Spicy Honey Bourbon Cocktail with Fresh Peach Puree

It’s a very hot summer here in Southern California and a cold, refreshing beverage can be the perfect way to cool down or relax after a busy day. One of the things that screams summer is a fresh peach, and using it in my Spicy Honey Bourbon Cocktail is just another way to utilize this versatile fruit. (And you can say you’re getting more fruit in your diet, right? Don’t judge my humor, just enjoy my drink recipe…..)

If you’ve ever been to the south, you know how amazing it is to buy into a peach that’s fresh off the tree. The juice runs down your chin and you don’t even care, because the taste is so good. It’s so indicative of summer, but peach season doesn’t last long enough. Whenever I can, I incorporate fresh peaches into our daily menu, making desserts, salads and entrees. Peaches can be used in cobblers and pies, arugula-burrata salads, and barbecued chicken with peach glaze. One of the fastest ways though to enjoy a peach is in a drink like my Spicy Honey Bourbon Cocktail. Keep reading for the recipe.

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I know people don’t want to keep scrolling for the recipe, but let me give you a little info on the “Spicy Honey” portion of this recipe. Technically, it’s “hot honey,” but when I told someone what I was making, they thought the hot term meant it was a hot drink. Nooooo, it’s August, but I get the confusion! Hence, I’m calling this a Spicy Honey Bourbon drink, because this drink is most definitely best served icy cold, straight from a cocktail shaker.

There are several versions of hot honey available on the market. My favorite is the Melissa’s version of Hot Honey, “where sweet meets heat.” They come in two flavors: Jalapeno and Habanero. Melissa’s gifted me with the set, because the old way I was trying to make a hot honey summer drink wasn’t as successful as I envisioned. Using these Melissa’s Hot Honey bottles, I’ve saved myself time and the end results are even better.

Later on, I’ll share my Hot Honey Cupcake recipe, but for now, here is my Spicy Honey Bourbon Cocktail!

To make the fresh peach puree, you just need one fresh peach to make enough puree for at least two cocktails. Peel the peach(es), cut into quarters and drop into a small blender container; blend until smooth. You can pour through a strainer if you don’t want any chunks, but some tiny chunks add to the character and flavor of the drink. Another way to make the puree is to cut the peaches into chunks, drop into a small pan on the stove with 1 tsp or so of coconut palm sugar and 1 tbsp of water. Cook slow and low, squishing the peach pieces until you have a jam-like consistency. Use an immersion blender to finish it off!

Making fruit purees is a good way to use of fruit that is softening. As fruit ages, before it is spoiled entirely, it may be less pretty but the flavor can be even more intense or sweet. I’ve made plum puree, peach puree, even strawberry puree from fruit that’s seen better days but I don’t want to throw it out. You can freeze it for later use in desserts, oatmeals, overnight oats or chia seed breakfasts. Don’t throw away your fruit just because it’s ugly!

When it comes to the bourbon part of this cocktail recipe, much of making any good cocktail is using a quality alcohol. We currently have about 14 different kinds of bourbon, and we have a few that are just for sipping while others are great for use in cocktails. The most versatile to mix into a cocktail is Bulleit. It’s affordable yet not bottom shelf, is available at most places, and it has a good strong flavor with just a little smoke and caramel. Perfection. (And yes, I know, the bottle is dangerously low in my photos but my cabinet is so full, I can’t get extras until I make room.)

To create a pretty rim on the glass, you can use more of the Melissa’s Hot Honey to add another layer of flavor to an already spicy and tangy drink. Dip the rim of the glass into some of the honey first.

Roll the rim around as far as you’d like the honey and sugar to go. Then do the same with the sugar crystals as a second layer.

You end up with a simple yet pretty cocktail glass rim, and of course, you can sub in any type of color scheme you want.

You can find the Hot Honeys at Melissas.com, and I believe they are also available in stores as well. You’ll find a lot of uses for them, like on toast or biscuits, drizzled over vanilla bean ice cream, or one of my favorites, in my chicken and waffles recipe! I make homemade waffles using the honey, and I put honey into the chicken coating as well. It muffles the heat a little so you get a tang and a “whoa” feeling without it being overboard. Such an easy way to change up the taste of any regular meal. Keep an eye out here on the blog, I’ll be sharing a fun twist on a basic ice cream recipe using my Ninja Creami soon too! It’s so fun to get one product I can experiment with in so many ways.