Bourbon is one of the best liquors out there, so it should come as no surprise that it’s often the special ingredient in holiday desserts. Why does it work so well? During its aging process, it picks up notes of caramel, vanilla and buttery richness. It was basically born to make your dessert rock.
The hardest part of baking with bourbon is getting just the right amount in there. It can either be overpowering, or you can barely taste it. We promise there’s a happy medium that can be achieved, and when you do, it’s so worth it.
Bourbon Balls
Rum balls are old school – bourbon balls are where it’s at. (Don’t worry, they are in no way related to brewed bull balls) We love the idea of these because they put a yummy twist on a traditional holiday treat.
Kentucky Bourbon Cake
This recipe is on Oprah’s website, so it’s gotta be good. It won the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest in 1963 (throwback), due largely in part to its phenomenal bourbon glaze.
Brown Sugar-Bourbon Ice Cream
We love this recipe from bon appetit because you can add a scoop of ice cream to any kind of dessert, or you can eat a big bowl of it without anything extra. We’re also pretty sure this would make an outstanding milkshake.
If you aren’t much of a baker and none of the desserts at your holiday shin-dig look too promising, we encourage you to pour some bourbon over whatever sweet dish you decide on. A little bourbon never hurt anyone, right?