Garden Party Delights: Kentucky-Inspired Recipes for the Win

As the Kentucky Derby approaches, the excitement builds, and the flavors of the Bluegrass State come alive. Whether you’re hosting a garden party or simply want to bring a taste of Kentucky to your table, we’ve got you covered. Below, find our favorite Kentucky-inspired recipes, perfect for a party, fancy hat optional (but encouraged).

Brunch Delights

Hot Brown Quiche: A Derby-season snack from Louisville’s Brown Hotel.

• Beer Cheese Buttermilk Biscuits: Biscuit dough spiked with Kentucky-style beer cheese makes for a great comfort-food pairing.

Dips and Spreads Galore

Freight House Beer Cheese: Just two ingredients, plus a few flavorings, are all you need for classic Kentucky beer cheese dip.

Bourbon-Spiked Beer Cheese: A classic cheese spread gets the boilermaker treatment. Benedictine Spread: Pimento cheese’s Kentucky cousin. Dill Pickle Benedictine Spread: Benedictine, the classic Kentucky recipe, gets a dill pickle update.

Main Course Marvels

Bourbon-Glazed Chicken Wings: An all-American match made in heaven.

Bourbon Trail Chili: Ouita Michel’s go-to chili recipe tastes like Kentucky in a bowl. Kentucky Burgoo: How do you burgoo?

Sweet Treats

Traditional Kentucky Bourbon Balls: What’s not to love about bourbon, chocolate, and pecans?

Kentucky Bourbon Balls, Three Ways: Try a few variations on these bite-size, boozy Southern confections. Marigold Banana Pudding: The House of Marigold shares its own Derby-day delight. Racetrack Pie: Kick off Derby weekend with a pistachio chess pie mingled with bitter chocolate. Strawberry Basil Pie with Black Pepper Whipped Cream: One Kentucky chef’s favorite childhood dessert plays up sweet spring strawberries. Pineapple Butter Cake with Bourbon Ginger Mint Glaze: Fresh fruit and libations combine in a spin on a Kentucky favorite.

Juleps and More

Mint Julep: The classic Derby-day must-have.

Mint Julep Slush: This batch cocktail is proof that bourbon and ice belong together. The Concord Grape Julep: A smooth recipe to get you in mint condition for the Derby. Alba Huerta’s Sparkling Julep: A bourbon-less alternative to the Derby classic. French Julep: Cognac and fig preserves put a tasty twist on the classic Derby-season cocktail.

Other Delightful Drinks

The Old-Fashioned: Bourbon the old-fashioned way.

Bourbon Negroni: A Kentucky cocktail with Italian roots. Debutante Cocktail: Meet the julep’s bubbly cousin. An Englishman Went to Kentucky: A mint twist on the classic G&T. The Seelbach: Louisville’s pre-Prohibition cocktail. The Commonwealth: A sweet and spicy drink featuring Kentucky’s Ale-8-One. *The Spire: The refreshing combination of bourbon, lemonade, and cranberry juice just might tempt you to switch horses.