May 6, 2017

Mint Julep Bourbon Balls

As a Kentuckian, it’s pretty much required that I like bourbon, and I do. But I’m just not a fan of the Mint Julep. Bourbon and mint seem like a strange combination. While I’m not a huge fan of the cocktail, I cannot stop eating these Mint Julep Bourbon Balls. The combination of chocolate, mint, and bourbon meld perfectly into an irresistible bite-sized treat!

WHAT IS A MINT JULEP BOURBON BALL

A Mint Julep Bourbon Ball is a mint bourbon ball. If you’re not familiar with a bourbon ball, it’s a ball of bourbon and sugar, held together by butter, and then dipped in chocolate. It’s basically a boozy truffle. To make a bourbon ball a mint julep bourbon ball, we just add some peppermint extract!

INGREDIENTS

The obvious ingredient in these is the bourbon! The mint flavor is added with peppermint extract, and melting chocolates are used for the chocolate coating. If you don’t have melting chocolates, you can use chocolate chips. You may need to add a bit of butter or coconut oil to help the chips melt smoothly. You’ll also need butter and quite a bit of powdered sugar for the filling.

HOW TO MAKE A MINT JULEP BOURBON BALL

All you do is combine all the ingredients except the chocolate and refrigerate until hardened. You’ll want to use enough powdered sugar that after an hour in the refrigerator you can form a ball out of the mixture and it will hold its shape.

an angled view of mint julep balls with one centralized ball with a bite taken out of it, and a couple mint leaves, all on a marbled surface

You’ll then form balls of about 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture, depending on how big you want them. Place the balls on a lined cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, you’ll melt the chocolate, dip the balls until completely covered in chocolate, and chill. I usually put a wire rack on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil (or really anything, it’s just catching the chocolate that drips off!) so when I put the chocolate covered balls on the wire rack there is room for the excess chocolate to drip onto the sheet below. Lining the sheet makes for easier cleanup!

Can you get drunk off of Mint Julep Bourbon Balls?

It’s not likely! The bourbon is not baked out, but even if you eat the whole batch, it’s still just half a cup of bourbon. If you can eat enough of these to get drunk, I’d be super impressed!

Do Mint Julep Bourbon Balls need to be refrigerated?

I generally keep these in the fridge. You can also keep them in the freezer, but will just need to let them defrost a bit before eating them! If you store them in the fridge, you can eat them straight out of the fridge!

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A frosted Kentucky Derby glass from the 50s in the bottom right corner, with mint julep bourbon balls falling out of the glass toward the upper left corner with a few mint leaves on the left side of the photo, all on a white marbled surface

Print Recipe

Mint Julep Balls

Prep Time20 mins

Total Time3 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 20 balls

Ingredients

1 stick butter melted
4-6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
14 oz package melting chocolates

Instructions

Combine butter, sugar, bourbon, and extract.
Refrigerate mixture for 1 hour.
Scoop approximately one inch balls out of the mixture and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Freeze for at least 2 hours.
When frozen, melt the melting chocolates according to package instructions.
Dip each ball in the chocolate, and set on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet so the excess chocolate can drip off.
Allow balls to harden.

Did you try this recipe? Review and comment below, and share a photo on Instagram, and tag @flourdeliz!