My 95-year-old grandmother's no-bake whiskey balls are a beloved Christmas staple in my family. Here's how to make the easy recipe.

Lauren EdmondsJan 15, 2024, 00:53 IST

Business Insider's Lauren Edmonds shares her family's recipe for whiskey balls.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

My 95-year-old grandmother has a beloved whiskey ball recipe she makes for Christmas.
The five-ingredient recipe has been in my family for at least three generations.

As a kid, I loved three things about Christmas: no school, presents, and whiskey balls. I didn't know any other families who ate whiskey balls for Christmas, so it always felt like a special secret my grandmother shared with our family each year.

My grandmother doesn't remember where she inherited the recipe from, but she used to make it with her four children in the 50s and 60s. Then, my grandmother tasked me with helping when I was a kid in the 2000s. Now, as an adult, I tried making the entire recipe by myself.

You'll need five ingredients to make my grandmother's whiskey balls.

The recipe includes pecans, corn syrup, and whiskey.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

First, prep the vanilla wafers by crushing them in a plastic bag or a food processor.

I used a food processor to crush the vanilla wafers, but feel free to use what's easiest.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

Second, prep the nuts by doing the same thing.

I used a food processor to chop my pecans.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

Add all the ingredients except powdered sugar to a large bowl to mix.

A picture of the chopped pecans, crushed wafers, whiskey, and corn syrup.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

Pour three shots of whiskey into the bowl.

Feel free to use more or less whiskey depending on personal preferences.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

Pour two tablespoons of Karo corn syrup into the whiskey.

Mix the wet ingredients until properly blended together.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

Add the crushed wafers into the large bowl with the liquids.

A photo of me pouring vanilla wafers into a large bowl.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

Add the chopped nuts with the wafers, corn syrup, and whiskey.

Finally, add chopped nuts to the batter.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

The batter should be wet after mixing the ingredients.

This is a picture of what the batter should look like once the liquids and dry ingredients are mixed.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

It's time to add powdered sugar! Spoon small to medium-sized balls out of the batter and roll them in the sugar.

Coat your hands in flour to prevent the whiskey balls from sticking.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

I haven't eaten whiskey balls in over a decade, but they taste just how I remembered.

A picture of the finished whiskey balls.Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider

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