This past weekend our friends, John and Emily, threw a whiskey and waffles party in an effort to use up some of the many opened bottles they had of both whiskey and maple syrup. Genius!
This here was our little contribution, a bottle of Old Pogue bourbon whiskey.
It’s extremely mellow and sippable with the sweet flavor of caramel and very little burn. Definitely my new favorite bourbon!
And because I can’t go to a party and not cook something, I decided to use some of the bourbon to make bourbon baked apples to pair with the waffles we’d be enjoying.
I peeled and cored 5 large fuji apples and generously sprinkled them with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. Then I topped them with a spoonful of brown sugar and 2 spoonfuls of the bourbon. Those got all stirred up.
I broke up a tablespoon of butter and dotted it all over the top, then baked them at 375 degrees for about an hour, stirring every 20 minutes.
And this is what came out:
I spooned two more spoonfuls of bourbon over the warm apples and stirred it up to let them soak up all the delicious bourbon sauce. I wanted them to be very soft, almost falling apart, so that they’d make a luscious topping for the waffles.
I was having fun in the kitchen so I decided to make some maple cinnamon whipped cream too. Just a half pint of heavy whipping cream, sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon, and maple syrup until it tasted maple-y enough. I whipped it with a stand mixer using the beater attachment and it was fluffy and delicious in about 5 minutes.
When we got to John’s house, he made us a few signature cocktails to go with our brunch. I had a maple Old Fashioned using the Old Pogue bourbon and some maple syrup that was matured in bourbon barrels.
Mmmm….bourbony!
And here’s the delicious brunch we all feasted on:
Crunchy bacon and buttery waffles that were crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Absolutely amazing paired with the maple cinnamon whipped cream, soft baked apples, and one of the many maple syrups we had to choose from.
After everyone got to eat, we moved the party outside for a whiskey tasting hour!
That’s about half of what was actually available.
We all compared a newly opened bottle of Glenfiddich with one that had been open for about 3 months to try to guess which was which in a blind taste test. I think I was the only person to get it wrong. 
Doesn’t matter, still got to try lots of new whiskeys.
I think we managed to polish off at least two of the opened bottles we were trying to get rid of, so I’d say the party was a success. And, I didn’t feel like death the next morning either. Double win!
Below is the recipe for those amazing bourbon baked apples. If you’re not into booze with breakfast you could absolutely leave out the bourbon, but I’d try replacing it with juice or cider to maintain the same moisture levels.
Bourbon baked apples
These meltingly soft baked apples are baked in a sweet bourbon sauce and make a delicious topping for pancakes and waffles.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 5 large fuji apples
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- a big pinch each of nutmeg, clove, and ginger
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 4 tbsp. bourbon
- 1 tbsp. butter
Cooking Directions
- Peel, core, and chop apples. Place in a small baking dish.
- Sprinkle on spices, sugar, and bourbon. Toss to combine.
- Break up the butter with your fingers and dot all over the top.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.
- When apples are cooked, you can spoon over extra bourbon if you want the flavor to stand out more or serve as is.
Favorite waffle topping?
I think I’d get along well with your friends 😉
Your bourbon baked apples look insane!
Amber Shea @Almost Vegan recently posted..12 Days of Giveaways #7: Earth Balance
I was so sad that there wasn’t any left over. I’m gonna have to make a batch just for the house!
OMG!!! That’s my kinda party. Me and my girls……we love us some bourbon whiskey. That brand you brought looks amazing!!! I still drink Evan Williams 1783. It is sooo good and I’ve gotten quite a few of my mechanics turned on to it. You should try it. The bourbon baked apples was a perfect idea to go with the waffles.
I have tried that one. I’m mostly loving scotch these days though. If you ever get your hands on some Oban, that’s a good one.
That looks like the best party! I have had a recent love affair with whiskey and scotch. Love that you made themed apples! I’m going to have to try that recipe out ASAP.
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Text-less Tuesday
I really wish there had been some left over to put on my oatmeal the next morning. Maybe I should try making a bourbon apple pie since this flavor combo worked out so well.
I’m such a pansy when it comes to hard liquor that I wouldn’t have been much good at the tasting party! I would very, very happily have sipped and compared flavour notes in different grades of maple syrup while you were getting your alcohol on, though 😀 Probably also while picking at the leftover waffle bits and apples.
Oh no, we were so busy tasting whiskeys that we forgot to have a proper syrup tasting! Do over!
Ok!
What a cute idea – I’m just getting into whiskeys, so I don’t know much about them yet. This sounds like a great way to get an education.
My fav waffle topping is basic – just some good Grade B Syrup (preferably from Vermont).
Heather @ Better With Veggies recently posted..Superfood Snacks Giveaway on What I Ate Wednesday!!
That is a pure genius combination! Well the apples, whip cream, and waffles. Whiskey/bourbon fits the apples but I can’t imagine sipping it alongside waffles. Then again, I wouldn’t turn it down. 😉
Tina @ Best Body Fitness recently posted..Time For Some FUN!
I thought so too, but it was almost the same as french fries and beer together, all that starch helped to soak up the alcohol pretty well. I promise I don’t normally sip whiskey with my breakfast though. 😉
SO GOOD. Those apples were amazing! They actually inspired me to fiddle around with the Maple Old Fashioned recipe a little more, and I’ve got a version now that includes Apple Jack. I was pretty pleased with it, and would love to get your opinion next time you’re over!
Will do. I love whiskey with cider so that really does sound like a nice pairing. Hrm…we’re gonna have to come up with a name for this cocktail that isn’t “John makes something up and it isn’t very good,” because I think that this one may actually be quite good! (As are all your cocktails, that I’ve tried at least.)
That sounds like so much fun!! You definitely contributed some creative things to the party! I never am able to think of fun things like that. Great job! Sounds like you have a fun group of friends
Carol @ Lucky Zucca recently posted..Egg Nog v. Hot Chocolate
I wonder if you can jar these apples, to save for a later date?
Hey Paula. I don’t know enough about canning to know if they’d keep well. Sorry I’m not much help.
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