Haggis Bon Bons Recipe

If you’re looking for the perfect Scottish-themed starter or appetiser for your dinner party, Burns night or St Andrews Day meal then look no further than these easy, tasty and moreish Haggis Bon Bons. 

I am stereotypically Scottish when it comes to my food taste leanings; I adore haggis! So any excuse I have to put it on the menu - it’s there in a shot! I find haggis bon bons so warming; soft, whilst crispy at the same time, lightly warming with their hint of spices and quite excellent dunked into some Whisky Sauce or Peppercorn Sauce. 

There are a few tips, as a Scottish person who has made Haggis Bon Bons her whole life, I will give you to ensure the best results. But firstly, a question I get asked a lot by non-Scots, what’s actually in haggis though?

What is Haggis?

Haggis (Scottish Gaelic: taigeis) is the National Dish and Food of Scotland. It’s a savoury dish made from typically sheeps offal (liver, heart and lungs) with oatmeal, onion, salt and spices. 

It was traditionally encased and cooked in an animal's stomach, but it’s more commonly now encased in an artificial casing composed of collagen and other products. 

Top Tips For Making Haggis Bon Bons

Hot Oil + Cold Bon Bon = Crispy Casing: if you refrigerate the haggis bon bons once coated in breadcrumbs to chill them slightly before deep-frying, you'll product the crispiest outer casing!

Warm Up Haggis To Mold Into Shape: break up the haggis and warm it slightly in the microwave (for 30-60 seconds) to enable you to shape it into balls easier.

Combination of Fine and Panko Breadcrumbs: I’ve found this produces the best coating both in terms of crispiness and also full coverage (so the haggis doesn’t leak out when frying). 

Ingredients 

Haggis: I use haggis from a local butchers who are using a traditional recipe that is from 1910 (over 100 years old). It’s the best! 

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are different haggis options on the market and it’s readily available in supermarkets as well. But one thing to be mindful of when selecting haggis - for haggis bon bons specifically - is the texture.

Haggis vary in texture: from smooth, chunky, soft, grainy and crumbly. I would suggest selecting one that you know has a smooth texture. You need to choose one that doesn’t get too crumbly when heated, as it makes it easier to form the bon bons. 

Plain Flour: also known as all purpose flour - this is to provide a first coat around the haggis to ensure the egg and subsequently the breadcrumbs stick to the 

Egg: egg provides the sticky coating for the breadcrumbs to stick onto. 

If you have an egg allergy, you could use Aquafaba instead. 

Breadcrumbs: I use a combination of fine breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs (50:50 ratio) as I’ve found through experience that this gives the best coating. The best haggis bon bon coating both in terms of crispiness and also full coverage (so the haggis doesn’t leak out when frying). 

Vegetable Oil: for deep frying, you ideally want to use a neutral oil (e.g. sunflower oil can also be used)

Method for Making Haggis Bon Bons

Prepare your 3 stage breading process: plain flour on a plate, whisk egg in a bowl and add fine breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs to another plate (combine together)

Start to heat up vegetable oil for deep frying to 170C (340F)

Break up haggis and microwave for 30-60 seconds to soften it enough so they mould easily into balls. Then weigh 40g of haggis per bon bon and roll into a ball using your hands.

Coat each ball in flour, then egg & finally the mix of breadcrumbs

Optional: place in the fridge to solidify further & achieve maximum crispy coating (as cold bon bons hitting the hot oil is ideal for this). Then once oil has reached the correct temperature, deep fry bon bons for approx. 4 minutes.

Serve with Peppercorn Sauce or Whisky Sauce.

Preparation, Storage and Reheating 

There are two different options if you want to prepare the haggis bon bons in advance. 

Option 1: prepare the bon bons to the stage prior to deep-frying - so fully coat in breadcrumbs and then they can either be stored in the fridge or even the freezer. 

Option 2: fully cook them - so breadcrumb and then deep fry them - and then store them in the fridge or freezer to reheat later.

My preference (from experience) is option 1 - prepare without deep frying and then deep fry freshly when you’re planning to serve. And that can be from the fridge or the freezer - as they can be deep fried from frozen. 

Storage: Approx. 4-5 days in the fridge as long as your fridge is below 4C

Freezing: approx. 3 months - and I would recommend freezing them breadcrumbed, but not fully cooked (Option 1 above). The haggis bon bons can be deep-fried directly from frozen (and I would recommend it). You would just need to fry for longer to ensure they were fully piping hot throughout.

Reheating: if you’ve already cooked (deep-fried) them, then reheat either in the oven or airfryer until piping hot throughout. 

The high fat content in haggis can mean Haggis Bon Bons taste a bit ‘greasy’ if they haven’t been properly warmed up or reheated. This is because the fat starts to solidify again. So ensure they are piping hot throughout before serving.