Description
Delicious no-bake pecan pie balls coated in smooth chocolate, featuring a blend of pecans, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, maple syrup, and fragrant extracts, perfect for holiday treats or year-round snacking.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 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
Coating
- 12 ounces chocolate melting discs (Ghirardelli brand recommended)
- Optional garnish - Holiday themed sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare filling: 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.
- Form pecan balls: Once chilled, using a 2 inch cookie scoop, scoop out the pecan filling and form into tight balls. Wet 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 balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat until all are formed.
- Melt chocolate: In a medium sized bowl, melt the chocolate melting discs according to package directions. Stir until smooth and ready for dipping.
- Coat pecan balls: Using a fork, gently place one pecan ball at a time into the melted chocolate. Roll it around carefully, ensuring it stays intact, then lift out and place back onto the parchment lined baking sheet.
- Add garnish and chill: Optionally sprinkle holiday themed candy sprinkles on top of each chocolate-coated pecan pie ball. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator for 2 hours, uncovered, to allow the chocolate to firm up.
Notes
- Store leftover or pre-made pecan pie balls in an uncovered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- If chocolate melting discs are unavailable, use chocolate almond bark or melting chocolate blocks, which are formulated for smooth melting and re-hardening.
- You can substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips mixed with 2 tablespoons of unflavored shortening or coconut oil, melted carefully in the microwave, for the coating.
- If you prefer not to use karo syrup, increase the maple syrup amount instead. Use high-quality maple syrup rather than pancake syrup for better flavor.
- Rum extract can be substituted with vanilla extract without sacrificing taste.
- Chocolate melting discs come in various colors for creative customization.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
