4 Boozy Holiday Desserts to Upgrade Your Baking Game

It’s beginning to look a lot like … holiday baking time! With the holidays, people always love some good boozy holiday desserts. Good thing we have the perfect spirit to use in your next baking adventure…

Do you love our Bourbon Cream? Well, we’ve got a pretty sweet holiday surprise for you: Bourbon Cream desserts. From our kitchen to yours, we want your holiday season to be full of delicious comfort. So, as you plan your holiday entertainment menus, we hope that you’ll welcome these festive recipes into your celebrations.

Recipe 1.) Bourbon Cream Pancakes

Bourbon Cream … pancakes? You read that right! Who says desserts are for only after the meal? Turn up the holiday music, stay in your festive pajamas and whip up this decadent recipe. Don’t skip drizzling our Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple-Syrup all over your stack. Fair warning – they are incredibly addictive.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Unsalted Butter (+ more for cooking & serving)
• 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
• ¾ tsp Salt
• 1 large Egg
• 1 cup Milk
• 2/3 cup Bourbon Cream
• 1 ¾ cup All-Purpose Flour
• 3 ½ tsp Baking Powder
• Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup for serving

Directions:

Whisk butter, sugar, salt and egg in medium bowl. Whisk in milk and Bourbon Cream until combined. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Add flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until smooth (Batter will be a bit thick and still have some lumps – that is ok!)

In a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat or on a griddle, heat 1 tbsp butter. Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop the batter into the skillet/griddle and then gently spread out into a circle shape. When bubbles appear on the surface (1-2 minutes) flip the pancakes over and cook until done (1-2 more minutes).

Serve pancakes warm with butter and Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup.

Recipe 2.) Bourbon Cream Truffles

This Bourbon Cream recipe is perfect to make with friends, your kids or the whole family. Truffles are fun and super easy to double batch (or triple batch, let’s be honest here). Sure to be a crowd-pleaser, you’ll be reaching for ‘just one more’ all December long.

Tip to spread some safe holiday cheer? Grab a festive cookie tin and leave some on the porches of your neighbors or local coworkers!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 4 tbsp Bourbon Cream
• 1 tbsp Heavy Cream
• ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 lb Dark Chocolate Candy Coating
• 2 oz White Chocolate Candy Coating

Directions:

Place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water. Stir with a wire whisk until chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the Bourbon Cream heavy cream and vanilla then place in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.

Line a tray with non-stick baking paper. Using a spoon, scoop and roll into truffles of your desired size. Place on baking paper, loosely cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes or until firm again. In a bowl, melt dark chocolate candy coating on the stove or in the microwave. Dip the truffles into the chocolate, shake off extra and place on parchment paper. Let sit until hard (about 15 minutes).

Once set, in a small bowl melt the white chocolate candy coating. Place in a small bag and cut a small hole in one corner. Carefully drizzle chocolate over truffles. Store in the refrigerator and serve cold. These can also be frozen for longer storage (or for an ice-cream like bite!).  

Recipe 3.) Bourbon Cream Coffee Bars

A touch salty, a hint of Joe Bean Roasters coffee, a whole lot of chocolate – and Bourbon Cream. What’s not to love? Plus, that cream cheese really makes for an extra gooey indulgence.

Note: You are welcome to use your favorite instant coffee, but Joe Bean Roasters crafts award-winning coffee right down the road from us. Their instant coffee makes these bars an extra jolly Rochester treat!

And if you really want to jolly up the place, serve with a glass of Bourbon Cream on the rocks. Boozy holiday recipes always pair well with a cocktail. You won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• ¾ cup Bourbon Cream
• ½ cup mini Chocolate Chips
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 ¼ cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter (melted)
• 6 large Eggs (divided)
• 8 oz Cream Cheese (room temperature)
• 1 tbsp Joe Bean Roasters Instant Coffee

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9”x13” baking dish with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, and salt together. Whisk in the melted butter, Bourbon Cream, and 3 of the eggs. Once smooth, stir in the mini chocolate chips, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish.

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth. Scrape the bowl, then add the other 3 eggs, powdered sugar, and instant coffee. Beat on low until completely smooth, then pour the mixture over the top of the brownie batter.

Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until the center is set when jiggled. Cool for 15 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to chill. Once the bars are completely cold, lift the entire batch of bars out of the pan by the edges of the paper and cut. Bars can be left out on the counter top for up to three days, or refrigerated for up to a week!

Recipe 4.) Minty Bourbon Cream Bars

Our Minty Bourbon Cream Bars is another one of our bourbon cream recipes sure to tinkle your tinsel. Something about mint chocolate treats always feels wintery and festive! A little touch of Bourbon Cream just ties it all together.

While you can use any mint chocolate cup/bar, you can’t go wrong with Rochester’s local chocolatier Stever’s Candy. Family owned and operated since 1946, they are an excellent choice for supporting local this holiday season.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Unsalted Butter
• 1 cup packed Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 3 tsp Bourbon Cream
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 ½ tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ cup Sweetened Coconut
• 1 ½ cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Stever’s Hostess Mints (chopped)
• Cooking Spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray 9”x13” glass dish with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine butter, sugars, eggs and Bourbon Cream and beat on low until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, coconut and half of the chocolate chips. Slowly add to the sugar mixture and beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl and beat again. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and smooth out with a rubber spatula coated in cooking spray to smooth out to a nice even layer.

Sprinkle half the chopped Stever’s Hostess Mints and remaining chocolate chips evenly over the top. Bake 30-40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the remaining chopped Stever’s Hostess Mints over the top and allow to melt in. Let cool in pan or on a wire rack before cutting into brownie sized bars.

Recipe 5.) White Chocolate Bourbon Cream Trifle

If you’re feeling extra merry and adventurous – whip up our White Chocolate Bourbon Cream Trifle! There’s a little extra work than our other holiday recipes, but it’s so worth it.

Custard Ingredients

• 28 oz of heavy cream (8oz to double boil and 20oz. to whip)
• 11 oz white chocolate (good quality like a Ghirardelli)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 8 of Bourbon Cream

Custard Directions

Bring a cup of cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan and remove from heat. Add white chocolate, whisk until smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm (about 10 minutes).  Beat 2 ½ cups of whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Fold in the white chocolate, slowly add the vanilla and the Bourbon Cream.

Jam Ingredients

• 8 oz of fresh cranberries
• 1 orange
• 12 oz of frozen raspberries, defrosted
• 2 Tablespoons of honey
• Orange juice and zest from one orange

Jam Directions

Cook the cranberries with the orange juice and zest until the cranberries start breaking down – about 5 minutes on medium heat.  Let cool.  The mixture will be thick and jam like. Mix with the defrosted frozen raspberries and honey.

Assembly (2-quart glass bowl or 8 individual 8 oz. glasses)

• 24 hard lady fingers (1 pkg, approx. 200g)
• 6 oz Black Button Distilling Bourbon Cream
• 16 oz of fresh fruit like raspberries, strawberries, oranges, etc.
• 4 oz of roasted unsalted pistachios

Dip each cookie lightly into the Bespoke Bourbon Cream and then place into a single layer on the bottom of the dish.  Spread a layer of the jam, then the fruit and top with a third of the custard. Repeat these layers 3 times, ending with the custard. Decorate with the fruit and pistachios. 

Cover and chill for over 5 hours. Serves 8-10

Save these bourbon cream recipes for holidays to come, and use them again and again. Head over to purchase any of our spirits online or stop by our Rochester distillery to stock up for the winter. Happy Holidays from our Black Button family to yours!

Warning: Black Button isn’t responsible for any widening waists or sugar comas that result from these delicious boozy holiday recipes.