This simple yet amazing Salted Caramel Bourbon Coffee Cocktail beverage also dubbed "Bourbon and Banter" after being inspired by Lorelei Gilmore. Made with cleaner ingredients and a dairy free quick caramel sauce. This drink is definitely for the coffee enthusiast and perfect for any occasion!
With cozy weather comes Gilmore Girls watching season and with that typically involves coffee of all kinds. And this year I was inspired to begin a drink campaign here on the blog inspired by the Gilmores! I tried to envision what Lorelei would want to drink and I know her favorite is a Salted Caramel Macchiato... so I came up with this Salted Caramel Bourbon Coffee Cocktail combining the best of both worlds. But also wanted to stick the the clean and healthy vibes here on The Kitcheneer.
Due to bourbon's rich and smooth flavor it pairs really well with the caramel notes and coffee. It also adds a kick to the drink, just like Lorelei's sharp wit! With a caramel salted rim... chef's kiss!
What you Need to Make Salted Caramel Bourbon Coffee Cocktail
Besides the obvious coffee and bourbon... you will need the following:
- Caramel liqueur
- Bourbon
- Oat Milk (or your milk of choice)
- Homemade Caramel Sauce (see recipe card)
- Flaky Sea Salt
How to Make the Bourbon and Banter Coffee Cocktail
Let's get to the details shall we?
First up is to get the caramel sauce going. This will need about 30 minutes in the fridge to get nice and thick and best texture for it to be adhered to the rim of the glass perfectly. Yes, does it make this drink a little bougie? Maybe. Is it essential. YES.
In a small sauce pan, heat the can of coconut cream, honey, and sea salt on medium heat. Stir until well combined and smooth.
Once it is boiling, turn the heat to low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely and place in fridge. It should be thicker once it's thoroughly chilled. It will still have a more viscous form but will definitely work for coating the rim of our glass.
Next it just all comes together like magic.
On two small plates, add a small amount of the caramel sauce on one and sea salt on the other. Coat the rim of the glass with the caramel sauce then into the sea salt.
Make the espresso. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the caramel liqueur, bourbon, and milk. Shake well until chilled and slightly frothy.
Pour the espresso into your glass of choice and pour over the bourbon mixture from the shaker.
Top with a few coffee beans for garnish and a drizzle of caramel sauce on top!
Tips & Variations
- You can use a plant-based milk such as oat, almond, or soy.
- You can use sugar-free or low sugar caramel liqueur.
- You can use a decaf coffee or a coffee alternative such as chicory root coffee, This will lower the caffiene content and may have other health benefits such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- You can swap the bourbon for a dark rum if you prefer. This would give the coffee cocktail a more tropical flavor.
LOVE Coffee? Try these recipes too!
Also want to support my favorite locally based coffee? Please go check out and order some Norfolk Coffee & Tea! We have been using and buying their coffee for YEARS.
- Whole30 Bulletproof Coffee
- Honey Pistachio Latte
- Cinnamon Honey Oat Milk Latte
- Caramel Macchiato Coffee Floats
- The Coziest Dairy Free Peppermint Mocha
Salted Caramel Bourbon Coffee Cocktail
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
Ingredients
- 2oz of espresso or 4oz of strong black coffee
- 1oz caramel liqueur
- 1oz bourbon
- 2oz oat milk (or your milk of choice)
For the Caramel Sauce
- 5.4oz can of coconut cream
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- First, make the caramel sauce. This step is optional if you have a preferred store-bought sauce BUT this one is clean and free of any other weird additives! In a small sauce pan on medium high heat, combine the coconut milk, honey, and sea salt. Stir frequently so no burning occurs.
- Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Then lower the heat to low and allow to simmer for 25 minutes. Stir every so often.
- Allow the sauce to cool completely and store in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. *
- Next, make your espresso or coffee.
- Rim your glass with the caramel sauce then sea salt.
- Pour the espresso into your chosen glass.
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the caramel liqueur, bourbon, and milk. Shake vigorously.
- Pour over top of the coffee and garnish with espresso beans and a drizzle of extra caramel sauce.
- Enjoy!
Notes
* I recommend making the sauce a day before so it can come together VERY quickly!
- Category: Drinks
Keywords: coffee cocktails, gilmore girls drinks, clean caramel sauce
Ric says
Nice concise unique
★★★★