Kentucky Bourbon Balls

These boozy bourbon balls are easy to make, yet incredibly impressive. Trust us: This Kentucky bourbon ball recipe will be a hit at any gathering.

Bourbon Balls Ingredients

These are the ingredients you'll need to make this crowd-pleasing bourbon balls recipe:

· Nuts: Use whatever chopped nuts you like, such as pecans or walnuts.· Bourbon: Choose a Kentucky bourbon that's smooth and drinkable (but don't waste your really good stuff).· Confectioners' sugar: Confectioners' (a.k.a. powdered) sugar sweetens things up and dissolves easily into the mixture.· Butter: You'll need a stick of softened butter.· Chocolate: The balls are rolled in melted semisweet chocolate chips, creating the perfect chocolate coating.

How to Make Bourbon Balls

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make these bourbon balls:

1. Soak the nuts in bourbon overnight.2. Mix the sugar and butter in a bowl. Fold in the nuts.3. For the mixture into balls and refrigerate overnight.4. Melt the chocolate.5. Roll the balls in melted chocolate.

How to Store Bourbon Balls

Store the bourbon balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you stack the bourbon balls, place a piece of wax or parchment paper between each layer.

Can You Freeze Bourbon Balls?

Yes! You can freeze bourbon balls for up to three months. Arrange the balls on a baking sheet, cover, and freeze for a few hours or up to overnight. Once they're frozen, transfer the bourbon balls to zip-top bags or another freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Cookdap Community Tips and Praise

“This is a great recipe,” raves Phyllish. “I am from Kentucky and have been making Bourbon Balls for 40+ years. This is one of the best recipes that I have found.”

“Made these for some bourbon-loving clients last year and they were a huge hit so I’m doing it again,” says Suzan Satterfield. “I added some fresh-squeezed lemon to mine so there was a little tart with the sweet.”

“These are great,” according to Phlox. “I love to bake for the holidays, but find a lot of recipes to be much too sweet. The bourbon in these balances out the sweetness very nicely (I added a little extra).”