Kentucky Derby Party Recipes
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Hosting a Kentucky Derby party for family and friends? Or maybe just a few people? A collection of delicious Kentucky Derby Party Recipes: appetizers, desserts and drinks that all feature the quintessential taste of the Derby — bourbon or whiskey!
I’ve collaborated with other fabulous and fun food bloggers to bring you this great round up of bourbon recipes for your Derby Party! I know you will enjoy them!
If you enjoy recipes with bourbon in them, these are our favorites: Maple Whiskey Sour, Mint Julep, Bourbon Vanilla Caramel Sauce, Bourbon Vanilla Extract and Honey Bourbon Chicken!
Kentucky Derby Party | Appetizers
Delicious appetizers with one key ingredient in common, bourbon whiskey -- some of these appetizers even double as a meal!
Puff Pastry Baked Brie with Fig Jam
From our collaboration hostess! An easy, yet impressive appetizer! Made with a hint of bourbon, bacon and caramelized onion, it’s the perfect party appetizer. Serve with crackers, apples or pear slices.
Maple Bourbon Pecans
Candied pecans are amazing and these no refined sugar Maple Bourbon Pecans are even better! Sweet maple syrup, smoky bourbon, rich cinnamon, a little spicy heat makes these pecans outrageously addictive! A delicious sweet-salty mix.
Mint Julep Quinoa Salad
Not your usual mint julep recipe! This quinoa salad has the flavors of a classic mint julep for a healthy derby appetizer or side dish recipe.
Spicy Honey Bourbon Wings
Sweet with the heat and all with that Kentucky bourbon flavor that brings the South to your mouth! With no frying required, these chicken wings are definitely on the list for an easy crowd pleaser.
Slow Cooker Bourbon Whiskey BBQ Meatballs
These slow cooker whiskey meatballs take just 5 minutes to prep for the perfect make-ahead derby appetizer. Everyone will be asking for seconds (and the recipe), so you’ll definitely want to make a double batch!
Bourbon Brown Sugar Marinade
This bourbon brown sugar marinade is simple, quick and easy. Great for steak, chicken or to make skewers with. Serve them as your main dish or appetizer!
Kentucky Derby Recipes | Drinks
Mint Julep | A Southern Cocktail
This recipe for a delicious, refreshing, icy cold Mint Julep cocktail is perfect for any celebration or Derby party. Fresh mint, a wee bit of sugar, muddled together with a dose of bourbon and a couple generous splashes of club soda.
Brown Sugar-Peach Mint Julep
For a delicious twist on a classic bourbon cocktail, you’ll love this brown sugar-peach mint julep. Made with a homemade dark brown sugar simple syrup and freshly muddled peaches, this summery mint julep is a perfect Kentucky Derby cocktail!
Maple Whisky Sour
Ditch your sweet and sour mix for this delightfully bright and easy to make seasonal Maple Whiskey Sour. A rich and delicious drink for Derby day!
Mint Julep (classic Kentucky Derby cocktail)
Perfect for Derby Day or any other warm day, this cool and refreshing mint julep recipe is made with crushed ice, an easy simple syrup, Kentucky bourbon and fresh mint.
Blackberry-Lemon Mint Juleps
This ice cold Blackberry-Lemon Mint Julep recipe is a fragrant and refreshing twist on a classic. Perfect for sipping on a warm day or for watching the horse races!
Derby Party Recipes | Desserts
Kentucky Butter Cake
This Kentucky Butter Cake is simply delicious and ridiculously easy! You can’t mess it up! Rich buttery pound cake drenched in a vanilla sauce and if desired, served with Vanilla Bourbon Caramel sauce - a Derby Day Winner!
Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Need a quick, elegant, simple dessert sauce to wow your guests? This Vanilla Bourbon Caramel sauce is rich and creamy, a little bit salty with a hint of bourbon.
Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Cupcakes
Mint julep cupcakes are the perfect dessert for the Kentucky Derby. Make the recipe using Kentucky Bourbon and crème de menthe liquor for a kick of flavor. The cupcakes taste just like the cocktail!
Mint Julep Bread Pudding has all the flavor of the classic cocktail
Mint Julep Bread Pudding has the ingredients we love in the classic cocktail. There is bourbon in the custard base of the pudding. Mint simple syrup and bourbon add lots of flavor to the glaze that goes over it.
No Bake Cheesecake Jars with Bourbon Candy Bacon
If you love cheesecake, bacon, bourbon, and of course horses, then you’ll love these no bake cheesecake jars with an amazing, salty, sweet, bourbon candy bacon on top.
Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract
Homemade bourbon vanilla extract is deliciously smooth and so easy to make. Two ingredients and some time is all you need! Great for gift giving. Don't forget your free printable labels, details in post.
Fabulous Kentucky Derby Day Recipes
There you have it! Not an overwhelming list to choose from, just enough to get your creative juices flowing and help you make some amazing and simple food for Derby Day!
Don’t forget to PIN to your Favorite Bourbon or Derby Inspired Board!
And don’t forget to visit all of my fabulous fellow bloggers who participated in this collaboration for more recipe inspiration!
- Wine A Little Cook A Lot
- The Rogue Brussel Sprout
- Burrata and Bubbles
- If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen
- Her Plate is Full
- Midwest Foodie
- Season & Thyme
- The Chunky Chef
- Striped Spatula
- Grab the Mangoes
- Another Tablespoon
About Kathleen Pope
Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer
Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.
