Honey Bourbon Sauce

Buttery sweet Honey Bourbon Sauce, with a touch of vanilla and brown sugar, is perfect for topping just about anything from bread pudding to ice cream, from meats and seafood to veggies and waffles.  You’ll want to keep a jar of this honey bourbon glaze handy because once you taste it, you will want to put it on everything!

This bourbon glaze recipe has been on my website since 2018, and in that time, it’s been tried boatloads of times! The comments are always positive, and I love it when my readers let me know what they use it on. Today, the recipe hasn’t changed one bit. I have just updated the post and the photos to improve the user experience here on my website. I can’t wait to see what you think when you make it!

The Best Honey Bourbon Sauce Recipe

You may have found a new favorite sauce.  This Honey Bourbon Sauce has been awesome on so many things already, and boy! Do I have plans for it for other things, too!  It’s amazing on pancakes, ice cream, and over veggies like beets or carrots.  It gives a unique sweetness to veggies that you will love, I just know it!

Does Bourbon Sauce have Alcohol?

Have you ever heard that cooking alcohol removes the alcohol content?  Well, turns out that is a myth.  Here’s a great article on Cooking Alcohol and Alcohol Evaporation. You can do a little light reading.  However, there is such a small amount in this bourbon glaze recipe that most needn’t worry. Of course,  if you absolutely can’t drink any alcohol, you can substitute apple juice or add a little more vanilla.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader comment: “This is awesome. I’ve tried it on waffles and also different types of fish. Salmon and catfish. I’m making this a part of my must-have food when I grill from now on.” – Don

What Is Bourbon Sauce?

Bourbon sauce is classified as a reduction-style sauce. Essentially, by using high heat, you not only evaporate most of the alcohol but also any water. At the same time, the sugars caramelize and help concentrate the flavors. In this way, the sauce also works quite well as a glaze. You can coat anything and everything in bourbon brown sugar glaze. Because it makes everything taste on the right side of amazing!

Of course, it works great on chicken, salmon, steak, and pork, especially when you do any of those on the grill. Want the best wings ever? Glaze them generously with it! But use it on sweets and desserts as well. Trust me on this! Try some on cakes, pancakes, waffles, and even ice cream! Use this bourbon sauce recipe for bread pudding, and swoon!

With just a few ingredients, this honey bourbon sauce is easy as they come. You don’t have to use the high-priced fancy bourbons for this if you want to save those for sipping! Most likely, you will have everything here already in your pantry.

Honey Bourbon Dipping Sauce

Make a few extra servings to use for a dipping sauce, too. Sweet bourbon dipping sauce works for dipping chips or veggies, or you can make some sweet bourbon-glazed meatballs to serve as an appetizer. I think most people, after trying some, actually dream about what else they can slather it on. (So it is nothing to feel weird about if that happens to you too…)

Honey Bourbon Sauce Ingredients

You will find the complete ingredients and instructions at the bottom of this post in the printable recipe card.

• Butter – Creates the rich, silky base for the sauce and helps everything blend into a smooth glaze.
• Brown sugar – Adds deep caramel notes and a touch of molasses flavor that pairs perfectly with the bourbon and honey.
• Bourbon – Brings warmth and complexity to the sauce. As it cooks, the alcohol evaporates, leaving behind the signature oak, vanilla, and caramel flavors that bourbon is known for.
• Vanilla – Enhances the sweetness and rounds out the flavors, making the sauce taste richer and more balanced.
• Honey – The star of the recipe. Honey provides natural sweetness and gives the sauce its glossy texture while complementing both sweet and savory dishes.

How to Make Bourbon Honey Sauce

This one comes together super fast, so it’s ready in no time for you to use on whatever your heart desires.

How to Make Honey Bourbon Sauce

• Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as the butter melts and the sugar begins to dissolve into the mixture.
• Pour in the bourbon and continue stirring. Allow the mixture to simmer briefly so the alcohol can cook off while the bourbon flavor remains. This usually takes about a minute.
• Add the vanilla extract and stir until fully incorporated.
• Pour in the honey and stir until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Heat just until warmed through, being careful not to let it boil.
• Remove from the heat and serve warm over cakes, quick breads, ice cream, grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or your favorite desserts.

Storage

Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Because the butter and honey will firm up when chilled, the sauce may thicken significantly in the refrigerator. Simply warm it gently in the microwave in short intervals or in a small saucepan over low heat until it reaches your desired consistency.

If separation occurs after storage, give the sauce a quick stir while reheating, and it will come back together beautifully.

Love it?  Pin it!

Don’t forget where you found this sweet bourbon sauce recipe! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go.

Why Bourbon Honey Sauce Makes The Best Sauce for Barbecuing

When it comes to grilling recipes, bourbon honey sauce always tops the charts of best and most favorite. That is because of a few factors. First, bourbon already adds smokiness to the flavor without any burnt or unpleasant type of aftertaste. Next, the sweetness of the honey and brown sugar is just enough, not too much, not too little.

If you want, you can always add a bit of spice to it, too, with a dash or three of Tabasco or some red pepper flakes. I have a delicious BBQ sauce recipe to check out as well.

It’s nice to have recipes for a plethora of sauces. Here are some of my favorites:

• Spiced Rum Caramel Sauce
• Crockpot Apple Sauce
• Pineapple Sauce
• Homemade Raspberry Sauce
• The BEST Tartar Sauce
• Beer Cheese Pasta Sauce
• Whiskey Sauce
• Homemade Marinara Sauce
• Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
• Plum BBQ Sauce
• Mustard Cheese Sauce
• Blueberry Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
• White BBQ Sauce
• The Easiest Chimichurri Sauce
• Three Dippings Sauces: Vanilla, Chocolate, and Peanut Butter
• Hollandaise Sauce
• My Mom’s Cranberry Sauce
• Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
• Lemon Caper Sauce
• Cherry Butter
• Salted Caramel Sauce

Bourbon Lovers Unite!

If you are a fan of bourbon, I have some other recipes to tickle those bourbon-loving taste buds of yours!

• Kentucky Mule (pictured above)
• Bittersweet Chocolate Bourbon Balls
• Bourbon Lemonade
• Honey Bourbon Glazed Beets with Crispy Kale
• Cherry Lime Bourbon Smash

What will you pour it on first?? 

This recipe was originally posted on June 4, 2018. It had been updated to improve the user experience and re-shared on June 3, 2026.