Homemade Salted Caramel Bourbon Cocktail
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Homemade Salted Caramel Bourbon Cocktail makes an amazing after-dinner drink. This easy bourbon cocktail combines smooth whiskey, rich brown sugar simple syrup, and a hint of sea salt to create something truly special that’s perfect for cozy evenings and special occasions. The best part? It only takes about 20 minutes to make from start to finish, and you can serve it hot or cold!
Why I Love This Bourbon Cocktail Recipe
I first discovered this salted caramel bourbon drink when my husband John and I visited our favorite local restaurant. The bartender served us this warm, buttery cocktail that tasted like liquid caramel heaven. When we asked for the recipe, he wouldn’t share his secret! That challenge sent me straight to my kitchen to figure out how to make the perfect homemade version.
My family immediately fell in love with this bourbon cocktail because it’s like drinking a warm hug. The smooth bourbon pairs perfectly with the sweet caramel flavor and that little pinch of salt makes everything taste even better. Now it’s become our favorite drink for entertaining guests, cold winter nights, and whenever we want to treat ourselves to something special.
What makes this salted caramel bourbon recipe so amazing is how simple it is to make at home. You don’t need fancy bar tools or expensive ingredients – just a few pantry staples and your favorite bourbon.
Key Ingredient Notes for the Best Bourbon Cocktail
While you’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below, I wanted to share some important tips about the key ingredients:
- Bourbon Whiskey: I use Old Forester Bourbon because it’s affordable and works perfectly in mixed drinks. The vanilla and caramel notes in bourbon are exactly what make this cocktail taste so good. You can use any bourbon you like – even mid-range brands work great!
- Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar gives you those rich molasses flavors that taste amazing with bourbon. Light brown sugar works too, but dark brown sugar makes the caramel taste even better.
- Light Corn Syrup: This helps make the caramel syrup smooth and prevents crystallization. You can find Karo syrup in any grocery store.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Always use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation. The real vanilla flavor makes a huge difference in homemade cocktails.
- Sea Salt: I love using flaky sea salt like Fleur de Sel, but any good sea salt will work. The salt is what makes this bourbon drink special!
Pro Tips for Making Perfect Salted Caramel Bourbon
Before you start mixing, here are some helpful tips I’ve learned from making this cocktail many times:
Make the Syrup First: The caramel syrup needs to cool completely before mixing with bourbon, so start with this step. It takes about 30 minutes to cool down properly.
Watch the Heat: When making the brown sugar syrup, bring it to a boil then reduce to simmer. This prevents burning and gives you that smooth caramel flavor.
Taste and Adjust: Start with equal parts syrup and bourbon, then adjust based on how sweet you like your cocktails. Some people prefer more bourbon, others want it sweeter.
Serve Temperature: This bourbon cocktail tastes amazing both hot and cold. For hot cocktails, warm it gently – don’t boil it or you’ll cook off the alcohol and then pour it over the bourbon. Stir it and serve.
Storage Tip: You can make the caramel syrup ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Just warm it slightly before mixing if it gets too thick.
How to Serve Your Bourbon Cocktail
This Homemade Salted Caramel Bourbon Cocktail is perfect for so many occasions! I love serving it in small glasses like shot glasses when we’re sipping it warm or rocks glasses when we pour it over ice – the rich flavor means a little goes a long way.
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For a fancy presentation, drizzle some extra caramel syrup around the rim of the glass and add a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top. If you’re serving it hot, try it with a cinnamon stick for stirring. For cold cocktails, add a few ice cubes and maybe a caramel candy as garnish.
This bourbon drink pairs wonderfully with desserts like our Black Russian Chocolate Cake, apple pie, or even just some good dark chocolate. It’s also perfect all by itself as a dessert drink!
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
The caramel syrup will keep in your fridge for up to two weeks in an airtight container. If it gets too thick, just warm it slightly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
You can also make the complete cocktail ahead of time and store it in a mason jar in the fridge. Just give it a good shake before serving. The flavors actually get better after sitting for a day or two!
This bourbon cocktail doesn’t freeze well because of the alcohol content, but honestly, it never lasts long enough to worry about freezing!
Variations to Try
- Spiced Version: Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the syrup while it’s cooking for warm spice flavors.
- Coffee Bourbon Cocktail: Add a shot of espresso or strong coffee to make it like a boozy coffee drink.
- Apple Caramel Bourbon: Replace some of the water in the syrup with apple cider for fall flavors.
- Chocolate Twist: Add a teaspoon of cocoa powder to the syrup for a chocolate caramel bourbon drink.
Related Bourbon Cocktail Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy this Homemade Salted Caramel Bourbon Cocktail, you’ll definitely want to try some of my other favorite drinks! My Black Gold Whiskey Cocktail and Rum Manhattan Recipe is perfect for cocktail lovers who want something a bit stronger. For coffee fans, my Espresso Martini Cocktail and Irish Coffee combine the best of both worlds. And if you’re looking for something fruity, my Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail is amazing in the fall!
Give it a Try!
This Homemade Salted Caramel Bourbon Cocktail has become one of my most requested recipes, and I hope it becomes a favorite in your home too! The combination of smooth bourbon and sweet caramel with just a hint of salt makes it perfect for any occasion. Whether you serve it hot on a cold night or cold on a summer evening, this easy bourbon cocktail recipe is sure to impress.
Please let me know in the comments if you try this recipe and how it turns out! I love hearing about your cocktail adventures and any fun variations you discover. Oh, and a 5-star review is always welcome!
Salted Caramel Bourbon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp light karo syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp sea salt such as Fleur de Sel
- 750 ml Bourbon Whiskey Old Forester
Instructions
Simple Syrup
- In a medium-sized saucepan, combine brown sugar, Karo syrup, vanilla and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and then turn to low and allow to reduce until slightly thickened. Stir in salt and allow it to cool completely.
Assembly
- In order to see how sweet you like it, mix a 1:1 ratio simple syrup to bourbon. If you like it sweeter, combine 2 parts syrup to bourbon.
- Top drink with a small amount of additional salt if desired. Serve warm or over ice.
- Store covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Don’t forget to pin it for later and follow me on Pinterest for more delicious recipes like this one!
This salted caramel bourbon cocktail recipe was first published on December 29, 2015. It has been updated to improve the experience for our readers. No changes were made to the actual recipe.
This really looks delicious, Julie! I’m so glad you figured it out. I hate it when they won’t give you the recipe. The combination of bourbon and brown sugar and salt sounds wonderful to me. I would love it warm. Perfect drink for this time of year! I’m so glad you shared your recipe!
Thank you Shari. It is a nice little toddy after a meal or to just enjoy with friends.
What a lovely recipe! You come up with the coolest stuff! I do not drink, but this looks delicious! Happy New Year to you and Happy FF!
You are the ultimate hostess! I can only imagine how delicious this is and hot as well, yum! Perfect on a night like tonight when it is cold and the rain is pouring down! x
Thank you Petra! I got chilled just thinking of a cold rain. A little toddy would definitely help. We’re frozen now with snow on the ground. I’d be in trouble if I grabbed the booze every time I was cold. 🙂
Doesn’t this sound delectable. I infused some vodka over the Holidays with salted caramel! Thanks for sharing with us at Throwback Thursday.
Thank you! I ran over to find that Vodka and it’s not there yet! Sounds amazing, and I hope it’s planed for your blog?
How clever of you to figure this cocktail out. A perfect cold winter evening warmer upper. 🙂
Thank you Karen! We enjoyed figuring out this recipe maybe a little to much! 🙂
Love how this sounds! It looks refreshing too ♥
summerdaisy.net
Thank you for stopping by and your sweet comment! This drink is delicious, but definitely a sipper!
Wow! Julie, now this is how I would like to start the new year! Salted Caramel and bourbon! this is genius and the color looks so festive too!
Thank you Sandhya. It is guaranteed to get you into the party mood! Happy New Year!
Happy new year to you too Julie!
You might even get me to drink a bourbon with this recipe, Julie! Thanks for bringing this to Fiesta Friday and Happy New Year’s to you~I’ll be pinning to the FF board just in case no one else has, yet~!
Thank you so much! I keep forgetting to pin to that board! A New Years resolution to make a check list of the must do’s!
What a lovely cocktail. I like that you can enjoy it warm or cold, depending on your mood or the occasion. Thanks for sharing and happy New Year Julie xx
Thank you so much Lily! I hope your New Year was wonderful. I am so happy that we have met through blogging, and really appreciate your support and friendship!
That’s sweet of you to say and same here my friend:)
Happy new year..looks festive
Thank you! Happy New Year to you too!
What a gorgeously festive cocktail! Thanks so much for bringing this over to FF’s 100th! 😀
I’ve never really been a bourbon fan, but with this recipe I can see myself becoming one. This sounds incredible, Julie. Have a Happy New Year!
Thanks Natalie! John wasn’t until sipping this one. 🙂 Happy New Year to you too!
You are so versatile and bring something new to amaze us each time Julie!
Thank you for your sweet comments Lynz! Happy New Year!
Happy new year Julie! So glad we are friends!xx
Me too Lynz!!!!! Happy New Year to you too!
🙂
What a drink, what a beautiful color, I can only dream about it going down my tonsils :)). I wish I had bourbon in my liquor cabinet, cos as sure as heck I wouldn’t wait for cocktail hour with a drink like this! A great drink to ring out the old and bring in the New Year Julie. Best wishes to you and John for a healthy and happy one! ~cheers~
Thank you Loretta! LOL on the tonsils! This drink can definitely be a trouble maker! Do you have any big plans for New Years? Big parties to host or go too?
I need a trouble maker drink right now, my throat is sore and I feel under the weather. Thankfully, the girls both left, one yesterday and one this morning. We do have plans at a cafe first and then at a private home. I hope I’ll be able to make it, although just about now, I get so tired of all the parties and merry making, I just want to crawl under a blanket and disappear for a while :)How about you?
Oh Loretta I hope you can get some rest and start to feel better soon. Mike left yesterday too. John works all day tomorrow so we are cooking at home and will have a nice quiet evening. Feel better soon and take care of yourself!
Thanks Julie…I’m medicating myself so I can feel better for the festivities. There’s dancing at the Cafe with a live band and a DJ, we both love to dance, but I’m dragging my heels at the mo. Still, after tonight, it will all be quiet. Can we swap places? I’d love a nice quiet evening with your special drink, I can mix that with some cough syrup LOL! Happy New Year Julie!
Medication and my special drink will have you dancing in no time. 🙂 That sure sounds like a lot of fun. I hope you can enjoy yourself and then chill until this bug passes! Happy New Year!
I love it Julie, what a perfect warm sweet boozy drink. I can imagine how easy it goes down. Sounds fantastic and thank you for bringing to the party!!
It is yummy Suzanne. I have the leftovers in a mason jar. Very prohibition like. 🙂
I am going to make this it sounds so good!!
I saw this post and thought Julie’s son has come up with a new cocktail! Sounds delicious even though I am primarily a wine drinker. Happy Fiesta Friday #100 and thanks for sharing – this is like drinking a dessert Julie 🙂
Ha! My son was mixing on New Years Eve, but we stayed with his Espresso martinis. This one is a sipper that could cause trouble. I love my wine too. That is probably the reason for the last 5 pounds. 🙁
I remember them from last year and they were featured too! Sippers are bad for me – they go down too easy. If I gave up carbs and wine I would look darn good LOL
But we would be very boring people and besides a couple sips and we lighten up on ourselves which is even better!
This sounds delicious and so festive Julie! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas holiday–Happy New Year!
You are clairvoyant! I was just thinking of you today. I had a wonderful Christmas with both my kids home. How have you been? I hope all is well! Was your Thanksgiving everything you hoped it would be up north?
When I call you a genius, it’s a short of the word for magnificent!! Larger than life! You amaze me with every new post of yours!! ❤️
Sonal that is such a huge compliment coming from you. Coming from you is just amazing because your dishes are extraordinary, and it is so evident that you are an amazing business women. ❤️
Muaah lady!! We both belong to mutual admiration club and I wish you more power in 2016..❤️
LOVE that!