No-Bake Cocoa-Bourbon Balls

Bourbon balls are the holiday candy that requires zero baking and exactly 15 minutes of your time.

Crushed vanilla wafer crumbs, confectioners sugar, chopped pecans, and cocoa powder get stirred together, then bound with corn syrup and bourbon. The mixture is sticky and dense, perfect for rolling into small balls with wet hands and finishing in granulated sugar.

The bourbon stays raw, so you taste every bit of it. These aren’t subtle. They’re rich, boozy, chocolatey, and nutty, and they actually improve after a day or two in an airtight container as the flavors meld together.

Pro Tips

• Crush the vanilla wafers very fine. Coarse crumbs make the balls crumbly and hard to shape.
• Wet your hands before rolling each ball. The mixture sticks to dry hands and falls apart.
• Roll them small, about one inch. These are rich and the bourbon hits hard in a big bite.
• Let them sit in an airtight container for at least 24 hours before serving. The texture firms up and the flavors settle.

Variations

• Use rum or brandy instead of bourbon for a different spirit profile.
• Roll in cocoa powder or finely chopped pecans instead of granulated sugar.
• Add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder for a mocha bourbon ball.