Spirits 21 Bourbon Cocktail Recipes to Make Any Night By Food & Wine Editors Updated on January 8, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas When used thoughtfully and stored correctly, bourbon can do double duty on your home bar and in the pantry as a baking staple. When we're not whipping up a Maple Bourbon Banana Pudding Cake for a crowd, we're enjoying riffs on the classic Old-Fashioned, or serving up a refreshing mule in an iconic pounded metal cup. Bourbon (which, in case you didn't know, is a kind of whiskey) is a versatile spirit for all seasons and all occasions, and these cocktail recipes showcase its warming, refreshing, and absolutely delicious qualities. 01 of 21 Bufala Negra © Wendell T. Webber Who says pantry staples can't live on your bar cart? Use a high-quality balsamic vinegar to add an unexpectedly tart punch to this herbaceous bourbon-based classic. Get the Recipe 02 of 21 Boulevardier Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter The Boulevardier is the whiskey lover's Negroni. Made with three simple ingredients — bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth — this straightforward cocktail comes together in seconds with staples you likely always keep in your home bar. Get the Recipe 03 of 21 Maple-Bourbon Smash Michael Turek Richly flavored dark amber maple syrup combines with citrus juices and seltzer to make this lightened riff on an Old-Fashioned cocktail. Get the Recipe 04 of 21 Bourbon Blackberry Collins © Lucas Allen This versatile Collins accommodates raspberries or cherries just as nicely as it does blackberries. Don't have bourbon on hand? Try the recipe with vodka or rum. Get the Recipe 05 of 21 Stiletto © Tina Rupp Brandy-soaked cherries and small-batch Knob Creek bourbon distinguish this almond-tinged whiskey sour. Get the Recipe 06 of 21 Shadow Woman Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis This Old-Fashioned–style cocktail gets a fruity kick from pear brandy and gentle sweetness from honey; the bourbon adds a bite without overpowering the drink. Pear brandy is a highly aromatic and unsweetened liquor made from fermented pears. Get the Recipe 07 of 21 Bourbon-Tea Julep Kelly Marshall Tannins from black tea add a beautiful hint of bitterness to this twist on a classic Mint Julep. The citrus oil, oleo saccharum, is made by steeping lemon peels in sugar. Its bright flavor is the perfect lift to finish each sip. Get the Recipe 08 of 21 Banana-Rum Old-Fashioned Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen A bold, strong cocktail with both high-proof bourbon and light rum gets a hint of floral sweetness from mellow crème de banane. Get the Recipe 09 of 21 New York Sour Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas The perfect balance of fruity red wine and smoky-sweet bourbon, the New York Sour cocktail is a classic for a reason. Shaking with large ice cubes chills the cocktail without diluting it — and those large cubes look great in a rocks glass, too. If you're feeling adventurous, add an egg white to the shaker for a thicker viscosity. Get the Recipe 10 of 21 Mint Julep Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis The Mint Julep has been the iconic drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1939, but references to the cocktail go as far back as the year 900, when it was sipped for medicinal purposes. When New Orleans bartender Chris McMillian was at Bar UnCommon, he recited an ode while mixing Mint Juleps, written in the 1890s by a Kentucky newspaperman, that calls the bourbon and mint cocktail "the very dream of drinks." Get the Recipe 11 of 21 Commodore 64 © Tina Rupp This pre-dinner drink is Australian bartender Jason Chan's orange-infused variation on the Commodore No. 2 (bourbon, crème de cacao, lemon juice, and grenadine) from the 1935 Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book. Get the Recipe 12 of 21 Ginger Julep © Michael Crook Chef Bobby Flay's gingery take on a Southern julep is bright and lively. He adds fresh orange juice and a ginger-mint syrup to make this cocktail sing. Get the Recipe 13 of 21 Winter Berries Cocktail Eva Kolenko Fruity, rich, and mildly sweet dark-berry liqueur plays well with effervescent sparkling wine in this Winter Berries cocktail, while grain-forward bourbon adds a touch of heat. Garnish this bubbly sipper with a thin half-moon slice of lemon. Get the Recipe 14 of 21 Whiskey Chai © Fredrika Stjärne Think of this comforting whiskey chai as a nightcap meant to satiate a crowd after a big night out. We're especially fond of the Zanzibar peppercorns from Burlap and Barrel, which add a bright, almost fruity touch to this sweet sipper. Get the Recipe 15 of 21 Tamarind Whiskey Sour © Chris Chen Tamarind imbues any dish with a telltale sharp, sweet, yet tart kick. It adds just the right amount of excitement to surprise even the most dedicated drinker of this classic cocktail. Get the Recipe 16 of 21 Big Texan Bourbon and Grapefruit Cocktail © Jody Horton Fresh grapefruit juice and basil are at the core of this simple, crowd-pleasing bourbon-based cocktail. Serve it in an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with a cocktail cherry for a little visual intrigue. Get the Recipe 17 of 21 Paper Plane Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Though the Paper Plane is easy to put together and it's plenty easy-drinking, it offers a complex flavor profile: still bright and fresh but with enough heft to make it autumn-appropriate. Get the Recipe 18 of 21 Apricot Nectarine Julep Photo by Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell A puree of roasted apricots and nectarines brings out bourbon's notes of vanilla and nutmeg, making for the ultimate late-summer cocktail. Pour some of the reserved puree on top of the crushed ice for a cocktail that almost resembles a Hawaiian shave ice. The same roast-and-puree technique can be used for more stone fruits, such as plums and sour cherries. Get the Recipe 19 of 21 Vanilla Old-Fashioned © Frances Janisch Use a high-quality Madagascan or Tahitian vanilla bean for this recipe. They are pricey, but the drink hinges on the extraordinary flavor. Get the Recipe 20 of 21 Bizzy Izzy Savanna Sturkie Oloroso sherry has been used in cocktails since before Prohibition, its sweetness and body a great match for aged spirits like bourbon. Tom Bullock made use of both in the Bizzy Izzy, a cocktail from his classic 1917 book, The Ideal Bartender. Get the Recipe 21 of 21 Homemade Eggnog Photo by Adam Friedlander / Food Styling by Pearl Jones To make rich, creamy homemade eggnog, you'll need a double boiler and a whisk. In just two steps, you'll have a festive drink made ahead. Be sure to chill it thoroughly before serving, and give it a final whisk, too, to make sure everything is blended. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit