Strange is the new normal.
It is with my dessert-making, anyway.
For some reason I can’t get enough whiskey and bacon in my desserts this season. If you choose a spirit laced with notes of caramel and vanilla, it perfectly compliments a sweet dish. It also is strangely good with bacon. Sweet and salty, ftw!
These brownies are of the fudgy variety. I do love a cake-like brownie, but the richness of my add-ins called for a decadent dense chocolate background.
Even if you don’t do bacon or booze, these would be an incredible dessert. The cocoa powder gives them a deep flavor, and makes them no quite as tooth-achingly sweet as morsels would. Each bite is thick, rich experience. Just how I like my dates.
Bonus: If you make extra bacon and reserve the fat when cooking, you’re well on your way to making a Whiskey-bacon Apple Pie.
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Whiskey Bacon Brownies
- 1 stick (1/2 C) salted butter
- 1/4 C unsweetened applesauce
- 1 C (200g) sugar
- 1/2 C (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 C plus 2 T (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 C (120g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 C + 1 T good-quality whiskey (I used Balcones Baby Blue)
- 1/2 lb sliced bacon
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare a 9 x 13” pan.
In a medium-sized pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the sugars and apple sauce, stirring until fully incorporated. Remove the pot from the heat, then quickly whisk in the eggs (work fast so they don’t become scrambled egg brownies). Whisk in vanilla.
In a medium bowl, sift together cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring just until incorporated.
Stir in 1/4 C of the whiskey then pour the batter into baking pan. Bang the pan on the counter a couple of times to release some of the air bubbles.
Bake for 20-25 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of your brownies comes out clean. Brush the top with remaining 1T of whiskey (this is optional, but really brings out the whiskey flavor).
Allow the brownies to cool slightly before cutting.
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How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.
Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂
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A word of advice: make these fresh and get them out of the house ASAP. I couldn’t be trusted with them alone!
Do you bake with booze? How about bacon?
What’s your favorite #strangebutgood baking add-in?
These looks so delicious! I’m a fan of any sort of boozy recipe. I can so imagine this being a huge hit with the holidays coming up!
I’ve baked a lot with rum but I don’t think I’ve ever tried whiskey. Definitely worth a shot! Ha! Pun not intended but entirely welcome! 😉 And your cookies with bacon are definitely on my list of things to make…I can never turn down sweet and salty goodness! Favorite #strangebutgood baking add-in? AVOCADO!! Always!
These would be great with rum too! Maybe a spiced rum? A new holiday classic. 😉
I would skip the whiskey (I’ve drunk enough this week to last me a while, damn Christmas parties!!) but the idea of adding bacon to brownies sounds strangely marvellous!
I feel your pain… and this week there’s something EVERY night. Oy.
I literally told Sam today that I was going to a brunch this weekend where there will be bacon cupcakes…um screw that this looks awesome! although I’m skeptical about the whiskey…..
Don’t be scared! Get a good caramel-y whiskey and it’s the perfect dessert compliment. 🙂
I don’t have enough whiskey in my life. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I had it!
Can’t remember, eh? How much did you have?! LOL! 😉
Oh yes, I love to add booze to baked goods and desserts! But I prefer rum or amaretto, as I hardly ever have whiskey in my house. And my husband wouldn’t be happy if I used one of his single malts.
Sometimes I add booze to my desserts after/without baking, so the alcohol isn’t cooked away. After eating a piece of tiramisu or some of my mom’s rum balls, I’m technically not allowed to drive my car anymore. 😉
Rum balls are the best! Definitely don’t want a breathalyzer after those. 😉
Whoa! Crazy combination! I put bacon as a topping to strawberry cream cheese frosted maple cupcakes once….everyone was disgusted with the idea at the time!….but now look at the bacon craze!!! I think my father would be a big fan of these, so may try them over christmas! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Your combo sounds wonderful! I love bacon with fruit – it’s like breakfast. 🙂
All the best things. I applaud you! Need to bake something to bring in to work colleagues and this has just nudged mince pies out of the running. Psst: do you cook the bacon before baking? I may have missed it in the instructions with my bacon-induced excitement..
Thanks! Yes, the bacon is pre-cooked.
Looks. So. Moist. I don’t ever cook with booze, but I do bake with veggies 🙂 I try and put them in everything lol
mmm i am in love. but when am i not. I wonder if a little chilli pepper would be good in this? or cocoa chili powder.
p.s I linked you in my post today but i did not make anything strange this week… what’s wrong with me??
I love that idea – what about smoked chili powder? Mmmm…
Ok, so I had my Christmas dessert planned out, and now I might be changing my mind…these look awesome! I have baked with both bacon and booze before, and both ways turned out delicious.
What do you have planned? Let me know if you try it! I’m still trying to figure out my Christmas Even dessert + cocktail offering. 🙂
I’ve never baked with booze. I actually have a phobia based on my aunt’s rum balls I mistakenly tried was a kid. Talk about a shock to the mouth – let’s say I think she went overboard LOL
Oh no! Rum balls should be kept our of reach. Or within my reach. 😉
I mean really Laura – you had me at whiskey and bacon before but adding that to brownies? YUM
It’s a natural pairing! 😉
Give me fudgy brownies over almost any other dessert, definitely over cookies and cake. Definitely.
I don’t do bacon, and not too much booze, however I just got to thinking….what if we made these with red wine?
I made red wine cake a few years ago! And them turned them into cake balls: https://www.sprint2thetable.com/2011/11/red-wine-cake-balls/
Oh… and you don’t do bacon? Hmmmm… 😉
Um, you know Tony needs these in his life!!! Bacon + booze = best thing ever!
Hell yes! I am digging this. Bacon and Whiskey are freakkin amazing! YUM
oh my god, i love you.
The feeling is mutual. Mwah!
Butter makes the world go ’round, world go ’round, world go ’round, butter makes the world go ’round, la la la la la.
O….M….G – There is NOTHING wrong with this. So much love.
Thank you!!! I wouldn’t kick it out of bed. 😉
Yum! There ain’t nothing wrong with chocolate, bacon, and bourbon. Isn’t there a chocolate bar that combines these three?? http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/category/bacon_and_chocolate OMG, they have a pancake mix now too. Oh crap! #strangebutgood
Now that you have designed these brownies, the only thing you need to do now is to design a martini/cocktail of sorts combining all three.
I hope you are starting to enjoy bulking season a little more. I bet it can be a mental battle to switch from one to another.
I tried that as my treat after my first competition… unfortunately I didn’t love it. I think bacon has to be fresh, ya know?
In Napa I had a Manhattan with candied bacon on the side. I. Died.
I love adding red wine to my tomato sauce. That’s the extent of my cooking with booze! Your brownies looks so ooey gooey – my favorite kind!
That’s the best! Or poaching fish in white wine (if you ever get the nerve to d fish again 😉 ).
I love booze in dessert. I put it in my pecan pie- add such a nice flavor. I have only tried 1 treat with bacon so I can’t imagine what it would taste like BUT I take your word! Lol. Send me one to try?
We do that too! Kentucky Derby Pie?!
I don’t like bacon or whiskey BUT I would try if you made them cause I know I would have to cause it is you! 🙂
Awwww… thanks Jody!
YOU DA QUEENNNNN OF DA CRAY CRAY CONCOCTIONS. – No idea what the EFF language I am speaking right there, but you get it! LOL!
UMM YUMMMM! Wow! I thought bacon caramelized in maple syrup and butter was the go to bacon dessert but these just took things up 10 notches! #gamechanger Hope you have an amazing weekend lots of love C
Have you had it baked with brown sugar and a little cayenne? Best thing ever in biscuits. 🙂
Oh Gosh, these look sooo fudgey!! Seriously, I’m abput to eat my ipad! I love booze in baking goods, we have Swiss Chocolate bars filled with Kirsch. Inhaling.
I never baked with bacon though, but since I trust all of your recipes I sure will give it a try!!
Let me know if you do try them! Or I’ll trade you for the chocolate bars. 🙂
I had to stop by when I saw the title of your post! 🙂 I do a lot of baking with booze but I have yet to get on the bacon band wagon (unless it is a savory dish). This recipe may change my mind.
Thank you! Let me know if you do try it. Whiskey and bacon were meant for each other. 😉
These sound AMAZING! I love candied bacon dipped in chocolate but this takes it to another level!
xx Kait
Um, so I’m not a huge fan of whiskey. I know, I know, it’s a travesty but if you ply me with enough sweet booze first, I will do a shot of whiskey, with minimal complaining. At least if my past repeats itself.
Whaaaaat?! Come see me. I will convert you. Sarah thought she didn’t like gin until this past weekend. 😉
You basically combined all of my favorite things. Thank you. 😀
Next time I’ll add whiskers on kittens and it will be perfect. 😉