Home Desserts 25 Easy Bourbon Desserts for Grown-Ups

25 Easy Bourbon Desserts for Grown-Ups

You don’t have to be a hardcore drinker to appreciate these delicious bourbon desserts.

Trust me; with their deep flavors and sweet finish, you won’t be able to stop at just one.

25 Easy Bourbon Desserts for the Grown-Ups featuring Sweet Potato Pound Cake with Pecan Nuts and a sweet glaze

Some of these boozy desserts are rich and decadent, while others are so light, you might not even know there’s bourbon in the mix.

So, there’s something for everyone on this recipe roundup.

That said, these bourbon desserts are for grown-ups only. Sorry, kids!

1. Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Let’s start with something simple, shall we?

This 10-minute bourbon caramel sauce is so good you’ll want to add it to everything from ice cream and cake to fruit and cookies

It’s the perfect small step into the bourbon world, and believe me when I say it’s irresistible.

It’s thick, sticky, and insanely delicious. In fact, if you decide to eat it straight out of the pan with a spoon, I’d completely understand. 

2. Brown Butter Bourbon Pumpkin Bread

I’m not sure what I like more about this bread – its gorgeous dark brown and orange color or its rich depth of flavor. 

This recipe takes everything you love about pumpkin bread – the canned pumpkin, various spices, and sugar – and adds the dark, earthy taste of bourbon.

It’s truly delightful. 

3. Bourbon Pecan Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze

This cake is like a super buttery, dense pound cake full of nutmeg, bourbon, and crunchy pecans.

It has an excellent taste as is, but once you add the thick caramel glaze, it’s even better.

It takes a little less than two hours to make, but only 20 minutes of that is hands-on time. The rest is up to the oven

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This is a great one to make for a midday brunch.

4. Chocolate Fudge Pecan Tart

Imagine the sweet, chewy center of a pecan pie. Now, picture that mixed with a decadent chocolate tart.

It may sound too good to be true, but that’s exactly what this sweet treat is.

With its shortbread crust, and indulgent filling of pecans, bourbon, dark chocolate, and more, this tart will have people coming back for seconds – maybe even thirds.

5. Chocolate Pecan Pie

This recipe is pretty similar to the chocolate fudge pecan tart above, but it uses fewer ingredients, is a bit less fudgy, and isn’t quite as challenging to make (though neither is all that hard).

Still, if you want to experience the deliciousness of chocolate and pecans but don’t want to put in as much work, use this recipe instead. 

6. Maple Bourbon Banana Pudding Cake 

This isn’t the old-fashioned banana pudding your mom used to make; this is something entirely new.

Banana pudding cake still features the bright flavor of bananas, but it has a totally different texture. 

As the name suggests, it’s more cake-like, and the maple syrup, pecans, and walnuts give it a massive dose of nuttiness to help tame the bananas’ sweetness. 

The nuts add crunch, too, which is always a nice addition to any primarily smooth and fluffy dish.

7. Bourbon Cream Cheese Brownies

Each bite of these entirely over-the-top bourbon cream cheese brownies is sheer bliss.

And would you believe me if I told you they’re crazy-easy to make?

You can whip these up in less than an hour with only six ingredients: boxed brownie mix, eggs, oil, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and bourbon. 

They’re fudgy, boozy, and just plain fun. 

8. Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Blondies

If the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chunks in these blondies aren’t enough for you, maybe the warm flavors of bourbon and brown butter will be. 

These blondies are both chewy and crunchy, sweet and bold. The gooey chocolate is offset perfectly by the flaky sea salt, as well. Delish!

9. Bourbon Peach Pie

Although bourbon peach pie isn’t a “light” dessert, it is one of the lighter options on the list. That’s all thanks to the vibrant, fruity taste of the peaches. 

If you want a new fruit pie to become your family’s “summertime go-to,” you’ve got to give this one a try. 

10. Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake

Kentucky bourbon butter cake is the butter cake for people who don’t like butter cakes. Try saying that three times fast!

What makes it so good? It’s simply too indescribably amazing for anyone not to like.

It’s so moist, fluffy, and buttery, and the sweet bourbon glaze is not just out of this world; it’s out of this dimension.

I honestly can’t believe that anyone wouldn’t love it.

11. Drunken Pumpkin Bourbon Tart

Any pumpkin pie lover will tell you it’s hard to improve upon the soft, smooth yumminess of pumpkin pie.

But this drunken pumpkin bourbon tart might just do it. 

It still features all your favorite fall spices – nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon – but also adds molasses, bourbon, vanilla, and more. 

This tart has a warm, dark sweetness that’ll delight your taste buds and make your tummy curl up and purr.

Simply put, it’s superb. 

12. Bourbon Mint Julep Ice Cream (Vegan)

Looking for something that’s boozy and refreshing?

How about bourbon mint julep ice cream that’s such a boozy dessert you won’t be able to serve to your underage guests.

The bourbon definitely doesn’t cook out of this one. 

But if you love mint juleps and are searching for the perfect vegan dessert, this is the recipe for you. It’s cool, invigorating, and doesn’t require any churning. Enjoy! 

13. Vanilla Bean Sea Salt Caramels with Bourbon

Homemade caramels are always a delightful treat. They’re soft and chewy and have the perfect amount of sweetness.

But homemade caramels featuring a hint of bourbon and covered in sea salt?

Yeah. Those are even better

You can whip up a batch of these charming sweets in under an hour, and luckily, the recipe makes over five dozen of them. If that seems like a lot, just wait until you try them. 

You’ll soon think it wasn’t enough! 

14. Cherry Bourbon Pie

This gorgeous, ten-ingredient cherry dessert is ideal for Independence Day, Memorial Day, or other patriotic holidays. 

It has a sweet, buttery crust and plenty of tart flavor from the bitters, cherries, and orange zest.

The bourbon adds another layer of warm richness that fits right in with all the other tastes.

15. Bourbon Marshmallow S’mores

There’s no question about it; bourbon marshmallow s’mores are some of the absolute messiest desserts you’ll ever make.

0/10 do not recommend if you need something neat and tidy. 

100/10 do recommend if you want something truly self-indulgent with tons of flavor and the perfect balance of sweet and salty. 

Just check out some of these ingredients: bourbon marshmallows, Graham Crackers, milk chocolate, and bacon.

If you can’t appreciate this s’mores dessert, I’m not sure sweets are even your thing.

16. Coffee Bourbon Milkshake

Here’s another cool and creamy dessert meant only for those friends and family members who are 21 and up. 

It only requires six ingredients – hot fudge sauce, vanilla bean ice cream, bourbon, whole milk, whipped cream, and a chocolate bar garnish – and takes just 10 minutes to make.

It’s a boozy, chocolatey milkshake that’ll help you enjoy happy hour even more.

17. Easy Homemade Caramel Popcorn

For this recipe, you’ll take the traditional instructions for making caramel popcorn and add four tablespoons of bourbon. 

Doing so gives the sticky, sweet-n-salty snack an ever bolder, richer flavor that’s borderline addictive. 

18. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting & Pecan and Toffee Bits

Whoopie pies are always an exciting dessert option.

You just can’t beat two soft and chewy wafer/cookie “buns” sandwiches together with a super sweet cream filling. 

If you’re a fan of fall cookies and desserts, these whoopie pies will quickly become your favorites.

Featuring the typical flavors of fall – pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, etc – these are kicked up a notch with bourbon and cream cheese.

Then, right at the end, roll the edges in bits of toffee and chopped pecans for a sweet and salty crunch.

19. Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

This thick, spongy bread pudding may look like it’s hard to make, but all you’ll need is a bit over an hour and fewer than ten ingredients. 

It’s a hard dessert to describe, but if you love sweets that are comforting and nostalgic, you’ll appreciate this one.

20. Bourbon Spice Cupcakes

You can have a dozen of these tasty cupcakes on the table in less than 40 minutes, and trust me when I tell you that people will adore them. 

Between the sweetly spiced, bourbon-flavored cakes and the deep, creamy bourbon cream cheese frosting, there’s a lot about these simple cupcakes to enjoy. 

21. Gluten-Free Bourbon Caramel Samoas

If you’re a Girl Scout cookie fanatic – especially if you like Samoas – then this recipe is one you’ll want to hang onto forever. 

These chewy, caramel-coated Samoas are 100% gluten-free, and they taste just as fantastic as the real deal – maybe even better, thanks to the bourbon. 

22. Classic Banana Bread with Bourbon and Pecans

If you prefer banana bread to pumpkin bread, use this bourbon-packed recipe.

It tastes like traditional banana bread, but the pecans and bourbon make it more robust.

Is it wrong to have this for breakfast? Maybe. Do I care? No way!

23. Bourbon Caramel Apple Popovers

Here’s another light, fluffy option for those who crave something that’s not overly sweet (though it’s still pretty darn sweet!). 

The popovers themselves are simple, made with eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and green apples. 

You won’t stop there, though. You’ll cover each popover in a sweet and sticky bourbon caramel sauce that tastes so good; you’ll be licking your fingers clean just so you don’t waste any.

Pro Tip: Using Granny Smith apples goes a long way towards making these tart, not cloying. 

24. Brown Sugar and Bourbon Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

This simple, seven-ingredient ice cream takes a bit of time to make but practically no effort.

All you’ll need are eggs, brown sugar, vanilla bean seeds, salt, milk, heavy whipping cream, and bourbon.

It’s creamy, cold, and has the best taste.

It’s just what you need to cool off in the summer. And for a final flourish, why not drizzle over some of that bourbon caramel from above?

25. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Jazz up boring oatmeal raisin cookies by adding bourbon and roughly chopped dark chocolate. 

The result is a chewy, chocolatey cookie that takes less than 30 minutes to make. What’s not to love?

25 Best Bourbon Dessert Recipe Collection

Even if you’re not a drinker, these bourbon desserts are definitely worth a try. With their deep flavors and sweet finish, you won’t be able to stop at just one.

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Bourbon Desserts

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author avatar
NaTaya Hastings
NaTaya Hastings is a food and recipe writer for Insanely Good Recipes. She’s an educator, boy mom, dog mom, and whatever-stray-enters-the-yard mom. As a result, she's constantly cooking for both humans and animals.

Luckily, she enjoys it!

Though born, raised, and still living in Alabama, her specialty is NOT down-home Southern cooking. Instead, she loves to experiment with Asian, Mexican, Italian, and other ethnic cuisines. She has two mottos when it comes to cooking. “The more spice, the better!” and “There’s no such thing as too much garlic!”

She’s also pretty good with desserts. Especially the easy, no-bake ones.

Her favorite things are cuddling with her four giant dogs, traveling, reading, writing, and hanging out in nature. She’s also pretty excellent at Dominoes.

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