Recipes & Cooking Desserts & Baking Candy Chocolate Candy Kentucky Bourbon Balls Are the Southern Treat You Need to Try 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews This boozy dessert is for adults only! By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on April 23, 2024 Recipe tested by Sarah Brekke, MS Recipe tested by Sarah Brekke, MS Sarah Brekke, a culinary expert with The Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen, is passionate about food and cooking. Her unique background as both a food scientist and a culinary contributor allows her to blend her passions for both educating readers and creating tasty content. Learn more about the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Jake Sternquist Prep Time: 15 mins Stand Time: 30 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 30 Jump to Nutrition Facts Whip up a batch of these boozy chocolate candies for your Kentucky Derby party, as a thoughtful Father's Day gift, or just because. Each bite is the perfect combination of rich chocolate, smooth bourbon, and crisp cookie crumbles. We'll walk you through how to make homemade bourbon balls, including tips for properly storing them. What Are Bourbon Balls? Part cookie, part candy, bourbon balls have been a favorite Southern treat for decades. The original bourbon ball recipe was developed in 1938 by Kentucky-based Rebecca Ruth Candy Company. The confection is the perfect blend of crispy cookie crumbs and smooth chocolate while the deep flavor of bourbon shines through. Bourbon Ball Ingredients Here's what you'll need to make this bourbon ball recipe. Chocolate: Our recipe developers preferred the balance of sweetness and bitterness that semisweet chocolate lends to this candy recipe. You can use chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Sugar: This candy recipe calls for granulated sugar. You'll need some for the filling and some for rolling the finished balls. Corn Syrup: Just three tablespoons of corn syrup helps achieve the ideal soft and chewy texture. Bourbon: You'll need 1/3 of a cup of bourbon. Wondering what bourbon is best for bourbon balls? We recommend choosing your favorite brand to drink. Choosing one you would drink helps ensure the finished treats have the best flavor. Cookies: Crushed vanilla wafer cookies help give the finished bourbon balls texture, sweetness, and a subtle vanilla flavor. Walnuts: Ensure your walnuts are finely chopped for the best texture. For deeper flavor, toast the nuts before adding them to the mixture. Millionaire Candy Is a Southern Favorite You Can Make at Home How to Make Bourbon Balls Follow these steps to make a batch of homemade bourbon balls. Make the Chocolate Mixture: Melt the chocolate and stir in the sugar and corn syrup. Once combined, stir in bourbon.Add Texture: Mix in the crushed cookies and walnuts.Form Balls: Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar.Chill: Chill the balls and store for up to a week to mellow the flavor. How to Store Bourbon Balls Store the finished bourbon balls in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. The boozy flavor of the chocolate candy will mellow the longer they are stored. Ingredients 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces 1/4 cup sugar 3 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/3 cup bourbon 2 1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers (about 55 wafers) 1/2 cup finely chopped chopped walnuts Sugar Directions Heat chocolate pieces in a heavy, medium saucepan over low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the 1/4 cup sugar and corn syrup. Stir in bourbon until well mixed. Add vanilla wafers and walnuts to chocolate mixture; mix well. Let stand about 30 minutes. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in additional sugar. Chill until ready to serve. Store in a tightly covered container in the fridge for about 1 week to mellow flavor. Makes about 30. Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 334 Calories 17g Fat 44g Carbs 3g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 30 Calories 334.2 % Daily Value * Total Fat 16.8g 22% Saturated Fat 5.7g 28% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 177.1mg 8% Total Carbohydrate 44.1g 16% Dietary Fiber 1.6g 6% Total Sugars 25.1g Protein 3.4g 7% Vitamin D 0mcg 0% Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 15.7mg 1% Iron 3.3mg 18% Potassium 125mg 3% Fatty acids, total trans 0.4g Vitamin D 0IU Alanine 0.1g Arginine 0.1g Ash 0.8g Aspartic acid 0.2g Caffeine 9.7mg Carotene, alpha 0mcg Choline, total 7.8mg Copper, Cu 0.3mg Cystine 0.1g Energy 1399.1kJ Fluoride, F 0mcg Folate, total 43.2mcg Glutamic acid 0.8g Glycine 0.1g Histidine 0.1g Isoleucine 0.1g Leucine 0.2g Lysine 0.1g Methionine 0g Magnesium, Mg 32.4mg Manganese, Mn 0.5mg Niacin 1.5mg Phosphorus, P 75mg Pantothenic acid 0mg Phenylalanine 0.1g Proline 0.2g Retinol 0mcg Selenium, Se 2.5mcg Serine 0.1g Starch 15.6g Theobromine 73.9mg Threonine 0.1g Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 1.1mg Tryptophan 0.1g Tyrosine 0.1g Valine 0.1g Vitamin A, IU 0.9IU Vitamin A, RAE 0mcg Vitamin B-12 0mcg Vitamin B-6 0mg Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 18.9mcg Water 3.9g Zinc, Zn 0.6mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.