Food and Recipes Desserts Pecan Bourbon Balls Recipe Be the first to rate & review! Whether rolled in powdered sugar, dipped in chocolate, or coated in chopped pecans, these boozy bites never disappoint our crowd. By Julia Reed Julia Reed A native of Greenville, Mississippi, Julia Reed was a well-known journalist, writer, commentator, and humorist. She was a contributing editor for Southern Living, Elle Décor, Garden and Gun and wrote for Vogue, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications. Julia was the daughter of Judy and Clarke Reed. Her mother was a native of Nashville; her father, a businessman and leader of the Mississippi Republican Party. Julia Reed covered a variety of topics that involved food, women's fashion, entertaining, Southern culture, etiquette, home design, and more. She was a born storyteller and a brilliant writer, and she used her talents to produce half a dozen books and hundreds of articles, including many for Southern Living. (1960-2020) Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on November 14, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 40 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins Yield: About 3 1/2 dozen During the holidays, it's all but impossible to resist a homemade bourbon ball. It's a Southern delicacy that disappears mighty quick (maybe too quick) at any holiday party. Whether rolled in powdered sugar, dipped in chocolate, or coated in chopped pecans, these boozy bites never disappoint our crowd. These Pecan Bourbon Balls are coated in spiced toasted pecans for a sweet-and-salty finishing touch. Toasted pecans, unsweetened cocoa, and—our favorite ingredient—bourbon come together for a bite-sized confection and perfect holiday treat. It's been said that these bourbon balls might go down a little too easy, thanks to the decadently layered flavors; but the holidays are all about celebrating, so we see no fault in that! During Christmas, we love whipping up a batch of these sweet, no-bake treats for a much-loved Christmas food gift idea for neighbors or hostesses. When gifting, nestle each one in a mini baking cup, and place them in cardboard jewelry boxes wrapped in holiday paper before delivering. We guarantee these treats are good enough to give your most talented baking acquaintance without a worry in the world. After trying these special boozy balls of sweetness, you'll never think "a bourbon ball is a bourbon ball is a bourbon ball" again! Iain Bagwell Ingredients Buttery Toasted Pecans 1/4 cup butter, melted 4 cups pecan halves 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper Bourbon Balls 1 (12-oz.) package vanilla wafers, finely crushed 1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans 1/2 cup bourbon 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 2 tablespoons light corn syrup Powdered sugar, for coating Directions Prepare the Buttery Toasted Pecans: Preheat oven to 325°. Toss together butter and pecans. Spread pecans in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan; bake 25 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, tossing to coat. Cool completely. Store up to 1 week. Prepare the Bourbon Balls: Stir together first 6 ingredients. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar or coarsely chopped Buttery Toasted Pecans. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Rate it Print