Brush Your Favorite Bourbon Onto Homemade Brownies For A Boozy Twist

Brownies are timeless and almost always craveable; however, even a nearly perfect snack can use an upgrade every now and then. The upgrade we're talking about involves a bit of booze, but not just any booze. To upgrade your favorite brownies, like Tasting Table's ultimate fudgy brownies recipe, with a boozy twist, grab your favorite bottle of bourbon. 

In the past, we have encouraged you to booze up brownies with a splash of bourbon for even more flavor by adding the spirit directly into the batter. This time, you'll still add some bourbon to the batter, and after the brownies come out of the oven, you'll brush bourbon directly on top, like a glaze.

You may be wondering how this all works. Well, bourbon functions beautifully in and on top of brownies. The reason is because bourbon has many tasting notes including smoke, vanilla, fruits, and nuts. These tasting notes add layered flavor to your brownies. Additionally, bourbon can act as a flavor enhancer, like vanilla extract. In fact, bourbon is the perfect substitute for vanilla extract, so use it to bake beyond just brownies. 

To start making the best boozy brownies, choose your bourbon first. Your favorite bottle will do. However, if you need help deciding, Tasting Table has ranked the 27 best bourbon brands and compiled a list of the top 10 bourbons to use when baking. Since brownies are sweet and decadent, we recommend a high-proof and smoky bourbon — something strong so the spirit can cut through the chocolate treat's sweetness. 

Then instead of using vanilla extract in your favorite brownie recipe, add a splash of bourbon to the batter. Be sure to not over mix your brownie batter because the way you mix brownie batter determines how fudgy they are.

Bake the brownies, then pour a few tablespoons of bourbon into a bowl. Dip a pastry brush into the bourbon and brush it over the baked brownies. Be liberal here and let the dessert soak up all that boozy goodness. Serve the brownies immediately. You can also serve with some ice cream or whipped cream, or add a chocolate ganache layer to the brownies, over the bourbon-glazed top. Alternatively, you can incorporate bourbon into a frosting. Spread this frosting over your brownies to enjoy them with another boozy twist.