [email protected].
• 1 (12oz) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1½ cup confectioners' sugar, divided
• 1½ cup finely chopped pecans, divided
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup bourbon
First, crush the Nilla wafers and the pecans. Place the Nilla wafers in a food processor. Then pulse at a high speed until the wafers are finely and evenly crushed. Then pour the crumbs in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Next, pulse the pecans in the food processor until they are finely chopped. Place 1 cup of the chopped pecans in the bowl with the cookie crumbs and reserve the remaining ½ cup for rolling the balls.
Now in the bowl with the cookie crumbs and pecans mix, in 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of corn syrup and ½ cup of bourbon. Mix with a rubber spatula until well combined. Then evenly scoop and shape the cookie crumb mixture into small 2 tablespoon-sized balls. Using a small 1¾ inch cookie scoop makes it easy to create evenly shaped cookie balls.
Finish the bourbon balls by rolling them in powdered sugar and crushed pecans. Take two plates or shallow bowls and fill one with ½ cup of powdered sugar and the other with ½ cup of the crushed pecans. Roll half of the balls in powdered sugar and then roll the remaining of the balls in pecans. This will give you a classic black and white combination.
This recipe makes 16 bourbon balls. Store them in airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
