Bourbon Slush

This bourbon slush recipe is a guaranteed fixture at all my summer get-togethers. With bourbon, black tea, frozen juice concentrates, and lemon-lime soda, it has everything needed to make a thirst-quenching, sweet, citrusy cocktail that can pair with any seasonal recipe—from Italian sausage sandwiches to grilled raspberry peach cobbler.

Note that this bourbon slush is a make-ahead drink: It needs to freeze to get its slushy texture. That said, it lasts more or less forever in the freezer, making it one of our favorite fruity drinks for summer sipping. Mix up a batch when the mercury starts rising and stash it in the freezer to enjoy through the dog days of summer.

Bourbon Slush Ingredients

• Bourbon: Bourbon is a spirit that has complexity and depth, with sweeter flavors of vanilla, caramel, baking spices and oak. Save your premium bourbon for sipping neat, but don’t go too cheap either; look for a good, mid-range bottle. You can use whiskey (there is a difference between whiskey and bourbon), but the sweeter flavor of bourbon works best for this drink.
• Tea: Unsweetened, brewed black tea gives the bourbon slush a boozy, sweet-tea vibe. The tea’s earthy flavors complement both the bourbon and the citrus. Give the tea plenty of time to brew for the fullest flavor.
• Frozen lemonade concentrate: Alcohol doesn’t freeze, so using frozen concentrates helps to speed up the process and generally makes freezing easier. Bourbon and lemonade are a classic combo—we love the citrus and spice.
• Frozen orange juice concentrate: Orange pairs really well with bourbon. Instead of concentrate, you can use freshly squeezed or any of the best orange juice brands to make the bourbon slushes a bit less sweet.
• Lemon-lime soda: The soda dilutes the frozen bourbon mixture, giving the cocktail its slush texture. Regular or diet sodas both work well in this recipe.
• Sugar: You need sugar to make the simple syrup. This bourbon slush recipe calls for plain sugar, but whatever sugar you have on hand is fine. The richer, molasses-like flavor of brown sugar can be a tiny tweak to make bourbon slushes that much better. Since concentrated lemonade, orange juice, and lemon-lime soda are all pretty sweet to begin with, feel free to reduce the amount of simple syrup in this recipe. Tinker with the amount until you hit that sweet spot.

Directions

Step 1: Make the simple syrup

In a Dutch oven or other large pot, combine the water and sugar. Bring them to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the pot from the heat.

Step 2: Make the mix and freeze

Stir the orange juice and lemonade concentrates, tea and bourbon into the simple syrup. Transfer the mixture to freezer containers and freeze it for at least 12 hours or overnight.

Step 3: Add the soda and serve

Scoop 1/2 cup of the bourbon mixture into each glass. Top the glasses off with the chilled lemon-lime soda.

Taste of Home

Bourbon Slush Variations

• Swap spirits: Whiskey and rum make excellent alternatives to bourbon. Spiced rum, with its notes of vanilla, molasses and sweet baking spice, is particularly tasty in this slush recipe.
• Use different juice concentrates: Mixed berry, peach or strawberry lemonade concentrates are summery alternatives to orange and lemonade. Pineapple and mango add a wickedly good tropical twist to bourbon slushes.
• Try another soda flavor: The bold spiciness of ginger beer is a fantastic match for bourbon’s sweetness. Use ginger ale for its milder spice. Cream soda is an absolute home run with its vanilla flavor. We also love the extra citrus from orange soda. Or nix the soda entirely and go for a serious upgrade: prosecco.
• Use a different sweetener: Use sugar alternatives like honey or agave nectar, or make simple syrup with stevia for a more diabetic-friendly cocktail.
• Add a garnish: A sprig of mint (or other fresh herbs), a slice of orange or a brandied cherry are elegant edible garnishes for these easy, grown-up slushies.

How do you store bourbon slush?

Pour your bourbon slush cocktail mix into an airtight container and freeze it. It will keep for up to two months.

Bourbon Slush Tips

Taste of Home

What kind of glass should you use for a bourbon slush?

Shorter glassware like tumblers, old-fashioned cocktail glasses or stemless wine glasses work best for bourbon slushes.

What can you serve with bourbon slush?

While bourbon is an any-time-of-year kind of spirit, the slushy side of the drink screams warm weather. The batch-able bourbon slush is a crowd-pleaser, and its refreshing flavor makes it a great pairing with all sorts of summery recipes for backyard barbecues and picnics in the park. Think: country-style ribs, grilled chicken kebabs, brats and grilled corn on the cob with a heaping spoonful of pasta salad.