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My pecan pie balls taste like the gooey center of a pecan pie, dipped in chocolate. Sweet, sticky and chewy inside, with a snap of chocolate outside. Everybody thinks they will have one and then they always goes back for another.
I make these every holiday season, and they are the part of my dessert planning I get done early. They are finished and waiting in the refrigerator days before anybody needs them.
I use maple syrup, rum extract and a little almond extract in the filling. I think that combination gives them a deeper pecan pie flavor than a basic chocolate pecan truffle.
If you are building a whole tray, my no bake truffles and balls collection is where the rest of these live. My peanut butter balls with rice krispies get dipped the same way.
HOLIDAY FAVORITE
Why I Make Sure These Are on Every Holiday Tray
These pecan pie balls are one of my favorite things to hand around at the holidays, and they are always a fan favorite too. That is not always the same thing.
A big holiday meal calls for something small at the end of it, and one of these is enough to feel like dessert. They go out right alongside a slice of my pecan pie recipe, and everybody finds room for one.
What You’ll Need
- Pecans: Chop them fine. The finely chopped pecans and the graham cracker crumbs are where all that texture in the filling comes from.
- Maple syrup: Use good quality maple syrup, not pancake syrup. The flavor really comes through in a no bake filling like this one.
- Light Karo syrup: If you would rather not use Karo syrup, increase the maple syrup to make up for it.
- Rum extract: If you do not want to use rum extract, vanilla extract works instead and still tastes delicious.
- Chocolate melting discs: Melting discs and chocolate almond bark are made to melt smooth and then harden back up around the ball. Baking chocolate squares will not do that, so do not swap them in. If you cannot find either one, melt a 12 ounce bag of semi sweet chips with 2 tablespoons of shortening or coconut oil, stirring at one minute and then every 30 seconds so the chocolate does not seize.
How to Make Pecan Pie Balls
Step 1: Mix the Filling and Chill It Stir the chopped pecans, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, maple syrup, Karo syrup, melted butter and both extracts together in a large bowl until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for two hours, or up to overnight.
Step 2: Scoop and Shape the Balls Scoop the cold filling with a 2 inch cookie scoop, then squeeze each portion in your palm until it holds as a tight ball. Set them on a parchment lined baking sheet as you go.
Step 3: Melt the Chocolate and Dip Melt the chocolate discs according to the package directions and stir until smooth. Lower one ball at a time in with a fork, roll it to coat, and lift it back onto the sheet without breaking it apart.
Step 4: Add Sprinkles and Set the Shell Add the sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet if you are using them. Refrigerate the tray uncovered for two hours to let the coating firm all the way up.
Make Them Ahead and Store Them
The filling can chill overnight instead of two hours, so the work splits across two days if that suits you better. Shape and dip them whenever you get to it.
Store them in an uncovered container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Once the chocolate has hardened they can be served at room temperature.
They freeze too. Once the chocolate has set, move them to an airtight container and freeze for up to two months, then thaw them in the refrigerator before you serve them.
More Pecan Desserts
Pecan Pie Balls
Ingredients
- 1½ cups pecans fine chopped
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons light karo syrup
- 2 tablespoons salted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ teaspoon rum extract
- 12 ounces chocolate melting discs (I used Ghirardelli brand)
- Optional garnish-Holiday themed sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, combine the chopped pecans, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, maple syrup, karo syrup, melted butter, almond and rum extracts. Mix until evenly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to overnight.1½ cups pecans, ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs, ⅔ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons light karo syrup, 2 tablespoons salted butter, ¼ teaspoon almond extract, ¾ teaspoon rum extract
- Once chilled, using a 2 inch cookie scoop, scoop out the pecan filling and form into tight balls. **I suggest wetting your hands with warm water, place the scooped filling into the palm of your hand and gently squeeze and compact the pecan filling into a tight ball** Set the pecan balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat until all the balls are formed.
- In a medium size bowl, that is not too deep, melt the chocolate melting discs according to package directions. Stir until smooth.12 ounces chocolate melting discs
- Using a fork gently place one pecan ball at a time into the melted chocolate. Roll it around in the melted chocolate, being very careful not to break apart the pecan ball, and lift out the chocolate coated pecan pie balls with the same fork and place them back onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat this process until all the pecan pie balls are coated in chocolate.
- At this time you can sprinkle on some holiday themed candy sprinkles if desired onto the tops of each pecan pie ball. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator for 2 hours, uncovered, to allow the chocolate to firm back up.Optional garnish-Holiday themed sprinkles
Jenn’s Notes
- Give the filling the full two hours in the refrigerator before you shape it. Cold filling is much easier to form into tight balls.
- If the mixture seems crumbly while you are shaping it, wet your hands with warm water and squeeze each portion until it compacts. The warmth helps the sticky syrup hold everything together.
- Use chocolate melting discs or almond bark, not baking chocolate squares. Melting discs are made to harden back up around the ball and baking squares are not.
I can’t wait to make these. I know they will be a hit!
Judy, I hope you LOVE them as much as we do!
Made these and they were easy and looked great. But didn’t really get the pecan pie vibe I was hoping for. Tasted like a Kit Kat – just sugary. Not sure if I did something wrong but followed the recipe and used good syrup. Might try reducing the sugar next time.
Hi Lisa – Thanks so much for the feedback!