21 Boozy Desserts That Pack a Punch of Flavor in Every Bite

November 17, 2020

Combine your after-dinner cocktail and dessert into one with these boozy dessert recipes. Whether you use rum, bourbon, red wine or tequila, you’ll add an adult flair to any dessert. You can use alcohol in a variety of ways like as part of the filling in our Pumpkin Pie with Rum or part of a sauce in our Red Wine Chocolate Lava Cakes. However you incorporate the booze, it’s sure to create a sweet, delicious treat.

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5-Layer Homemade Pecan Pie

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The "magic" ingredient in the filling of this chocolate-bourbon pecan pie (and many gooey baked goods) is sweetened condensed milk, which delivers that craveable texture. This pecan pie recipe without corn syrup is a wonderful Thanksgiving dessert. A little bourbon adds its complex, oak-aged perfume to the sweet mix but, if you prefer, vanilla extract tastes great too.

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Chocolate-Covered Prosecco Strawberries

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Turn strawberries into a bite-size cocktail in this easy, festive recipe. Just soak the fruit in prosecco or your favorite wine overnight before dipping in chocolate for a classic treat with a boozy upgrade everyone will love.

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Red Wine Chocolate Lava Cakes

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These perfectly portioned molten cupcakes combine two of your favorite things--red wine and chocolate. When cut open, this easy yet decadent dessert oozes with a gooey chocolate center that pairs perfectly with the wine-and-chocolate ganache drizzled on top.

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Pumpkin Pie with Rum

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Dark molasses and dark rum put this pumpkin pie a cut above the rest. Nonfat evaporated milk, which stands in for heavy cream, does a fantastic job of cutting the fat in the filling. Add to that our blue ribbon butter-canola crust and you've dropped three-quarters of the fat and more than half the calories found in most similar pies. Don't use pumpkin-pie mix--buy canned pumpkin without added spices: the flavor will be superior.

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Margarita Ice Pops

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Frozen push pops get an adult makeover with this boozy frozen treat recipe. Pour lightened-up homemade margarita mix into pop molds for a dessert version of a Mexican cocktail favorite.

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One-Bowl Irish Stout Cake

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This Irish stout cake can't get any easier: everything is mixed in one bowl, poured into the cake pan and is in the oven in 15 minutes flat. Lining the cake pan with parchment paper makes removing the cake easy and helps with cleanup. After this rich chocolate cake has cooled, enjoy it with the espresso- and Irish whiskey-laced whipped cream topping.

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Sangria Jello

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We took the classic flavors of sangria and turned it into a grown-up jello recipe for dessert. Look for a sweet red wine (not dry) to use in this delicious jello recipe.

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Almond Cake with Pineapple-Rum Filling

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This cake is a spin on bizcocho mojadito, which is often served at celebrations in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. We made this gluten-free almond cake using a cup-for-cup blend with xanthan gum, such as King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. If gluten-free isn't your priority, you can substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour for the GF flour.

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Fresh Berries with Warm Tequila-Lime Foam

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You don't need any fancy molecular gastronomy equipment to make the foam that tops berries in this light summer dessert. Sort of a cross between French mousse and the Italian custard zabaglione, tequila, lime and orange give the foam zing. Its airiness doesn't hold, so make it just before you're ready for dessert.

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Vanilla-Kirsch Panna Cotta with Cherry Compote

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These panna cottas (Italian for cooked cream) are smooth, light and mild molded desserts set off by a bright, intensely flavored cherry compote. The recipe calls for a vanilla bean, which yields the best flavor, but you can use extra vanilla extract instead; just be sure it's top quality. The compote is also delicious spooned over slices of angel food cake or scoops of vanilla frozen yogurt. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

 

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Moscow Mule Ice Pops

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Popsicles take a boozy turn with these ginger, lime and vodka ice pops inspired by a classic Moscow Mule cocktail. These simple ice pops have only 47 calories per pop and take just 5 minutes to prep--just remember to stick them in the freezer at least 8 hours before you're ready to serve them.

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Chocolate Tiramisu Cake Roll

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After-dinner coffee anyone? This espresso-chocolate cake is brushed with a coffee liqueur flavored syrup and then rolled around a creamy, coffee liqueur filling. Sometimes you need a little pick-me-up and if so, this dessert is just the ticket.

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Grilled Peaches & Angel Food Cake with Red-Wine Sauce

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Grilling luscious seasonal fruit is the perfect way to end an outdoor celebration. Here, peaches soften and caramelize over a moderate fire before melding with a fruity red-wine sauce and toasted slices of (store-bought) angel food cake.

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Brandied Apple Strudel

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Butter-flavor cooking spray works great as a substitute for the melted butter traditionally brushed on strudel pastry.

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Frozen Margarita Pie

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Your favorite drink gets turned into dessert with this festive creamy lime pie spiked with tequila. Instead of a salted rim, our margarita pie gets a kick of saltiness from a pretzel crust. This refreshing pie is easy to make and freezes well, too. Cheers!

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Bananas in Brown Sugar-Rum Sauce

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Bananas cooked in a delectable brown-sugar-rum sauce make for a quick yet impressive dessert.

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Red Wine Ice Cream Float

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Step up your cocktail game with this unlikely combination that is not only completely delicious, but also gorgeous. Two of your favorites--red wine and ice cream--are combined to make a fun, fruity dessert cocktail.

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Bourbon Whipped Cream

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This easy vanilla-bourbon homemade whipped cream recipe makes a sophisticated topping for any pie, crisp or crumble, or dollop in after-dinner coffee for an elegant treat.

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Coffee Panna Cotta

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Panna cotta (“cooked cream” in Italian) is a silky-smooth dessert that works beautifully with the flavor of coffee. The sauce was inspired by café brûlot, the New Orleans classic coffee drink spiked with flamed brandy. Cooking for teetotalers? Use brandy extract in the panna ­cottas and omit brandy (and flambéing) from the sauce. Garnish with chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired.

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Brandied Apricot Loaves

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This quick bread--flavored with brandied apricots and almonds and topped with an apricot drizzle--makes a great snack during the holidays.

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Strawberry-Chardonnay Gelee

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This elegant dessert is the perfect make-ahead finale for a summer dinner party. The strawberries look like ruby-red jewels floating on the rosy wine gelée.

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