Bourbon Cream
intro
Silky, lightly boozy Southern-style bourbon cream is a versatile indulgence, perfect for drizzling over pies, stirring into coffee, or serving with warm bread pudding.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep measured ingredients
Separate 3 large eggs, reserving yolks in a medium heatproof bowl; reserve whites for another use if desired. Portion all ingredients into individual small ramekins, and set a fine-mesh sieve over a clean 4-cup glass storage bowl to streamline cooking and avoid last-minute scrambling.
Warm cream base
Add 2 cups (480 ml) heavy whipping cream, 1/3 cup (67 g) packed light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt to a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula, for 4-5 minutes until sugar fully dissolves and the mixture reaches a gentle 170°F (77°C) simmer, with tiny bubbles forming only at the pan edges; do not bring to a rolling boil.
Temper egg yolks
Whisk the reserved egg yolks constantly at a fast, steady pace. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolk bowl in a thin, continuous stream, taking about 60 seconds to fully incorporate the liquid; this gradual temperature rise prevents yolks from scrambling or curdling.
Thicken custard base
Pour the tempered yolk and cream mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot cream, stirring constantly. Cook over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes with nonstop stirring, until the mixture thickens to coat the back of a silicone spatula and reaches 175°F (80°C); do not heat above 180°F (82°C) to avoid curdling.
Strain and flavor cream
Immediately remove the pan from heat. Pour the hot custard through the pre-placed fine-mesh sieve to catch any small lumps or curdled bits. Stir in 2 tablespoons (28 g) cubed unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) bourbon until the butter melts completely and the mixture is uniformly smooth.
Chill to set
Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the entire surface of the warm bourbon cream to prevent a thick skin from forming as it cools. Refrigerate for 2 full hours, until the cream is fully chilled and thickened to a silky, pourable, spoon-coating consistency before serving.
Tips
2.For a non-alcoholic swap, replace the bourbon with 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold strongly brewed black coffee plus 1 teaspoon bourbon extract to retain the signature warm, deep flavor profile.
3.Store finished bourbon cream in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; stir gently with a spoon before serving if minor separation occurs during storage.
OMG this homemade bourbon cream is SO good! I made it for my friend’s fall potluck last weekend and everyone was begging me for the recipe. It’s so silky, not too overpowering with the bourbon, perfect over iced coffee or even drizzled on bread pudding. I can’t believe how easy it was too, I was intimidated at first but the steps are totally straightforward. 10/10 will be making a big batch for holiday gifts this year!
Game changer. I’ve been buying that expensive brand name bourbon cream for years for my weekend old fashioned twists, and this homemade version tastes identical if not better. The texture is perfectly silky, no weird grainy texture like some other homemade recipes I’ve tried before. Only note: I let it chill a little longer than the recipe said because my fridge runs a little warm, and it turned out perfect.
Made this for our family dinner last night to go with the apple pie I baked, and my husband and kids went crazy for it! Wait, okay, the kids just had a tiny little non-alcoholic test sip before I added the bourbon, obviously, but even the plain creamy base was delicious. The full bourbon version was chef’s kiss with the warm pie. Super easy to throw together too, I didn’t even need any fancy equipment.
This is such a solid base recipe! I made a batch last night for my girls’ night, and I added a pinch of cinnamon and a little extra maple syrup to give it a cozy fall vibe. It was so good in spiked hot chocolate, everyone had two mugs minimum. Only thing is I messed up the first batch because I heated the cream too fast and it curdled a little, oops. Second batch turned out perfect though!
Tried this recipe for a date night in, and let me tell you—total home run. My partner thought I picked it up from a fancy local liquor store! The silky texture is unreal, it feels way more luxurious than the effort it takes to make. We had it over vanilla ice cream for dessert and it was *chef’s kiss*. My only regret is not making a double batch, it was gone by the end of the night.
Perfect for weekly drink prep, lmao! I whipped up a big batch on Sunday, poured it into a sealed mason jar, and it’s been holding up perfectly in the fridge all week. It’s the best little after-work treat when I want something fancy without putting in any effort. It’s so smooth, not cloyingly sweet, and the bourbon comes through just enough without tasting harsh. 10/10, this is going straight into my regular recipe rotation.