Bourbon Is The Boozy Swap For A Common Baking Staple

Bourbon is an American-made whiskey that has been a popular libation since the 15th century. It was once used for medicinal purposes and has a long and fascinating history in the liquor industry. Shockingly, it wasn't until the late 1980s that people tried cooking with it. Since then, bourbon has exploded in the culinary industry because of its pronounced flavor profiles that can enhance any dish it's paired with.

While bourbon is an excellent pairing with savory dishes, it's not surprising that it's also a wonderful baking ingredient. While some liquors are limited in their flavors, bourbon is the opposite. Bursting with notes of vanilla and caramel, it makes a great pairing with just about any type of dessert. Because of these universal flavor notes, bourbon can also be an excellent swap for a baking staple like vanilla extract. If you've run out of vanilla or want to mix things up, here's why you should use bourbon instead next time.

Vanilla extract gets its flavor from vanillin, a component found in vanilla beans. From professional to amateur bakers, vanilla extract is a vital ingredient in the kitchen, enhancing flavor and providing balance in dessert dishes. If you want to skip the vanilla extract, bourbon will work just as well.

Because the oak barrels used to age bourbon contain vanillin, the whiskey can easily enhance the flavor of baking recipes. Fruit-forward desserts like peach cobbler or strawberry crisp are great dishes that work well with bourbon. The combination of the bourbon's complex notes and the sweetness of the fruit is a balanced pairing that will dance on your palate. On the other hand, recipes with a heavy hand in chocolate, like brownies or cookies, also pair well with bourbon because their rich, decadent flavors from the liquor and the dessert balance each other out. Because bourbon and vanilla extract are similar agents in baking recipes, the measurements will be the same when swapping in the liquor.