Kentucky Derby Bourbon Balls (Printable)

Chocolate-coated balls combine pecans and bourbon for a rich, festive Southern delight.

# What You Need:

→ Nuts

01 - 1 cup pecans, finely chopped

→ Liquor

02 - 1/4 cup Kentucky bourbon

→ Confectionery

03 - 2 cups powdered sugar
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Chocolate Coating

05 - 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or chocolate chips
06 - 1 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening, optional

→ Garnish

07 - Whole pecans or extra chopped pecans, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, combine the chopped pecans and bourbon. Let soak for at least 1 hour to absorb flavor.
02 - In a medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and softened butter until smooth.
03 - Stir in the bourbon-soaked pecans including any remaining liquid and blend well.
04 - Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up.
05 - Melt the chocolate with coconut oil if using in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
06 - Dip each chilled ball into the melted chocolate, coating completely. Place back on the baking sheet.
07 - Garnish with a whole or chopped pecan if desired.
08 - Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, approximately 30 minutes.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They taste like you spent hours in a candy shop, but your actual hands-on time is barely thirty minutes of mixing and dipping.
  • The bourbon dissolves into the filling so smoothly that even people who normally skip alcohol-forward desserts keep reaching for another one.
  • They keep beautifully in the fridge for two weeks, which means you can make them Sunday and still have something elegant to offer guests on Friday.
02 -
  • If your filling mixture feels too wet or oily after adding the soaked pecans, add another tablespoon or two of powdered sugar—bourbon has a little moisture, and every bottle behaves slightly differently.
  • Don't rush the chilling step before dipping; warm filling will slide off in the chocolate and you'll end up with hollow shells instead of proper bourbon balls.
03 -
  • If your chocolate seizes or gets grainy, rescue it by adding a teaspoon of coconut oil and stirring gently—it almost always smooths right out.
  • Use a fork with thin tines for dipping; it lets excess chocolate drip off cleaner than a thick fork, which leaves too much coating.
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