15 Ways To Enjoy Bourbon In Breakfast Dishes And Drinks

Move over, mimosas. The caramel notes of bourbon make this tipple a top choice for morning sips and eats. We've compiled some delightful breakfast uses for it, and although there are many types of bourbon, most of the time you can use your personal preference for these ideas. 

We consulted with a couple of chefs to help us come up with the most interesting options for combining bourbon and breakfast at home. Chris Stewart is the owner and executive chef at The Glass Onion in Charleston, South Carolina. He notes that bourbon works particularly well with sweeter options because the spirit is aged in burnt barrels, which leads to a vanilla flavor profile. Ranveer Brar is a chef and owner of Kashkan Restaurants, focusing on showcasing Indian cuisine. Brar shares a few ways to devour bourbon as a cooking ingredient in a variety of breakfast recipes. 

Most of these concepts for enjoying bourbon with breakfast do include something sweet, but there is a lot of flexibility. Whether you're a bourbon enthusiast or have a bottle collecting dust that you're not sure what to do with, we have plenty of ideas for ways to use it while watching the sun rise. From hearty morning meals to topping sauces to drinks, these suggestions will make you want to grab that bottle of bourbon when inspiration hits. We have a feeling you're going to think these are pretty neat. 

The smoothness of a bourbon-enhanced caramel sauce can make all the difference for morning treats. You can create this delicious liquid gold and use it in a few ways, so it's not a one-hit wonder. This sauce adds a luxurious touch to French toast, for example. 

Start by gathering your usual caramel sauce recipe ingredients, such as brown sugar, butter, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Make the sauce as instructed, but pour in a bit of bourbon before heating it on the stove. "The smoky essence of the sweet buttery caramel has been given a lift by bourbon, thus making your breakfast feel extraordinary," says Ranveer Brar. Cook the sauce until it's slightly thickened, then generously drizzle it over your French toast. Brar then recommends topping the French toast with whipped cream and fresh berries to make it a filling meal. This sauce would also be delightful when slathered atop a decadent stack of pancakes. 

The gooeyness of bread pudding helps transform this treat from stale bread into a delight. Elevate bread pudding with a sweet bourbon sauce using equal parts brown sugar and bourbon. This sauce has a dark, rich, amber color, and it's deliciously smooth. Chris Stewart says that a key to crafting bread pudding is to "start with quality bread," adding that you'll need "eggs sweetened with sugar and vanilla, and cream for richness." Once your bread pudding is ready to serve, drizzle on the bourbon sauce.

However, this isn't the only way to enhance bread pudding with bourbon. Try soaking dried fruit like raisins or blueberries in bourbon and adding them to your bread pudding. This brings a textural component with an extra pop of flavor from the bourbon and whichever fruits you use. You can also incorporate the bourbon directly into the bread pudding's egg mixture and make your recipe as directed, although some of the alcohol will evaporate during the baking process. 

Jam is perfect for incorporating different fruits and sweeteners to include any flavor profiles you like, and you can leave it chunky, mash it, or blend it based on your textural preferences. There are several types of bourbon-infused jams available on the market, providing inspiration in flavors such as blueberry, orange, or cherry. Heat your ingredients as usual, and then include the bourbon. The recipe can be tweaked based on if you're making a small or large batch of jam. 

You need only a splash for a smaller amount of jam, but if you're using 2 pounds of fruit, you'll need around half a cup of bourbon. Make an easy strawberry jam recipe and pour in a quarter cup of bourbon, cooking the mixture until it thickens. Then, remove the jam from the heat to cool. You can use your spiked jam by slathering it on toast, spreading it on waffles, or using it as a beef glaze for a breakfast of steak and eggs. 

Your baked breakfast delights, such as muffins and scones, can get a warm boost with bourbon. Try it out by adding bourbon to the batter for a pumpkin streusel muffin recipe. Its maple syrup, vanilla, brown sugar, and spices meld perfectly with the flavor notes you find in bourbon. The added liquor also works well with the citrus notes of cranberry orange muffins or the cocoa of chocolate banana muffins. For any of these muffin recipes, add about a quarter cup of bourbon into the batter, and mix thoroughly. 

Bourbon works in many types of scones, too. Try this combination in peach scones, vanilla bean scones, or even in savory bacon scones. Start with a small amount of bourbon, around 2 tablespoons, for each batch of scones. Gently incorporate the bourbon into the liquid mixture, before slowly pouring this into the dry ingredients to make the batter. You'll find that bourbon complements the warmth and spices in many types of baked goods, and it can also be used to enhance icing or frosting. 

The natural sweetness of maple syrup and the complex whiskey notes of bourbon are a perfect match. They create a warm, smoky syrup for breakfast, brunch, or a morning cocktail. It's a flavorful way to jazz up your eats, and better yet, it's incredibly easy to whip up. You can simply mix the maple syrup and bourbon together and call it a day. But you could also incorporate vanilla for dimension. Leave it at that, or, as Ranveer Brar suggests, "slightly boil down the bourbon before mixing this with syrup to create a balanced taste that will not be overwhelming." 

Serve this syrup over pancakes, or drizzle it into yogurt. Ranveer Brar says he enjoys combining it with pecan pancakes for a delightful crunch. Or take breakfast in a more savory direction with chicken and waffles with bourbon-maple syrup. To make this topping even better, use salted butter as a bonus ingredient, which you'll add to the pan after warming the bourbon-enriched syrup. Try incorporating cinnamon into the mix for a spicy note, or even a pinch of cayenne powder. 

Bourbon's caramel and vanilla notes pair well with candied nuts to make them a tasty breakfast addition. Chris Stewart suggests making candied bourbon pecans to sprinkle on peach French toast. The bourbon offers a subtle boost that enhances the pecans, creating a satisfying flavor blend of nutty, salty, and sweet qualities. Add bourbon to a stovetop candied pecans recipe, and feel free to replace the pecans with your nuts of choice, like cashews, almonds, or peanuts.

Leave your bourbon-infused candied nuts whole, or chop them into smaller, bite-sized bits. Stewart says that you can add these crispy, sugary nuts to sweet brunch dishes, or enjoy them alone. A handful tastes great when washed down with your favorite coffee, or you can add them to your morning bowl of oatmeal; they're also tasty with waffles. Store these treats in an airtight container so they don't go stale. 

Speaking of nutty treats, bourbon also works well with pecan pie bars, and you can also use bourbon to amp up pecan pie. This is a beautiful treat to dig into during autumn, and the bourbon helps make its texture perfect, according to Stewart. "The boozy caramel filling pairs perfectly with the chopped pecans to create the ideal jiggly center every good pecan pie is known for," he says. 

This is easily the simplest way to enjoy bourbon at breakfast time. "Surprisingly, bourbon and coffee pair well together," says Ranveer Brar. A Kentucky coffee works because the bourbon's vanilla, caramel, and oaky flavors meld with coffee's bitter notes. However, you can modify it with different bourbon or coffee varieties for a specific profile, such as leaning toward a bourbon with notes of cinnamon or clove for a festive drink. You'll also find the coffee itself may have nuanced flavors, like the chocolate notes of Brazilian beans. 

Some people are partial to certain coffee temperatures, but you can try this blend with both hot or iced coffee. Add a splash of plain or flavored cream and mix in some sugar or brown sugar syrup as a warm way to start your day. "My suggestion is to use good-quality bourbon and freshly brewed coffee for the best result," says Brar. An ounce of bourbon in a 6-ounce cup of coffee ought to do the trick, but you can adjust the proportion to suit your preference. This is an excellent drink to whip up for a celebratory morning. 

Butter is a favored breakfast ingredient, whether you slather it on toast to enjoy with jam or add a pat to sauteed vegetables. Bourbon butter is the key to enriching many savory and sweet dishes, and it's not difficult to make this type of compound butter. You only need high-quality unsalted butter at room temperature, along with a few tablespoons of bourbon to mix into it, and a food processor or stand mixer to blend it. 

Although you could heat unsoftened butter in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up, this process risks melting some of it, which could affect the overall consistency of your final product. If you do microwave the butter, do so briefly. Along with the bourbon, you might choose to integrate other components like honey for sweetness or parsley to create something more savory. Once thoroughly combined, dump the blended butter onto wax paper and shape it into a log. Refrigerate it until firm, and then use the compound bourbon butter as desired. This butter can have a smoky, caramelly, and nutty flavor, with the taste varying depending on the type of bourbon used. 

"A little touch of bourbon in your bacon glaze can change this standard breakfast food," says Ranveer Brar. The smoky profile of bacon pairs delightfully with the smoky notes of bourbon. Try a riff on a candied bacon recipe by adding bourbon along with the brown sugar or maple syrup. To make this breakfast treat even better, follow Alton Brown's tip for truly great candied bacon, which is to use the uncured variety. This is slightly thicker than your average bacon, but not overly thick, either. Incorporate the bourbon with the sweeteners, and then add the glaze halfway through the cooking process to ensure that it caramelizes without burning. 

Sprinkle some black pepper or red chili pepper flakes into the glaze for bonus flavor. The bourbon can make something as simple as a plate of bacon and eggs into a jaw-dropping culinary creation. "The whiskey adds a caramelized complexity to it, which in turn complements bacon's savory saltiness," says Brar. He recommends pairing the meat with scrambled eggs and fresh fruits to provide a contrast of sweetness and saltiness. You can also put bourbon bacon on a breakfast sandwich or eat it on its own. You'll want more than one strip of this sweet and crunchy meat, that much is certain. 

Oatmeal is a popular and hearty breakfast option, and a smidge of bourbon can enliven it into something fresh. Oats are a good source of fiber, protein, iron, vitamins, and other nutrients. Incorporating bourbon into oatmeal doesn't require any fancy techniques or confusing multi-step instructions. Prepare your oats however you like — assisted by some tips to make a perfect bowl of oatmeal — and simply add the bourbon and stir it in once the oatmeal is cooked and ready. 

If you like oatmeal with a more liquified consistency, the bourbon will blend right in. If you prefer a thicker oatmeal, pour in just a little bourbon at first, stir, and see if this results in your desired texture so that you won't notice a watery consistency. You can use a number of different bourbon types to give the oatmeal more flavor. Bourbons with spicy notes pair nicely with cinnamon apple oatmeal for a tasty blast with every bite. Top your bowlful with chopped cashews for a crunch, raisins for added sweetness, or a drizzle of honey to complement the whiskey's caramel notes. 

A bourbon glaze made with confectioner's sugar, butter, whole milk, and vanilla extract can be a sweet addition for varied breakfast and brunch items. To start, you might want to try adding bourbon glaze to pillowy homemade cinnamon rolls. Make your glaze and include the bourbon along with the milk. Give the glaze additional spiciness with a pinch of cinnamon to complement the rolls. 

Ranveer Brar explains that the alcohol intensifies the cinnamon's spiciness. After baking, pour the glaze over the rolls for a sticky and sweet addition. "Accompany it with hot tea or coffee for an enjoyable breakfast experience," says Brar. The glaze only takes a few minutes to make, as you wait for the butter to melt and the sugar to dissolve. After it cools, it's ready to use, creating a sophisticated flavor profile when topped on treats like donuts, scones, pound cake, or anything you like glazed. 

Smoothies are wonderfully versatile. You can use various fruits, juices, milks, spices, and even veggies to get your desired look, texture, and nutritional components. But have you ever tried a smoothie with a bit o' bourbon? If not, you're missing out. Bourbon is one of those liquors that will turn your smoothie into a cocktail, and the flavor components work particularly well in a bourbon and berry pairing. This smoky liquor tastes good with the earthy sweetness of blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. 

You could also add frozen bananas for an extra-thick, almost milkshake-like smoothie that you can eat with a spoon. Make a mango-banana smoothie and add a splash of bourbon before blending. Turn it into a bourbon smoothie bowl and sprinkle on toppings for a heartier breakfast. Unless you want a legit breakfast cocktail, you don't have to add a generous pour of bourbon. Even a splash will make this smoothie one of the more refreshing and light ways to enjoy bourbon with breakfast. 

Who doesn't love a comforting bowl of cereal? But when you're in the mood for something with a kick, try revamping this basic breakfast into a cereal cocktail for a truly toasty way to begin your morning. Bourbon and cereal are an unexpected pairing for a unique breakfast cocktail, but it's actually a complementary duo. You'll find that there are multiple milk-infused cocktails that can feature bourbon — like a milk punch or eggnog — so this isn't too far from these options. Luckily, this cereal-bourbon cocktail is pretty easy to make. 

Put milk or half-and-half together with cereal in a closed container and leave the mixture in the fridge for at least an hour. It's up to you what type of cereal to use, whether you desire something chocolatey, fruity, cinnamon-flavored, or another choice from the wide variety of cereals available. Then, strain the mixture and use the flavored milk to make your drink. For example, you can make a bourbon-based white Russian and then use the cereal-infused milk, or try bourbon with half-and-half flavored with the apple-cinnamon flavor of Apple Jacks. 

Bake a loaf of homemade bourbon bread for a beautiful, crusty carbohydrate for breakfast. This takes a couple of days to make, so it's not something to whip together on a whim, but the resulting loaf has a captivating taste that stands apart from your average white bread. In this loaf, you'll taste sweet, bitter, smoky notes that will get people talking. Much like most breads, the time-consuming part is the repeated stretching and folding. After that, you'll have to let the prepared dough chill in the fridge for at least 16 hours. 

Once all the prep work is complete, it only takes about an hour to bake, followed by a few hours of cooling. The bourbon provides a fantastic way to add depth to a homemade loaf, so it rivals something you'd get at a gourmet bakery. However, if this seems complex or you're new to bread-making, try simply adding just a splash of bourbon to a simpler bread recipe to replace some of the water. Enjoy the resulting loaf in any of the usual ways that you like eating bread in the morning. 

Your next cup of tea is always just an infusion away, but you can add a little bourbon to this concoction for an extra-soothing morning beverage. Create a spin on a warm hot toddy by blending bourbon with your favorite black or fruit tea. Add complexity with enhancements like sliced lime, orange peel, ginger, or cinnamon sticks. Rather than making tea directly in the mug, you'll place the tea and any add-ins in a pot to let it simmer and then steep on the stove. The smell alone fills you with joy. It's as comforting as a plain cup of tea but with a few flavorful upgrades. 

You can also opt to use a decaffeinated black tea or customize the flavor intensity by steeping the beverage for a longer or shorter period. Forget the tea bag altogether when boiling ingredients like honey, ginger, ginger beer, and nutmeg together for a warming bourbon tea. The smoky bourbon, fruits, and spices combine to make a festive drink to sip as you eat breakfast.