The Best Bourbon Halloween Candies

Halloween gives us all the perfect excuse to chase a sugar high, so give the tiny store bought candy bars to the Trick or Treaters and keep these boozy bites for yourself! We’ve found three delicious candy recipes that will keep both your inner child and your Bourbon loving adult self happy.

Bourbon Sea Salt Caramels

Ingredients
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons bourbon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Instructions
1. Lightly coat an 8×8” baking pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2” overhang on 2 sides; spray parchment.

2. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and ¼ cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture turns a deep amber color, 8–10 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat and whisk in sweetened condensed milk and butter (mixture will bubble vigorously) until smooth. Fit pan with thermometer and return to medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thermometer registers 240°.

4. Remove from heat and whisk in bourbon and kosher salt. Pour into prepared pan; let cool. Sprinkle caramel with sea salt, cut into ¾” pieces, and wrap individually in parchment paper.

Originally posted at bonappetit.com.

Bourbon Balls

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
1/3 cup bourbon
1/4 cup butter, softened
50 pecan halves (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon shortening

Instructions

1. Stir together first 3 ingredients until blended. Cover and chill 8 hours.

2. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Gently press pecan halves into 2 sides of each ball. Chill 8 hours.

3. Melt chocolate and shortening in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Dip bourbon balls in chocolate, and place on wax paper.

4. Chill 1 hour or until hardened.

Originally posted at myrecipes.com.

Bourbon Praline Candies

Ingredients

2 cups (224 g) pecan halves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
dash sea salt
1 cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup (131 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) light corn syrup
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F/175°C.

2.Spread the pecans on the foil-lined baking sheet and roast until lightly browned and fragrant. Add 2 tablespoon unsalted butter and salt to the hot nuts and stir. Set aside to cool.

3. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the granulated and brown sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and heavy cream. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the pecans and continue slowly boiling until the temperature reaches 242° F/117° C on the candy thermometer, or almost firm ball stage. If you boil it too fast, the sugar grains don’t fully dissolve and the mixture won’t set properly.

4. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the vanilla and bourbon using the heat-resistant silicone spatula. Continue stirring vigorously until the candy loses its glossiness, becomes creamy in appearance, and thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t stir for too long or it will become grainy.

5. Very quickly drop the candy mixture by tablespoons onto the baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, about 1 to 2 inches apart. Allow to cool completely. Store at room temperature wrapped in plastic.

Originally posted at andreasrecipes.com.

Caroline Paulus
Caroline Paulus is the Senior Editor for The Bourbon Review. She lives and writes in Lexington, Kentucky. Follow her on Instagram @misswhiskeyhistorian to keep up with her latest in bourbon news - and a few old finds, too.