Food and Recipes Desserts 61 Boozy Desserts That Add a Splash of Spirit to Your Party By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 4, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree Plenty of Southern recipes use a dash of bourbon, and dessert dishes are not excluded. In fact, we have dozens of boozy desserts that implement a hint of bourbon, whiskey, brandy, rum, and several types of liqueurs. We even made a margarita cake recipe with a bit of tequila that's perfect for Cinco de Mayo. From stunning layer cakes to simple bread puddings, these alcoholic desserts are just what your celebration needs. There are plenty of boozy desserts on this list made especially for the holiday season, like our Spiked Eggnog Bundt Cake or our Gingerbread with Stout Buttercream for Christmas and our Mississippi Sweet Potato Pie or Pumpkin-Honey-Beer Bread Pudding with Apple Brandy-Caramel Sauce for Thanksgiving. It wouldn't be a Derby party without bourbon, so serve up our Mint Julep Cupcakes or Kentucky Bourbon Pie for a fun finale. Of course, we have plenty of options for bourbon balls (plus, a rum balls recipe), which make the cutest treats for neighbors and hostesses. Whatever the occasion, why not add a little spirit to your dessert table? These boozy desserts are the ticket to sending your guests home full and happy. 01 of 61 White Cake with Bourbon Buttercream and Seven-Minute Frosting Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: White Cake with Bourbon Buttercream and Seven-Minute Frosting This classic white cake has boozy layers and a fluffy frosting on top for your prettiest Christmas dessert yet. 02 of 61 Margarita Cake Micah A. Leal Recipe: Margarita Cake Taco Tuesday just got so much more delicious. Cheers! 03 of 61 Pecan Pie Brownies Micah A. Leal Recipe: Pecan Pie Brownies A splash of bourbon is optional in this dessert mashup recipe, but we think it adds some welcome spirit. 04 of 61 Spiked Eggnog Bundt Cake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Spiked Eggnog Bundt Cake Nothing says, "happy holidays" like a boozy eggnog cake. 05 of 61 Cornbread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Photo: Brian Woodcock Recipe: Cornbread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel This super-Southern version of bread pudding uses cornbread as a base. 06 of 61 Mama's Rum Cake Peter Frank Edwards Recipe: Mama's Rum Cake Mildred "Mama Dip" Council, of Mama Dip's Kitchen in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, shared her legendary rum cake recipe with us. 07 of 61 Mississippi Sweet Potato Pie Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Torie Cox Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen Recipe: Mississippi Sweet Potato Pie A splash of bourbon and a bit of orange zest balance out the sweetest of this Southern Thanksgiving favorite. 08 of 61 Bourbon Balls Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett Recipe: Bourbon Balls This Southern favorite makes an adorable gift during the holidays. 09 of 61 Peach-Bourbon Upside-Down Bundt Cake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Peach-Bourbon Upside-Down Bundt Cake Fresh summer peaches are the star of this showstopping dessert. 10 of 61 Whiskey Pie with Tipsy Berries Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Recipe: Whiskey Pie with Tipsy Berries This boozy pie is the prettiest finale for your 4th of July bash. 11 of 61 Brennan's Bananas Foster Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Karin Olsen Recipe: Brennan's Bananas Foster Famed New Orleans restaurant Brennan's created this iconic dessert, and we were lucky enough to get the recipe. 12 of 61 Creole Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce Jennifer Davick Recipe: Creole Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce New Orleans chef Leah Chase puts a Creole spin on bread pudding with this boozy recipe that'll put a kick in your Christmas. 13 of 61 Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream This impressive layer cake is a perfect holiday baking project for an afternoon off work and school. 14 of 61 Brown Sugar-Rum Cake Southern Living Recipe: Brown Sugar-Rum Cake There's nothing better than a classic sheet cake to serve a crowd. 15 of 61 Strawberry Cream Pie Iain Bagwell Recipe: Strawberry Cream Pie Red currant jelly spiked with orange liqueur is an elegant touch atop fresh strawberries on this fluffy pie. 16 of 61 Cassandra's "Light" Fruitcake Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Cassandra's "Light" Fruitcake This fruitcake will ensure every Christmas guest has a good time. 17 of 61 Mini Bourbon-and-Cola Bundt Cakes Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: Mini Bourbon-and-Cola Bundt Cakes We took the classic cocktail pairing and made it into a fun mini dessert that's perfect for a tailgate or cookout. 18 of 61 Pecan Spice Cake with Caramel-Rum Glaze Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Pecan Spice Cake with Caramel-Rum Glaze Welcome fall with a beautiful spice cake that guests will rave about. 19 of 61 Bourbon Ice Cream Float Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Karen Rankin; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Bourbon Ice Cream Float There's something nostalgic about a classic ice cream float, and a splash of bourbon makes it even more fun for your summer party. 20 of 61 Lane Cupcakes Southern Living Recipe: Lane Cupcakes Serve a cute cupcake full of vintage recipe nostalgia with this recipe. 21 of 61 Butterscotch Pie with Whiskey Caramel Sauce Greg DuPree Recipe: Butterscotch Pie with Whiskey Caramel Sauce This dreamy caramel sauce can be made up to one month in advance, and it makes a delicious topping for ice cream. 22 of 61 Kentucky Bourbon Pie Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Kentucky Bourbon Pie It wouldn't be Derby Day without a derby pie! You'll be everyone's favorite hostess with this recipe. 23 of 61 Utterly Deadly Pecan Pie Jennifer Davick Recipe: Utterly Deadly Pecan Pie Making your pecan pie in a cast-iron skillet yields a perfectly crispy crust and soft filling. 24 of 61 Caramel Apple Cake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Caramel Apple Cake This beautiful fall cake is topped with our Apple-Brandy Caramel Sauce that you'll want to pour over ice cream and pancakes all season long. 25 of 61 Peach Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Peach Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Fresh preaches add a summery twist to classic bread pudding. 26 of 61 Lady Baltimore Cake Micah A. Leal Recipe: Lady Baltimore Cake This delicate cake has the dreamiest frosting. 27 of 61 Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Rum Sauce Alison Miksch Recipe: Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Rum Sauce Brunch just got so much more interesting with this Bananas Foster-inspired confection. 28 of 61 Mango-Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie with Baked Saltine Cracker Crust Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Mango-Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie with Baked Saltine Cracker Crust This bright pie is the most refreshing summer dessert, and it starts with a simple Saltine crust. 29 of 61 Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley Recipe: Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls This no-bake recipe only has four-ingredients, so it makes a budget-friendly hostess gift for the holidays. 30 of 61 Hot Buttered Rum Bread Pudding Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Hot Buttered Rum Bread Pudding This spiced dessert will make your house smell amazing during the holidays. 31 of 61 Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie If you're bored with the same pecan pie every Thanksgiving, you know it'll taste amazing with chocolate and bourbon. 32 of 61 Apple-Bourbon Pie Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Apple-Bourbon Pie This recipe first ran in our November 1995 issue, and it's been a go-to classic ever since. 33 of 61 Rum Balls Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Rum Balls These boozy bites from our December 1993 issue use honey instead of the go-to corn syrup, which gives them that "je ne sais quoi" that will have everyone asking you for the recipe. 34 of 61 Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns Finish off your holiday brunch with these mini delights that have a touch of rum. 35 of 61 Pumpkin-Honey-Beer Bread Pudding with Apple Brandy-Caramel Sauce Photographer: Alison Miksch; Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell; Food Stylist: Erin Merhar Recipe: Pumpkin-Honey-Beer Bread Pudding with Apple Brandy-Caramel Sauce This bread pudding recipe is fall baking at its best. 36 of 61 Double-Decker Pecan Cheesecake Pie Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Double-Decker Pecan Cheesecake Pie What's better than pecan pie and cheesecake? A recipe that combines them! 37 of 61 Rebecca's Black Bottom Icebox Pie Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Recipe: Rebecca's Black Bottom Icebox Pie Icebox pies are the best make-ahead desserts, and you've got to try this one out for all the chocolate lovers in your family. 38 of 61 Skillet Caramel Apple Pie Photo: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Skillet Caramel Apple Pie Swap your usual pie palate for your cast-iron skillet—you'll thank us. 39 of 61 Icebox Fruit Cake Micah Leal Recipe: Icebox Fruit Cake A Southern holiday classic meets a Southern summer classic in this cooled-off fruitcake. 40 of 61 Over the Moon Chocolate Pie Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Over the Moon Chocolate Pie MoonPies are a Southern favorite, so we had to make a pie recipe in their honor. 41 of 61 Challah Bread Pudding Micah A. Leal Recipe: Challah Bread Pudding Challah is the ideal bread to soak up custard in a bread pudding recipe. 42 of 61 Gingerbread Cake Roll with Eggnog Cream Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Gingerbread Cake Roll with Eggnog Cream Since it needs to chill for at least eight hours, this boozy, festive cake is best for making ahead and saving you time the day of your get-together. 43 of 61 Strawberry Birthday Cake Southern Living Recipe: Strawberry Birthday Cake This gorgeous cake is filled with fresh strawberry compote with a bit of rum to round out the sweet cake layers. 44 of 61 Café Brûlot Bread Pudding Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: Café Brûlot Bread Pudding Coffee lovers, we've created this dreamy recipe just for you. 45 of 61 Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake Greg DuPree Recipe: Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake Every bite of this buttery cake is better than the last. 46 of 61 Gingerbread with Stout Buttercream Recipe: Gingerbread with Stout Buttercream This holiday dessert uses your favorite stout beer to balance out sweet buttercream. 47 of 61 The Red Velvet Cake Hector Sanchez Recipe: The Red Velvet Cake This towering red velvet cake is sandwiched with a strawberry glaze made with preserves and almond liqueur. 48 of 61 Praline Layer Cake Greg DuPree Recipe: Praline Layer Cake This cake has enough going on to impress even the best baker at your holiday table. 49 of 61 Coffee Baba au Rhum Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Coffee Baba au Rhum Our shortcut version of the original French confection will be a hit at your Christmas cocktail. 50 of 61 White Chocolate Poinsettia Cake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: White Chocolate Poinsettia Cake This picture-perfect Christmas cake includes chocolate liqueur in the filling. 51 of 61 Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream This fudgy cake batter gets a bit of bourbon at the last second before going in the oven. 52 of 61 Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines As finicky as pralines can be to make, the results are absolutely delicious when you get them right. 53 of 61 Tres Leches Cake Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Tres Leches Cake A classic three milk cake is the best way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. 54 of 61 Pecan Bourbon Balls Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: Pecan Bourbon Balls These classic bourbon balls are rolled in buttery toasted pecans for a fun Southern riff. 55 of 61 The Lane Cake Hector Sanchez Recipe: The Lane Cake Every Southern cook has to make at least one legendary Lane Cake in his or her lifetime. 56 of 61 Grand Marnier Cakes Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Ana Kelly Recipe: Grand Marnier Cakes These mini Bundt cakes were made for Southern baby showers. 57 of 61 Georgia Peanut Pie with Peanut Butter Crust and Brown Sugar-Bourbon Whipped Cream Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Georgia Peanut Pie with Peanut Butter Crust and Brown Sugar-Bourbon Whipped Cream This peanut pie has the ideal mix of sweet and salty, and the brown sugar-bourbon whipped cream is truly the perfect way to top it off. 58 of 61 Triple-Layer Chocolate-Caramel Cake Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Triple-Layer Chocolate-Caramel Cake Chocolate, caramel, and bourbon—what more could you want in a birthday cake? 59 of 61 Bourbon-Chocolate Cake With Praline Frosting Southern Living Recipe: Bourbon-Chocolate Cake With Praline Frosting Bourbon, chocolate, and praline frosting? There's so much to love about this decadent recipe. 60 of 61 Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with Butter Bourbon Sauce Southern Living Recipe: Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with Butter Bourbon Sauce As if you needed a reason to love Krispy Kreme more, here you go. 61 of 61 Chocolate Cake IV Southern Living Recipe: Chocolate Cake IV This pretty layer cake is filled with topped with coffee liqueur ganache icing. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit