Old Fashioned Bourbon Balls Recipe Easy No-Bake Treat (2024)

You'll love this no bake recipe. Whip up this Old Fashioned Bourbon Balls Recipe for a cookie exchange, holiday dessert table, or a sweet treat full of bourbon flavor. These easy bourbon balls are also perfect for a holiday party!

Fair warning - you're going to want to eat an entire batch of this easy recipe. Any bourbon lover will be head over heels for these boozy treats, and you'll love that all you need are a few simple ingredients to make them. They really are the perfect holiday treat.

​Having these no-bake treats for your holiday dessert means that you'll get to use your oven for other things - and that is a win in my book. One of my other favorites of these boozy bourbon balls, besides the taste, is that you can make them ahead of time and have them ready and waiting.

If you're in the mood for more sweet treats, be sure to check out myNo Bake Mango Cheesecake Bars. I'm on a no-bake kick and loving the ease of these recipes.

Ingredients

Graham cracker crumbs - Use a food processor to pulse the crumbs and speed up the process. If you don't have a food processor, put the crackers into a sealable plastic bag and roll them with a rolling pin to break them into pieces.

Pecan crumbs - Buy already crushed or use a food processor. Don't break up too much, as you don't want pecan powder.

Cream cheese - The main texture to help the balls stick together.

Powdered sugar - For a sweet coating.

Bourbon whiskey - You can use your favorite brand of bourbon.

Vanilla extract - For flavor. Vanilla will naturally enhance the other flavors in these.

How To Make This Old Fashioned Bourbon Balls Recipe

Step One: Make the cookie crumbs by using a food processor. Pulse the cookies into crumbs.

Step Two: Add the cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Pulse until combined well.

Step Three: Form 15 small balls and place them on a wax-lined tray.

Step Four: Coat the balls. At this point, you have options on how you want to coat these bourbon balls.

Powdered Sugar: You can roll them in powdered sugar and eat them or use one of the other methods listed below.

White Chocolate: Make white chocolate coating by melting the chocolate and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Stir every 15 seconds.Coat the balls in chocolate and put them back on the wax paper. Put the tray in the fridge to set, and then store the balls in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cinnamon Sugar: Make the cinnamon sugar coating by mixing the cinnamon and sugar and roll the truffles in that mixture.

Variations

Cookie crumbs - Swap out the graham cracks for vanilla wafers, ginger snaps, or even Golden Oreos.

Change the outer coating - As you can tell, you can change the outside coating of this bourbon ball recipe. You can dip them in melted chocolate (either milk chocolate or dark chocolate), roll them in powdered sugar, roll them in graham cracker fine crumbs, or anything else that your taste buds are craving. You could even roll them in cocoa powder!

Add toppings - Drizzle a little bit of dark chocolate and then crumble some crushed wafers on top. You can also add a few chocolate chips to the top or into the center of these treats. A simple drizzle of maple syrup is also a great way to add a hint of sweetness.

Use a different type of alcohol - If you're not a fan of bourbon, you can use rum and make rum balls instead.

Common Questions

Do these dessert balls have a taste of bourbon to them?

They do. (and some people think that's the best part!) Each bite will have a taste of the bourbon, but how much depends on the amount of bourbon that was added. If you have a heavy pour of bourbon, the flavor is going to be stronger.

Can I make non-alcoholic bourbon balls?

Absolutely. You can make these more kid-friendly this holiday season by leaving out the added alcohol. That's what is so great about this recipe - that it comes down to your personal preference.

Can I make a nut-free version?

Yes, you can leave out the nuts (replace them with extra graham crumbs) or even add a different type of nuts. I do think that the pecans are a great addition because they add texture. Sometimes I add a whole pecan half in the center of each truffle.

​Can I make these bourbon balls ahead of time?

Frozen bourbon balls are a great idea! All you need to do is mix the ingredients and then add the completed balls to a freezer-safe container. You can store them in the freezer to enjoy later, which is perfect for prepping and planning ahead.

When you're ready to eat, just move them to the fridge and let them thaw.

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