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    Home > Recipes > Cookies

    No Bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls

    Published: Dec 17, 2014 | Updated: May 9, 2022

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    These easy No Bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls marry two of my favorite flavors: brandy and gingersnaps. With a heady dose of brandy in every bite, these tasty morsels double as a sweet dessert and an after-dinner drink!

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    12 Days of Christmas Cookies
    No-bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls

    I have been known to add brandy to unexpected foods: pie, waffles, cranberry chutney, and chocolate peppermint kiss cookies! You can imagine how excited I was to combine gingersnaps and brandy into one easy, no-bake cookie!!

    No-bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls

    They come together effortlessly with the help of a food processor and a microwave! The hardest part is waiting for them to set in the refrigerator.

    Tart cherries are soaked in brandy and then combined with gingersnap crumbs, nutty, toasted walnuts, and powdered sugar! The effect is sensational!

    Brandy is the star flavor, so choose a high-quality brandy or if you don’t like brandy, skip these and head straight to my Gingerbread Boys, Gingersnaps, or Molasses Sugar Cookies!

    No-bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls

    Much to my delight and to the disappointment of my husband, these No-Bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls taste like brandied gingerbread cookie dough with a hint of cherry and toasted walnuts! Headspinningly delicious…or that could be the brandy. Hmm... Doesn’t matter. They are awesome.

    No-bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls

    My husband would have preferred a coarser chopped walnut coating, which could easily be done to accommodate those who want a little crunch with their ginger brandy balls!

    I loved the intermingling of brandy, gingersnap, cherry, and toasted walnut flavors. You can use homemade gingersnaps or a quality store-bought!

    It should be noted, because I try to do all I can to avoid disappointment around here, that brandy is the primary flavor. If you would like to tone down the brandy flavor and make it a nice subtle background note, then substitute half the brandy for filtered water. I also cannot emphasize enough: quality brandy is a must!

    No-bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls

    These No-Bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls are for the ninth day of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies. 

    • Chocolate Pecan Tassies
    • Molasses Sugar Cookies
    • Old Fashioned Gingersnaps
    • Peanut Butter Blossoms
    • Old Fashioned Oat Lace Cookies
    • Raspberry Linzer Cookies
    • Holiday Bark 
    • Cherry Pecan Cookies
    These easy no bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls are delicious and easy! The perfect addition to an adult holiday dessert spread!

    No Bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls

    Chef Lindsey
    These easy No Bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls marry two of my favorite flavors: brandy and gingersnaps. With a heady dose of brandy in every bite, these tasty morsels double as a sweet dessert and an after dinner drink!
    Prevent screen from sleeping
    PRINT Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 0 minutes
    Chill Time 2 hours
    Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24 Cookies
    Calories 101 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • ⅓ cup tart dried cherries (chopped)
    • ¼ cup brandy
    • 1 ¼ cups crushed gingersnap cookies
    • 1 ¼ cups confectioners sugar (divided)
    • ¾ cup walnuts (divided, toasted, chopped )
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions
     

    • In a medium bowl, soften chopped cherries in brandy. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
    • Stir in gingersnap crumbs, 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup walnuts, butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
    • Let the gingersnap mixture sit, so that it is firm enough to roll. While it sits pulse the remaining walnuts, sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground.
    • Roll the dough into balls approximately 1 inch wide and roll in ground walnut sugar. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or plate; cover with plastic wrap; and refrigerate at least 12 hours.

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from Brandy Sugarplums from Fine Cooking, December 2014/January 2015
    Keyword chewy cookies, Christmas, christmas cookies, cookie recipe, no bake dessert
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cheflindseyfarr
    No-bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls
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    Comments

    1. Linda says

      October 13, 2020 at 1:34 pm

      What else can you use besides cherries or apricots?

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        October 13, 2020 at 3:54 pm

        Any dried fruit!

        Reply
    2. Sophia says

      December 19, 2014 at 9:11 am

      Oh my these look sublime - wonderful idea! I'm going to give them a go with lotus biscuits as that's all I have at home atm. Hopefully they will turn out as beautifully as yours!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 21, 2014 at 7:20 pm

        I'm not sure what a lotus biscuit is but if it has ginger and cinnamon and all that good stuff, then they'll probably be awesome!

        Reply
    3. Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven says

      December 18, 2014 at 8:41 am

      Oh my gosh, I am LATE to your 12 days of Cookies thing, and I am going to have to go back and drool over all the other cookie recipes! You know, after I can tear my eyes away from these gorgeous bites---holy yum what a fab combo of flavors! These are too adorbs. 🙂

      Reply
    4. Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says

      December 18, 2014 at 12:17 am

      I love shortbread style cookies shaped as balls. There is just something so special, so festive about them. Please, send me a dozen! 🙂

      Reply
    5. Liz says

      December 17, 2014 at 10:04 pm

      Oh, my gosh, do your brandy balls look outstanding!!! I never drink brandy, but I keep a big bottle and love to use it in cooking and baking. Now there will be another 1/4 cup missing 🙂

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 17, 2014 at 10:58 pm

        Thanks, Liz!! I don't drink brandy either but I LOVE the taste in baked goods!!!

        Reply
    6. Mira says

      December 17, 2014 at 7:17 pm

      I love the flavors in these-brandy and gingerbread, perfect for the holidays! Great combination and so easy to make! Definitely on my to do list 🙂

      Reply
    7. Manali @ CookWithManali says

      December 17, 2014 at 5:58 pm

      These looks so cute and delicious! + No Bake! Yay, I must make them! Pinned.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 17, 2014 at 11:07 pm

        Thanks, Manali! We all need a no bake cookie around this time of year! Thanks for the pin!

        Reply
    8. marcie says

      December 17, 2014 at 12:07 pm

      I've never tried gingerbread flavor with brandy, and I'm intrigued. These beautiful no-bake truffle-looking balls look so delicious, and I so want to try them. I hope I can squeeze them into my baking (or no-baking) and fast! Pinned.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 17, 2014 at 1:43 pm

        I hope you can squeeze them in, Marcie!

        Reply
    9. Lelia says

      December 17, 2014 at 11:14 am

      These sound both easy and delicious! Can't wait to try them out!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 17, 2014 at 1:44 pm

        Thanks, mom!

        Reply
    10. Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says

      December 17, 2014 at 10:11 am

      Oh my gosh, this is such a creative cookie recipe! Gingerbread with brandy, dried cherries and no bake too? They sound absolutely amazing! >3 them!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 17, 2014 at 1:44 pm

        Thanks, Kelly!!! After all that baking, the roll and chill was very welcome!

        Reply
    11. annie@ciaochowbambina says

      December 17, 2014 at 8:59 am

      I must try these!! They are on my list for this weekend...I can't wait!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 17, 2014 at 1:45 pm

        I hope you love them, Annie!

        Reply
    12. Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says

      December 17, 2014 at 8:41 am

      I love how you described these as tasting like brandied gingerbread cookie dough! I'm drooling over the photos of the insides of these no-bake cookies!

      Reply
    13. David @ Spiced says

      December 17, 2014 at 6:32 am

      That's it. My mail-lady is going down today! Seriously, though, these cookies look awesome, Lindsey. I've never been much of a brandy guy myself. I usually turn to scotch as an after-dinner drink, but I think I could be persuaded to make an exception here. Actually, I just got the best idea...what about a glass of scotch with one of these cookies?? Done!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 17, 2014 at 1:49 pm

        I've tried to like scotch. I've visited all the main distilleries but I just can't. I just can't. I don't see why you couldn't pour two fingers and then eat a brandy ball too! The holidays is all about splurging...or at least that's my moto!

        Reply

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