bourbon milk punch

Creamy, boozy bourbon milk punch hits all the right notes for an extra delicious holiday cocktail!

This isn’t your average milk punch— which can be thin, too strong, and honestly, too bland. We’ve reworked the classic milk punch recipe by adding more dimension, more flavor, and more addictive creamy texture.

We add a touch of orange, honey and nutmeg, and we use all heavy cream for a silky smooth and flavorful cocktail. Some milk punch recipes use a splash of brandy in addition to bourbon. We swap that Cognac for Grand Marnier for more flavor and texture and hey— it’s still adding Cognac— so everybody is happy. 

This bourbon milk punch is going to be your go-to holiday cocktail. It’s dangerously smooth, rich and so good on a winter evening. I can’t think of a better drink for Christmas Eve.

what you need for milk punch:

• Heavy cream
• Bourbon
• Grand Marnier
• Honey
• Vanilla
• Orange bitters
• Orange zest
• Whole nutmeg, for garnish

how to make milk punch:

1. Combine everything in a shaker filled with ice
2. Shake until chilled
3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice
4. Garnish with freshly nutmeg (see more garnish ideas below)

how to garnish milk punch:

Garnishes are easy to ignore, but they transform your cocktail from “homemade” to bar-level beautiful. They also add a solid dose of flavor— don’t underestimate the impact of smell!

To garnish this bourbon milk punch, we recommend a simple grating of fresh nutmeg. But if you want to get creative, here are some more ideas:

• Grated cinnamon stick
• Orange zest or twist
• Grated orange zest
• Candied orange peel
• Scorched star anise floated on top
• Cinnamon sugar rim

how to make honey simple syrup

Combine one part honey and one part water in a glass measuring cup. Microwave for 20 seconds. Stir; heat another 20 seconds. Stir until honey is fully dissolved into the syrup. Refrigerate in a glass jar for 2- 3 weeks.

how to batch this milk punch recipe for a crowd:

This batch will serve 8:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup Bourbon whiskey
• ½ cup Grand Marnier
• ½ cup honey simple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• orange bitters to taste (start with about 15 dashes)

Remember that when batching a cocktail, it’s important to adjust the balance to taste. In the individual milk punch cocktail, we shake the drink with ice. This adds a small amount of dilution before pouring into the final rocks glass.

If you feel the milk punch is simply too strong, add 2 ounces of water to the batch (equivalent to about ¼ oz of water per serving) to adjust for the missing dilution. Otherwise, serve as is!

what foods to serve with milk punch:

Milk punch is my favorite after-dinner winter cocktail. It’s sweet and boozy— the perfect sipper. It’s great to serve with salty snacks, like this spicy roasted nuts, honey baked camembert and crackers, the perfect soft lye pretzels, or even a bowl of salmon rillettes. 

If you’re really enjoying the holidays, why not have some milk punch for breakfast or brunch? Serve it with eggs benedict, extra-thick cinnamon brioche French toast, yeasted waffles, buckwheat crepes and, of course, tender buttermilk donuts! And then invite me! It’s a Christmas brunch dreams are made of!

answers to common questions about milk punch!

What is milk punch?

Milk punch is an old style of cocktails that is made up of milk, booze and sweetener. It’s typically a winter cocktail and is garnished with warm spices, such as nutmeg or cinnamon. The alcohol is traditionally brandy or whiskey, or a combination of the two.

What is clarified milk punch?

Clarified milk punch is a completely different drink than milk punch. The milk or cream is curdled (with acid, heat, or both), and then strained through cheesecloth to remove the solids. 

The result is a cocktail that is crystal clear and has the silky, round texture from dairy proteins without the heaviness of cream or whole milk. 

What is frozen milk punch?

Frozen milk punch is basically a boozy milkshake. Add a solid scoop of vanilla ice cream, blend until smooth and creamy, and you have a deliciously frosty cocktail-dessert.

Is milk punch the same as eggnog?

Nope! While both milk punch and eggnog are creamy, delicious winter cocktails— they aren’t the same. Milk punch is a cocktail based off of milk or heavy cream, plus alcohol. Nogs, on the other hand, always contain eggs for extra richness.

more winter cocktails to try!

chai whiskey flip

holiday whiskey punch

rich and boozy hot chocolate with coconut milk

hot mulled cider recipe with pear, ginger and whiskey

vin chaud (mulled wine)

ginger hot toddy with applejack

Poinsettia cocktail (cranberry champagne cocktail)

cranberry martini

rosemary lemon sgroppino

honey pear bellini

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