Make Your Honey Butter Taste Like Heaven With A Simple Bourbon Twist

There are so many types of bourbon and so many ways to enjoy the American corn-based whiskey, from neat in a glass to creative cocktails. Other than drinking it, bourbon is also an excellent way to impart those sweet notes of caramel and oak flavors into foods like desserts and sauces. One of the most favored yet simple ways to use bourbon in the kitchen is to add it to honey butter for a heavenly, flavorful twist on the sweet and salty spread.

Using a good quality, salted butter is key when you're working with so few ingredients. Opt for a butter with a higher fat content, like a European-style butter or, if you can get your hands on it, an imported butter from France. The salt in the butter will bring out the flavors of all three ingredients, making them shine in contrast with the salt. 

Bring the butter to room temperature before beginning so it's easier to work with, whether you're mixing by hand or using an electric mixer to get it nice and fluffy. You can use any type of honey you have on hand, which we prefer to sugar for the smooth consistency it has as opposed to the tiny granules of sugar that don't always dissolve. Start with a small amount to bring a bit of sweetness into the butter without overwhelming it, then taste and add a bit more honey if you're so inclined.

A small splash of bourbon will go a long way, so start by adding about a teaspoon. The goal is to impart the warmth and flavors of the bourbon into the butter, rather than spiking it with alcohol for a boozy spread. Additionally, the more bourbon you add will affect the consistency of the honey butter, making it more runny than spreadable. When using alcohol in food, remember that in this application, the alcohol content (although minimal) will not evaporate, in contrast to as it does when heated.

While bourbon honey butter will taste fantastic just being stirred together with a spoon, we recommend you take the consistency to the next level by making restaurant-quality whipped butter with the butter blend instead. The easiest way to do this is to use a hand or stand mixer, or even a food processor, to whip the butter into an airy, feathery consistency.

The cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg flavors of our spiced honey butter recipe would be perfectly complemented by an additional splash of bourbon. If you're inclined to tackle a slightly more ambitious project in the kitchen, you can brown and cool the butter first for deeper flavor before adding honey and bourbon, then whipping it to a light and fluffy spread.

Bourbon honey butter would be delicious on cornbread or dinner rolls at a holiday meal, or even just spread over a toasted slice of sourdough bread. If you like sweet and spicy, try the bourbon butter with fried chicken topped with a few dashes of Louisiana-style hot sauce for an exciting combination.