14 Best Snacks To Pair With Bourbon

Bourbon is one of those drinks that doesn't need much — just a glass and maybe an ice cube or two (although purists would argue even the ice is unnecessary). Provided you've followed the rules of bourbon buying and snagged yourself a good bottle, you should be able to enjoy those flavors of vanilla, spice, oak, and caramel all on their own. But if you've ever had bourbon with the right snack, you know it can take the whole experience up a notch. Some foods can really bring out the sweetness, spice, or smoke. 

We were curious to find out which snacks work best with bourbon, so we asked several bartenders, chefs, and bourbon experts for their go-to pairings. Some shared classic pairings that they turn to time after time, while others offered some unique combos they tried and were surprised to find work exceptionally well. The experts also gave tips on what kinds of flavors to look for and how to match them with different styles of bourbon. Some also gave tips on seasonal pairings. If you're looking for some snacks that make sipping bourbon even better, this list has you covered.

Bourbon has a natural sweetness that sets it apart from other types of whiskey, so it makes sense that it goes well with desserts. For David Orellana, beverage director at Grand Brasserie in New York City, the ultimate sweet treat to pair with bourbon is pecan pie. He pointed out that bourbon's flavor notes include butterscotch, vanilla, molasses, oak, and a range of baking spices on the finish (depending on the mash bill). "Imagine these bourbon flavors combined with a sticky caramel filling with toasted pecans in a flaky, buttery crust. A match made in heaven!"

If you can't find pecan pie at the bakery and aren't inclined to make one yourself at home, pecans are buttery enough to stand up to the bourbon on their own. Marissa Stevens, recipe developer and food blogger at Pinch and Swirl, told us that toasted pecans are her go-to snack pairing for bourbon. "The richness of the nuts makes the caramel notes in the bourbon pop. If the pecans are salted or lightly spiced (even with a little smoked paprika), it's even better." Both Stevens and Orellana also recommend bourbon-glazed candied nuts.

Many of the experts we spoke to told us that it doesn't get much better than a glass of bourbon with charcuterie. Smoked and cured meats can bring out some of the nuanced flavors in the spirit and make for the perfect mouthfeel. For example, QED Hospitality chef and co-owner Brian Landry believes country ham is the perfect pairing. "The slight smokiness of the ham stands up to the charred wood flavors in the bourbon, while the fat from the ham can coat the palate and lessen some of the burn from higher-proof bourbons."

Andrey Bolshakov, beverage director at NAHATÉ Dubai, also loves pairing bourbon and ham, but prefers jamón Ibérico. "The rich, nutty depth of the ham, with its silky fat and savory complexity, beautifully amplifies the vanilla, caramel, and spicy oak notes of a well-aged bourbon." He also commented on how the saltiness of the ham can cut some of the sweetness of the spirit and the umami element mirrors the woody undertones of the bourbon. Other meats you might want to consider when designing your charcuterie board include prosciutto, salami, and speck.

When we asked Nikki Bonkowski, master mixologist and head bartender at Whiskey Neat, if she had any unconventional snack pairings that work well with bourbon, she was quick to answer with bacon-wrapped dates. She explained, "They provide a good amount of salty and savory flavor that keeps your palate yearning for more bourbon. The dates also allow the fruity notes you may have not found in the bourbon before to take a front seat in the flavor profile."

Bacon-wrapped dates have a lot of things going on that can bring out the flavors in bourbon. You have the sweetness of the fruit, the saltiness of the bacon, and luscious fattiness from the meat. Add some cheese like feta or goat cheese and you introduce creaminess and tang. This particular snack is a good example of how bourbon gives you a lot of room to experiment with different flavors. As Abby Martinie, brand ambassador and chief mixologist at Four Roses Bourbon, said, "Bourbon is incredibly versatile — it plays well with sweet, salty, spicy, and smoky flavors alike, enhancing complexity in both the drink and the snack."

If you're new to bourbon or just want a no-fuss pairing that works across the board, dark chocolate is a solid place to start. Benjamin Annotti, executive sous chef at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter on the River Walk, told us it's one of his go-to pairings. "It's approachable, flavorful, and pairs beautifully with a variety of bourbons." If you want to elevate the experience a bit, he recommends dark chocolate with sea salt for a sweet and savory flavor combo that can accentuate bourbon's depth and warmth.

Dark chocolate on its own works well, but pairing it with other ingredients can take things further. For example, Annotti told us s'mores are a great way to switch things up because the smoky notes from the toasted marshmallows elevate the bourbon's complexity, while the dark chocolate balances things out. Marissa Stevens recommends chocolate covered pretzels for some sweet and salty crunch. James Tuckey, executive chef at Service Bar, the restaurant at Middle West Spirits, said chocolate covered bacon works well. He also likes to make bourbon chocolate truffles. "It melts in your mouth, enhances the richness, and gives you those layers of spice and warmth."

Trail mix may be something you grab when you want a quick snack on the go, but Molly Horn, chief mixologist and spirits educator at Total Wine & More, told us it can also make for a great accompaniment to bourbon. "You have salty and sweet and nutty and fruity — all of which are characteristics you can often find in a nice, complex bourbon, which, coincidentally, is easy to pack on a camping trip with a good flask!"

One of the great things about trail mix is that it's customizable, so you can add ingredients to your snack mix that can complement the flavors of your bourbon. For example, Horn told us that trail mix with dark chocolate in it can pair well with a higher rye bourbon, while a trail mix that's more on the salty side works better with a lower rye-mash bill bourbon. Benjamin Annotti loves salted cashews because the salt can enhance the sweetness of the bourbon and add richness. Brian Landry told us that a spicy trail mix can provide a nice contrast to the flavors of oak, caramel, and vanilla in the bourbon.

If you're already building a charcuterie board to go with bourbon, you may want to add some cheese to the mix. Beverage manager Faisal Asseri of Town and Country Resort in San Diego told us he recently did a cheese and whiskey tasting seminar and was blown away by how many different types of cheese you can pair with various bourbons. "Not something you typically think would go well with it, but various sharpness or creamy textures of cheese really played well with the tasting notes of bourbons."

When pairing cheese with bourbon, you want something that's rich enough that it can stand up to the high alcohol content of the spirit. Several experts told us that blue cheese is a great choice. Chef Noah Hester, owner of Hamm's Meat + Market, told us, "People are always surprised by how well blue cheese pairs with bourbon, but it works incredibly well — even for those who don't normally like blue cheese." The creaminess of the blue cheese tempers the alcohol and the pungent flavor can bring out the sweet and smoky notes in the bourbon. Plus, the bold funkiness of the cheese ensures it doesn't get washed out by the bourbon.

Several experts we spoke to told us that they often switch up their bourbon and snack pairings depending on the season. For example, Molly Horn said that in the colder months, she loves a dry, spicy, rye-forward bourbon with salted caramel popcorn. Benjamin Annotti also enjoys caramel corn with bourbon. "The sugary crunch enhances the bourbon's sweet notes, and the corn is a complementary flavor to most bourbons." That makes sense considering that all bourbon must contain at least 51% corn in the mash bill.

Gourmet popcorn is everywhere now, so caramel corn is pretty easy to find along with other sweet flavors that can work well with bourbon like cinnamon sugar and chocolate-covered popcorn. You can also make your own gourmet popcorn at home. Brian Landry told us that he makes a bourbon-infused caramel popcorn around the holidays that also includes bacon lardons, pecans, corn nuts, and pork rinds. "The hardest part of the pairing is deciding which bourbon to drink with it," he said. 

The sweet, smooth profile of bourbon is what makes it so easy to sip, but when you start piling on sugary snacks, it can become a little too much. Bill Eason, head of sales for Sweetens Cove Bourbons, told us he likes to balance out those sugary notes with contrasting flavors. "With the usual sweetness of bourbons, I always lean toward salt as a counterbalance to the bourbon when it comes to snacks." One pairing that he finds works exceptionally well is homemade pickles. "The tangy and salty flavors of pickles can create a refreshing contrast to the sweet notes of bourbon." 

It might sound odd, but the acidic tang from a pickle can actually cleanse your palate and keep the bourbon from tasting too rich. This makes pickles a great pairing for tastings where you might be sampling multiple bourbons or situations where you might have multiple snacks on offer and need something to reset your taste buds between sips and bites. Try sharp dill pickle spears, sweet bread-and-butter slices, or other types of pickled vegetables like okra or green beans. You can also amp up your bourbon cocktails with a splash of pickle juice.

If you noticed a theme here, it's that many of the snacks that pair best with bourbon are either sweet, salty, or a combination of both. Those are the key elements in Noah Hester's favorite snack and bourbon pairing: crostini or grilled bread smeared with aged blue cheese and bacon jam. As mentioned, blue cheese matches up nicely with the boldness of the bourbon. And as Hester said, "Adding smoky, salty, sweet bacon jam just takes it to another level. It hits all the creamy vanilla notes and enhances the caramel and coffee notes."

Bacon jam typically consists of diced bacon cooked with onions, vinegar, and something sweet like brown sugar or maple syrup. The concoction is cooked down until it reaches a jam-like consistency and has sweet, salty, and slightly sour notes. If you really want to level-up your bacon jam, you can add a splash of bourbon into the mix. Once it's done, you can do like Hester does and smear your bacon jam on bread or crackers. It's also a great condiment for burgers or sandwiches if you're looking to pair your bourbon with a heartier meal.

Crunchy, salty snacks are always welcome with a good drink because they add texture and contrast, especially with a smooth drink like bourbon. For Brian Landry, pork rinds are the perfect thing to snack on while sipping bourbon. At the Kitchen Table, a restaurant that QED Hospitality operates in the James B. Beam Distilling Co., the team makes their own pork rinds and tosses them in a barbecue rub right before serving. Landry said, "The salty, slightly spicy pork rind has just enough crunchy kick to stand up to the bourbon."

Pork in just about any form has a way of playing well with bourbon. That's why you often see bourbon paired with bacon, as well as barbecue dishes like pulled pork and pork ribs. Bourbon also gives barbecue sauce a major upgrade. If you're looking for another pork snack that can bring out the best in bourbon, James Tuckey recommends thick-cut smoked pork belly. "The smokiness and rich fat content in the pork bring out the natural plum and dark chocolate notes in the bourbon, creating a bold, savory-sweet harmony that feels indulgent but balanced."

Bourbon can be a lot for first-timers, especially if you're not used to spirits with this much depth or proof. A soft, rich snack can help take the edge off. When we asked James Tuckey what he would serve to someone trying a bourbon and food pairing for the first time, he said he'd start them off with a baked brie with fruit compote and some crackers or crostini. He explained, "The cheese brings a buttery flavor that balances the intensity of the bourbon, while the compote softens the bite."

Creamy cheeses like brie and camembert work well with bourbon because the fat content helps to tone down some of the harshness of the alcohol. Ideally, you want a lower proof bourbon that's slightly on the sweet side so that it doesn't overpower the mild flavor of the cheese. Fruit compote can complement the sweetness in the bourbon and bring out some of the fruity notes. Some other toppings to try on your baked brie that can pair nicely with bourbon include honey, bourbon-soaked cherries, caramel sauce, and candied nuts.

Because bourbon is so bold, some of the best snack pairings are foods that go big on flavor. James Tuckey recommends snacks with smoky, fatty, salty flavors, especially for bourbons that have layered sweetness. "These elements cut through the spirit's richness while amplifying its caramel and oak tones." One snack that hits all those notes and was recommended by several experts is jerky. It's savory, chewy, and packed with umami flavor — exactly the kind of snack that won't get lost next to a strong bourbon.

"Jerky already carries a nice smoky flavor that pairs with flavor notes of most bourbons," said Faisal Asseri. "Imagine sitting next to a campfire, glass of whiskey in hand and tender, smoky beef jerky." The flavors match up easily. The smoke in the jerky brings out the charred oak in the bourbon, and the saltiness helps balance out some of the sweetness. It's also an easy snack to keep on hand, whether you're sipping outdoors or just want something simple and satisfying at home. Plus, it's pretty easy to make jerky at home in your oven if you're looking for a slightly healthier take on store-bought versions.

Nearly every expert we spoke to brought up fruit as a great pairing for bourbon, and for many, this is where seasonality comes into play. For the summer months, David Orellana recommends fresh fruit like peaches and berries, while Marissa Stevens is a fan of fruit grilled on the barbecue and melon with prosciutto. Andrey Bolshakov recently got switched onto Japanese melon, saying, "Its pure, fragrant sweetness paired beautifully with a soft, floral-leaning bourbon." Abby Martinie recommends combining fruit and bourbon in sauces. "A summer bourbon peach glaze is perfect on the grill," she said.

When it comes to winter, Orellana loves pairing bourbon with baked orchard fruits. Noah Hester is a big fan of richer flavors like banana with brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon for the colder months. Dried fruit is also a great option when it might be harder to find fresh fruit at its prime. As Faisal Asseri said, "Cherries, figs, raisins, etc. can all impart a sweet fruity flavor that can be found in the tasting profiles of a lot of whiskeys." Freeze-dried fruits like crispy apple rings and banana chips can also pair well with bourbon and provide some crunch.

There are many reasons pretzels are bar snack classics. They're salty, crunchy, and familiar comfort food. While many people pair pretzels with beer, they can also work well with bourbon. As Nikki Bonkowski put it, "Salty snacks are best at making your palate a little more sensitive to the flavors of the bourbon." Salt helps kickstart your palate by increasing the flow of saliva in your mouth. It also tones down bitter flavors, making it easier to taste other notes in the bourbon like smoke, sweetness, and spice.

A bag of crunchy, salted pretzels is always great to have on hand if you're looking for something to munch on between sips. However, Bonkowski is a fan of soft pretzels like the jumbo, fluffy ones you can sometimes get at baseball games. "They're hearty enough to keep you clear-headed enough to make it through a bourbon tasting but also salty enough that it would act as a palate awakener." If you can't find soft pretzels at the grocery store, you can make your own at home with pizza dough.