Classic Bourbon Smash Recipe — Zestful Kitchen (2024)

The classic Bourbon Smash! Year-round, no matter the occasion, this sweet-tart bourbon co*cktail is always a hit. Even the non-bourbon drinkers will like this one. Made with a hearty dose of lemon and fresh mint, this refreshing co*cktail is simple in concept yet dimensional in flavor.

Ingredients in a Bourbon Smash

• Lemon wedges
• Bourbon
• Fresh mint sprigs
• Simple syrup or maple syrup
• Crushed ice

How to Make a Bourbon Smash

1. This classic co*cktail comes together quickly and easily, here’s how simple it is:
2. Drop three lemon wedges into a co*cktail shaker and muddle until juices are released, about 10 smashes.
3. Add the mint leaves and muddle just to release the flavor, about 8 smashes.
4. Add bourbon and maple syrup (or simple syrup), fill shaker with ice, secure second glass or lid and shake vigorously until chilled, about 15 seconds.
5. Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice, strain bourbon smash over ice and garnish with mint. And that’s it, the perfect co*cktail!

Once you try this classic bourbon smash, check out our Strawberry Bourbon Smash!

Step-By-Step Photos

How to Make Crushed Ice at Home

Unless you have an ice machine that crushes ice for you (go you!) you’ll need to crush some ice. There are a few ways you can crush ice at home but my favorite way is to pop some in a blender and give it a few pulses. The sound is earth shattering, but it makes the process simple and clean.

Before I pulse up my ice, I’ll place a bowl in the freezer to chill. Once the ice is crushed I’ll pour it into the chilled bowl, give it a quick fluff so it doesn’t stick together and place it in the freezer until I need it. The method isn’t perfect, but it’s the easiest way to do it at home.

Barware Needed

co*cktail shaker—I prefer a good ‘ol restaurant shaker (aka Boston Shaker) over the very classy looking shakers with a lid (Cobbler shaker). Why? They’re far easier to use and create less mess. Once you get the hang of using a Boston shaker, you’ll never go back to the Cobbler shaker and the constant struggle of a stuck lid. I prefer a classic Boston shaker with a metal cup and a glass cup, but you can also find tin-on-tin Boston co*cktail shakers with two metal cups.

Muddler—so you don’t need a muddler but you’ll need something that resembles a muddler. If you don’t have one on hand you can use the handle of a wooden spoon.

Rocks Glass—having a nice set of rocks glasses is essential in my opinion. Yes, you need them for a Bourbon smash, but you’ll also need them for a variety of classic co*cktails like Old Fashions, Margaritas, Whiskey Sour, Sazerac and more. For this bourbon smash I fancied it up with a cross between a snifter and a rocks glass. Totally unnecessary, but pretty nonetheless.

Bourbon Smash with Maple Syrup

Here at ZK we’re all about cooking, baking, and shaking up co*cktails with natural sweeteners. When it comes to using natural sweeteners in co*cktails, the best are maple syrup, agave nectar, and fresh fruit juice. Unlike honey, these types of sweeteners easily dissolve into a co*cktail when shaken or stirred in.

Maple pairs incredibly well in a Bourbon Smash. The slightly smoky-sweet syrup enhances and adds nuance to the bourbon. If you can, find yourself a barrel ages maple syrup and you’ll add even more smoky flavor!

If you aren’t into maple syrup, you can certainly use simple syrup instead. And if you want to keep it natural use sucanat, honey or sugar in the raw to make the simple syrup.

Bourbon Smash vs Mint Julep

What’s the difference between a bourbon smash and a mint julep? The flavors are similar between the two classic co*cktails, but there are some major differences. For one, a mint julep doesn’t contain lemon like the bourbon smash does. Depending on the source, a mint julep can be sweetened with simple syrup, sugar, superfine sugar, or even powdered sugar. And finally, it’s served in a metal cup, not a rocks glass.

More Bourbon co*cktails to Try

• Apple Bourbon Smash
• Whiskey Ginger
• Fig Infused Bourbon
• Blood Orange Boston Sour
• Classic Old-Fashioned
• Use bourbon in a Milk Punch.