Butter. Brown Sugar. BOURBON! Need I say more? Dress up that ordinary bag of store-bought salad with Buttered Bourbon Croutons!
Oh my these are delish and absolutely PERFECT for tailgates! Why? It’s simple, really. These little gems can be made a week ahead of the big game; they store beautifully in your freezer.
Grab your ziploc baggie of Buttered Bourbon Croutons and toss ’em in the top of your packed cooler!
I should tell you now that you will want to double…no triple this recipe! They are that darn good. I keep a bag in the freezer at all times in case I need to dress up a salad for unexpected dinner guests. And yes, I can eat them by themselves thank you very much! 
These gourmet croutons will instantly add a homemade element to that bag of mixed salad greens you have in the fridge. A fresh salad is a welcome respite from the heavy dips and sugary snacks that we devour on the sidelines.
And with only 4 ingredients, they are a no brainer!
I used Pepperidge Farms Very Thin bread for the crouton base and Woodford Reserves Bourbon. Note: Copa and I took a tour of the Woodford Rerserves distillery in February and now I am obsessed with this bourbon. Yes, I cook with the “good stuff”. The distillery is nestled among Kentucky’s famed thoroughbred horse farms and is just outside Lexington.
Soften the butter and stir in your brown sugar.
Pour the bourbon into the butter and brown sugar mixture.
NOW….for the bread!
The ultra thin Pepperidge Farm Very Thin loaf yields crispy croutons full of buttery richness.
Using a pizza cutter, I trimmed the edges off the bread first.
Next, I cut each bread slice into fourths on an angle so my croutons would be triangular.
Aren’t they so cute? Baby triangle croutons. Oh yes, here we go!
Lay them out on a cookie sheet that has been generously greased with non-stick cooking spray.
(Psst: I borrowed my daughter’s MIU Silicone Baking Liner. LOVE!)
Top each triangle with a dollop of the buttered bourbon mixture.
Did I mentioned these smell divine even before they bake?
Bake in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn once and add another dollop of the butter mixture.
You are ready for your tailgate!
Take It To The Tailgate Tip:
Store in a zip-lock back & keep in the fridge or freezer until ready for use.
Toss in a bag of pre-washed salad from the grocery store and you are
ready for the big game or a Sunday picnic.
This recipe was adapted from the 1993 Southern Living Annual Recipes. Psst… this is the same cookbook where I found my Mexican Corn Casserole recipe!
Shop the Tailgate!
Buttered Bourbon Croutons
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup softened salted butter do not melt the butter!
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 8 slices thin sandwich bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Soften butter in microwave but do not melt. Add bourbon and brown sugar; stir well and set aside.
- Remove crusts from bread. Using a pizza wheel cutter, cut bread into fourths to make four triangles. Cut each triangle in half which will yield 8 small triangles from each slice of bread.
- Spread each triangle with butter mixture. Place buttered side up on a greased baking sheet.
- Bake at 300 for 15-20 minutes.
- Turn triangles over and spread with remaining butter mixture. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until crispy.
- To freeze: Cool completely. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 20 minutes making sure the croutons are not touching each other. Remove and place croutons in a freezer safe Ziploc bag for up to one month.
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