Bourbon & Biscuits Holiday Recipe Guide

Add some holiday magic to your table with Louisville-inspired recipes that bring out the warmth and charm of Kentucky. Featuring festive favorites like a rich, bourbon-infused eggnog, decadent bourbon pecan pie, and cozy bourbon hot chocolate, this guide will have your guests feeling the holiday spirit with every sip and bite. Traditional Kentucky treats like bourbon balls and jam cake add nostalgia, while savory classics like The Hot Brown provide a comforting touch. Explore these recipes and savor the taste of Louisville this holiday season!

Raw Oysters with Bourbon Mignonette

Oysters on the half shell are very festive for an elegant Christmas or New Year's Eve party and this bourbon mignonette takes them to the next level. These are excellent paired with a Seelbach cocktail.

The Seelbach Cocktail

Built in 1905, the Seelbach Hotel is Louisville's oldest hotel and also home to one of the city's signature cocktails. The Seelbach cocktail is a great New Year's Eve option as the main ingredient is champagne. You can also pair it with some authentic Kentucky biscuits at your next Sunday Funday holiday brunch - some even call it a Kentucky Mimosa. Skip ahead to 4:28 for the cocktail recipe.

Southern Cheese Straws

The classic cheese straw is an impressive yet easy to create, savory snack to serve guests with a welcome cocktail. These also make a nice take away in a small gift bag with a festive ribbon.

The Hot Brown

Invented at Louisville's Brown Hotel in the 1920s, the Hot Brown has grown in popularity over the last century and has cemented itself as the city's official sandwich. Made with bacon, tomatoes, turkey and cheesy Mornay sauce, it's ideal comfort food and a great dish to use up leftover turkey.

Henry Bain's Sauce

Created at the Louisville Pendennis Club in the late 1800s by the club's head waiter Henry Bain, this savory dipping sauce is the perfect addition to those holiday roasts, lamb, beef tenderloin or turkey.

Bourbon Eggnog

This is rich and decadent holiday eggnog has a hearty splash of Kentucky Bourbon. The end results are well worth the time it takes to make it from scratch. Skip ahead to 4:47 for the eggnog recipe.

Bourbon Balls

This local favorite was invented in Kentucky by Ruth Booe in 1938 but many Kentucky families have their own recipe for the candy. Bourbon balls are often given as a holiday gift or served as an after-dinner treat. Try a Bourbon Ball Cocktail if you'd rather drink your dessert instead.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

It's not the holidays until you've made a pie or two. Mix things up this year by adding a splash of Bourbon to this holiday classic that'll be sure to have your taste buds (and real buds) coming back for more.

Jam Cake

With warm spices, this old-fashioned show-stopper smells like Christmas and will delight your guests. Traditionally baked during the holidays, these cakes were made using homemade jam which the cook had "put up" in the summer. Jam cakes keep well and taste even better after a few days if covered and kept in the refrigerator.

Woodford Pudding

A "pudding" in the British sense of the word, this super moist, holiday-scented cake is served warm with a rich Bourbon sauce poured onto each slice.

Bourbon Hot Chocolate

Homemade hot chocolate is always a treat, and this spiked version hits all the right warm and cozy winter notes. Here's to hoping for a snow day! Skip ahead to 2:30 for the hot chocolate recipe.

For more on Louisville and Kentucky's culinary scenes, explore dozens of foods, cocktails and recipes, here.