Father's Day

37 Father's Day Recipes for Cooking With Bourbon

Classic and sweet—two words that describe both bourbon and your dad. These recipes showcase the sweetest and meatiest ways to bring bourbon's smoky flavor into a Father's Day meal. (Hot tip: as long as you're cooking with bourbon, you might as well make dad a drink.)

By The Epicurious Editors

June 11, 2019

Two gray plates filled with golden bourboninfused sugar topped with dark chocolate truffles that have been coated in...

Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li
1/37
The Best Fried Chicken Sandwich
A bourbon-buttermilk dredge gives this chicken sando smoky, sweet, tangy, unbelievable flavor.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
2/37
Pecan-Orange Baklava Pie
Bourbon-honey syrup and fragrant orange zest add rich flavor to this perfect Father's Day dessert.
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Photo by Peden & Munk
3/37
Cheese Fondue With Beer and Bourbon
When just Bourbon isn't enough, add beer. Babybel cheese keeps the molten mixture from separating, and its unassuming flavor lets the Gruyère shine.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
4/37
Pumpkin Cheesecake With Bourbon–Sour Cream Topping
The caramelized flavor of bourbon and the tang of sour cream add balance to the rich, spiced filling of this cheesecake. Chopped pecans add a nutty dimension to the graham cracker crust.
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Photo by Amber Wilson
5/37
Bacon-Latticed Apple Pie
This pie is both sweet and salty, which is my favorite dessert combination. The smoky bacon, mingling with the spiced apples and bourbon crust, is heavenly.
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Photo by David Loftus
6/37
Insanity Burger
A bourbon-flecked "special sauce" is the cap in this monstrously good burger.
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Photo by Christopher Testani
7/37
D.I.Y. Apple Mille-Feuille
Sandwiching the puff pastry between two baking sheets ensures that the pastry rises perfectly even.
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Photo by Ben Dearnley
8/37
Bourbon Sugar and Pretzel Truffles
We can think of lots of uses for the bourbon sugar that coats these pretzel-studded bites: use it to top crème brûlée, stir it into your afternoon tea, or sprinkle it over berries and serve with whipped cream for an easy dessert.
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Gentl & Hyers
9/37
Beef Bourguignonne Pot Pie
Treat this as a weekend project (quick it's not) and Father's Day dinner will be off the charts.
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Photo by Peter Frank Edwards
10/37
Apple Jack Stack Cake
Instead of the spongy cakes we're used to today, these layers are more like cookies—firmer, so they slowly soften beneath liberal applications of apple butter and cooked apples.
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Photo by Peter Frank Edwards
11/37
Sorghum-Bourbon Pecan Pie
A pecan sandie crust, sweetness from sorghum, and a smoky warmth from bourbon. Yes, this bourbon pie doesn't mess around.
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Julian Broad
12/37
Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Peach Glaze
This juicy brisket features bourbon in two ways: in both the peach glaze and in the meat's braising liquid. Every bite is smoky, fatty, and getting you ready for the next bite.
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Photo by Jonathan Melendez
13/37
Buttered-Pecan French Toast with Bourbon Maple Syrup
Buttery, eggy brioche makes this French toast extra-decadent, but Southern-inspired buttered pecans and bourbon maple syrup take it over the top.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
14/37
Peach-Bourbon Jam
This simple jam is full of fresh peach flavor with hints of vanilla and bourbon.
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Photo by William Meppem
15/37
Sticky Maple and Bourbon Pork Ribs
Skip the same old boring barbecue sauce and opt for a sticky malt vinegar, bourbon, and maple syrup glaze to slick up these boiled-and-baked pork ribs.
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Julian Broad
16/37
Sorghum-Glazed Baby Carrots
Try sorghum syrup in place of honey with a splash of smoky bourbon to make these simple glazed carrots.
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Photo by Tara Donne, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell
17/37
Deep-Dish Maple-Bourbon Cream Pie
Whoever dreamt up pouring bourbon into a pie filling was thinking right. This custardy pie combines maple syrup, caramelized sugar, and plenty of bourbon's rich smoke flavor in one rich pie.
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Ture Lilegraven
18/37
Apple Fritters with Bourbon Ice Cream
Another delicious thing about this addictive dessert? The fritters can be fried up to two hours ahead, then rewarmed just before serving.
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Photo by Bobbi Lin
19/37
Bourbon and Brown Sugar Glazed Turkey
Separate cooking techniques for breast and legs in this recipe ensure that the different cuts reach their most delicious potential.
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Ture Lillegraven
20/37
Mixed Grill with Sweet and Spicy Bourbon Sauce
Bourbon sauce adds depth and a little extra smokiness to the grilled meat.
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Chris Gentile, Gourmet Live
21/37
Triple Chocolate Tart with Boozy Whipped Cream
This triple threat dessert offers three distinct textures and flavors: A nutty, crumbly crust is filled with a dark chocolate pudding enriched with bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, and chocolate stout, then topped with a billowy bourbon whipped cream.
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Gentl & Hyers
22/37
Cherry-Bourbon Ice Cream
Use a pre-made custard as your base and paddle in a sweet-and-boozy cherry and bourbon topping.
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Photo by Steve Legato
23/37
Peach Lattice Pie With Bourbon Caramel
Peach lattice is a beautifully classic summer pie. A drizzling of rich, buttery bourbon caramel over each slice heightens the naturally lush sweetness of ripe peaches.
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Photo by Shutterstock
24/37
Country-Style Pork Ribs with Bourbon and Coke BBQ Sauce
Tender, tangy, and accented with just a hint of bourbon, these slow-cooker–cooked ribs are messy, saucy, and perfect for devouring over Father's Day weekend.
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Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling: Susan Spungen
25/37
Chocolate Fudge With Bourbon Sugar
The exceptional texture and glossy sheen of this fudge result from the way you mix it. Make sure the chocolate and condensed milk are barely hot.
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Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott
26/37
Bourbon-Butterscotch Pudding
This recipe claims you can use Scotch in the custard instead of bourbon. But we all know the truth: bourbon makes it better.
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Ditte Isager
27/37
Cherry-Bourbon Pie
Your dad will love this crumble-topped pie that stars the flavors of an Old Fashioned cocktail.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch
28/37
Bourbon–Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce
There's no better way to amp up a Father's Day cookout than with a homemade sauce. This one has a little bit of everything (from ketchup to Worcestershire), but where it really wins is in the addition of smoky bourbon.
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Ben Fink
29/37
Bourbon Bread Pudding
For dads who like dessert. Squishy and rich brioche gets soaked in a bourbon-infused custard and baked until golden brown, sweet, and smoky.
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Photo by Peter Frank Edwards
30/37
Bourbon Balls
The brilliant thing about the after-dinner treat: it's dessert and nightcap all in one.
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Photo by Annabel Mehran
31/37
"Burnt" Carrots and Parsnips
Got some burned bits? Great job! The natural sugars in the root vegetables, along with the brown sugar and a generous dose of bourbon, will caramelize, giving you a little bitterness to counter all that sweetness.
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Marcus Nilsson
32/37
Bourbon-Sea Salt Caramels
Take a rich and deep caramel even deeper with the flavor of bourbon. Serve these as dessert or bag up a few to send to dad on his special day.
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Photo by Mark Thomas
33/37
Bourbon-Glazed Baby Back Ribs
The honey-hoisin-bourbon glaze on these ribs make them sweet, smoky, and award-worthy.
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Ed Anderson © 2012
34/37
Pecan Praline Semifreddo with Bourbon Caramel
Creamy, crunchy, and just a little smoky.
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Romulo Yanes
35/37
Pecan Fig Bourbon Cake
Bundt cakes are always crowd-pleasers, and this dark, moist one won't disappoint. The combination of sweet dried figs, crunchy pecans, and aromatic bourbon will make your Father's Day the best ever.
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Photo by Marcus Nilsson
36/37
Pecan, Bourbon, and Butterscotch Bread Pudding
Begin soaking the bread in custard a full day ahead—that'll give plenty of time for the smoky bourbon flavor to sink in.
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Cedric Angeles
37/37
Bourbon-Brown Butter Pecan Pie
How do you make a pie dad won't forget? Put shortening in the dough and bourbon in the filling.
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