Bourbon balls are an easy and delightful gift to give to those special people in your life who truly love bourbon. My recipe calls for shortbread cookie crumbs. But if you are pressed for time, you can always use vanilla wafer crumbs. (Nabisco Nilla Wafers) But be warned, using shortbread cookie crumbs should always be your first choice.

Now a word to the wise. These bourbon balls are not for sissies! You can’t just kinda sorta like bourbon to enjoy these delicacies. You’ve got to full on love bourbon for these round balls of spendiferousness to put a smile on your face and send your taste buds to their happy place. If you’re a take it or leave it bourbon person, don’t even take one out of the container. Leave the candy for a true bourbon aficionada.

So in our home, Mr. C. loves these balls, while I could have nothing left in the house to eat, and I still wouldn’t give them a taste! But the leftover shortbread cookies – now that’s a totally different story. They are my idea of the perfect not-too-sweet cookie. So actually, this recipe provides both of us with a special treat for the holidays. I call that a win/win situation. Happy Ho Ho Ho to you and yours.

Shortbread Recipe:

1½ c. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ c. powdered sugar

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

¾ tsp. salt  

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

With an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth.  With your mixer on low speed, add flour, mixing just until dough forms. Place dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic wrap gently shaping it into a round log about 1½ inches wide.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Un-wrap log and using a sharp knife, slice dough 3/8-inch thick. (If dough feels really hard, leave at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes).

Arrange slices, about 1-inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Prick each cookie about 3 times with a fork.

Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not under-bake.) Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Crush enough cookies* to make 4 cups. (I place several cookies into a gallon Zip lock freezer bag, then crush them with my rolling pin.) Set aside. Store the remaining cookies in an airtight container.

*You can use vanilla wafers in this recipe if you don’t have time to make the shortbread.  

Bourbon Ball Recipe:

½ c. good bourbon whiskey  

3 T. light corn syrup

2 T. cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli Premium Cocoa Powder)

1 c. powdered sugar 

4 c. shortbread cookie crumbs  

1 c. finely ground toasted pecans

additional powdered sugar

Whisk the bourbon and corn syrup together in a medium sized bowl. Add the cocoa and powdered sugar. Mix until completely blended. Stir in the shortbread crumbs and the pecans. Shape into ¾-inch balls, roll in powdered sugar, and store in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

(Theoretically these little babies will last for months in your refrigerator, but don’t count on that happening. Not if you have a bourbon lover around like I do!)