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This Copycat See’s Bordeaux recipe recreates the famous See’s Candy bon bons at home.
Made with brown sugar, butter, cream, and a hint of coffee, each bite melts into a sweet, creamy center coated in rich chocolate. Perfect for gifting or enjoying during the holidays, these homemade candies taste just like the real thing.
Reasons You’ll Want to Make Them
If you grew up loving See’s Candy, this recipe will bring back memories. It’s a spot-on recreation of the original Bordeaux, with that signature buttery brown sugar filling and smooth chocolate shell.
They’re surprisingly easy to make and store beautifully for the holidays. You can even adjust the flavor by using dark or milk chocolate, or adding coffee for a little extra depth.
What You’ll Need To Make Them
The complete recipe with ingredient quantities is listed in the recipe card below, but here is a quick summary.
The filling is made from simple ingredients: brown sugar, butter, and cream, which cook together to create a caramel-like sweetness. A bit of instant coffee (optional) adds depth and enhances the chocolate. The outer coating is melted chocolate with a touch of butter for smooth dipping.
Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles or drizzle extra chocolate on top for that classic Bordeaux look.
How to Make Copycat See’s Bordeaux
This is a quick overview. Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Start by boiling brown sugar and butter until smooth and caramelized.
- Stir in cream, coffee, and salt, then add powdered sugar to form a soft dough.
- Once cooled and firm, roll the mixture into small balls and chill.
- Melt chocolate with butter, then dip each candy until coated.
- Let them set on wax paper, drizzle extra chocolate if desired, and enjoy once firm.
Substitutions and Variations
These homemade bon bons are easy to customize.
• Use milk chocolate instead of dark for a closer match to See’s version.
• Skip the coffee if you want the traditional flavor.
• Add a dash of sea salt on top for a modern twist.
• Try shaping the filling in silicone molds for perfectly uniform candies.
Leftovers and Storage
Store Bordeaux candies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or refrigerate for up to two weeks.
For longer storage, freeze them for up to two months. Just let them come to room temperature before serving to avoid condensation dulling the chocolate. This is what happened in my photo below.
Learn From Me
I’ve made these candies many times, and a few small tips make all the difference.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent the sugar mixture from burning.
- Let the filling cool until firm enough to roll. If it’s too soft it won’t hold shape.
- When dipping, freeze the centers briefly for easier handling, and if the chocolate loses its shine, just drizzle more on top. They’ll still taste incredible.
Similar Recipes You’ll Love
Making a special holiday platter or looking to gift homemade goodies? I have so many candy and holiday treat Christmas recipes, but here are a few of my absolute favorites:
- Five Minute Microwave Fudge
- Peanut Brittle
- Homemade Candied Pecans
- Peanut Butter Balls
- Salted Mocha Caramels
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Ingredients
Inside filling:
- 1 cup golden brown sugar packed, C&H brand recommended, other brands may result in a more grainy texture
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee (finely ground) Optional, See's Bordeaux does not have coffee, but I liked the flavor it added (I used Starbucks Via)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Outer chocolate coating:
- 12 ounces dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Using a heavy bottom saucepan, melt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 cup golden brown sugar together over medium high heat and bring to boil. Allow to boil for about two minutes.
- Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon instant coffee (finely ground) (if using), and a 1/8 teaspoon salt and allow to come to a boil again for about 30 seconds while stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar to mixture and stir in well until a consistent dough is formed. Chill until mixture holds shape similar to play dough, about 2 hours.
- Roll sugar dough into 1-inch balls and set on a wax paper lined sheet. Freeze for about 10 minutes for easier dipping.
- Melt 12 ounces dark chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter at 50% power in 1 minute increments in microwave, stirring after each minute, until melted.
- Dip candy balls into melted chocolate and allow to set on the wax paper. Either sprinkle with chocolate cake sprinkles or pipe a very thin stream of chocolate on top, if desired.
- Store in airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How long can these be stored in the refrigerator?
This is the kind of treat I like to consume same day. If you store them in the refrigerator you risk condensation forming on the chocolate.
I made this with the coffee crystals- my center tasted exactly like the Bordeaux! It was a little softer. I made larger chocolate Easter eggs and the balls with coverture chocolate. My husband was impressed. Can’t wait to share them at Easter. I love how I can scale your recipe by quantity. And the center is so easy to make.
Glad you liked it! And I love the scaling feature on the recipes too. I use it all the time.
Hi, had a chance to make the Sees Bordeaux and it came out pretty well but the butter seemed to not combine very well. I had little chunks of butter in the candy center. How can this be fixed and what went wrong? Also I split the mix and added about 2tbs of maple syrup and this made a maple Bordeaux ( really nice 👍) thanks for the recipe
Hmmm. Not sure what may have happened. Could have something to do with the quality of the butter, how hot it was cooked, your elevation, humidity in your home… lots of possibilities. I LOVE maple, though, and am anxious to try your maple syrup method!
Great recipe, except I need a lot more practice on the chocolate bit!
Still great, not that pretty.
Thank you.
What brand of dark chocolate do you use? I find See’s chocolate to be the best I’ve ever had, not just any chocolate will do. I too grew up on it and am now spoiled and ruined for substandard chocolate! Please help!
Hi Brandi! I think valrhona chocolate is the absolute best!
If you like See’s chocolates, you can buy bars to use. They sell dark chocolate bars which melt beautifully.
Great suggestion!
Should I sift the powdered sugar before I measure it? When I do that I use a significantly smaller amount.
Yes. You want 2 cups of sifted powdered sugar.
I can’t get c&h brown sugar here. If I get it shipped, it’s too expensive. Might aswell by the sees. Is there another way to make it not grainy with other brown sugar?
I haven’t tried other brown sugars but if you find one that looks and feels like soft sand, it should work!
You can make your own brown sugar and save lots of money!
Brown Sugar: 1 cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon Molasses
Dark Brown Sugar: 1 cup sugar and 2 Tablespoons Molasses
Mix ingredients in a Processor and pulse through it and scrape the sides until it’s completely incorporated.
My filling was a bit grainy. I tried to correct that with more heat and a little more cream. Mixed feelings on the flavor…BUT willing to try it again!
PS. Most definitely at the coffee to the mix!
Best bon bons ever! My family loves them! I double the batch. FYI; (instant coffee) I melt it in just a splash of scolding water. I just can’t get it to melt incorporating it straight to Pan. Thank you much for sharing such a delight!
Is there a difference between golden brown sugar and light brown sugar? Thanks.
Same thing.
Wow, loved finding this. I make macarons and the other day I decided to try a filling with espresso powder mixed with Swiss buttercream. It tasted so much like See’s Bordeaux and, yes, I grew up on it too. I decided to search and see if Bordeaux was a flavour profile and found your site. I think now I need to make a brown sugar buttercream and add the espresso to that. I also might try my hand at making the candy at some time.
Brown sugar buttercream with espresso… Mercy! That sounds amazing.