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Home Recipes Ingredient Bourbon Recipes
A bourbon sour in a rocks glass with a cocktail cherry

The Best Bourbon Sour

4.9 stars (48 ratings)
13 Comments
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Gluten Free Gluten Free Dairy Free Dairy Free Vegetarian Vegetarian Egg Free Egg Free Nut Free Nut Free

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Here's a bourbon sour recipe that's perfectly balanced with the right ratio of spirit, citrus, and sugar. It has that refreshing sweet-tart taste and silky mouth feel we're after in a classic sour. It's easy to make with a handful of ingredients, and it's ready in just 5 minutes!

If you like bourbon cocktails, you'll love our maple bourbon sour and apple bourbon smash!

A bourbon sour in a rocks glass with a cocktail cherry
Table of Contents hide
Bourbon sour vs. whiskey sour
What's in a bourbon sour?
How to make a bourbon sour
How to make a quick simple syrup
Best bourbon for a whiskey sour
When to serve a bourbon sour
Recipe FAQS
Popular classic cocktails
The Best Bourbon Sour Recipe

A bourbon sour is a classic drink that needs no introduction. It's well-known for its perfectly balanced sweet-tart taste, simple ingredients, and simple preparation. While it's straightforward, the proportions are important to get the taste just right.

A classic sour combines two parts spirit, one part sweet, and one part sour ingredients. For this bourbon sour recipe, we use good quality bourbon, simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice.

We also use a few drops of cocktail foamer to give this cocktail the bubbly mouth feel we're after. You can use an egg white instead, or even omit it completely and it will still taste great.

To make it, just shake all the ingredients together until foamy and then strain it into a rocks glass. The classic garnishes are an orange wheel and a maraschino or cocktail cherry.

A bourbon sour is our go-to drink for happy hour, laid-back gatherings, game nights, and everything in between. Learn this classic cocktail recipe and you can make any occasion special!

Bourbon sour vs. whiskey sour

Bourbon is actually just a category of whiskey, so all bourbon sours are whiskey sours. On the other hand, not all whiskey sours are bourbon sours.

Bourbon tends to be a bit sweeter whereas whiskey has a sharp taste that varies widely. If you're already a fan of the whiskey sour cocktail, a bourbon version is a must-try!

The type of whiskey or bourbon you choose will undoubtedly influence the taste of the drink, so choose what you enjoy. If you're not sure, play around with a few different varieties until you land your signature whiskey sour!

The Best Bourbon Sour garnished with a cocktail cherry and orange wedge.

What's in a bourbon sour?

You only need five simple ingredients to make a bourbon sour. Here's everything you need:

  • Bourbon – there's no need to pull out the really fancy stuff because a decent quality bourbon will make a nice cocktail. Bourbon has a natural sweetness that plays so well with the other ingredients in this classic drink. You can also use whiskey or rye whiskey.
  • Lemon juice – as with all cocktails, fresh lemon juice is a must.
  • Simple syrup – classic simple syrup mixes well into this drink and adds a touch of sweetness.
  • Cocktail foamer (or an egg white) – cocktail foamer (or egg white) is optional and a bourbon sour still tastes very good without it. Cocktail foamer is an egg-free ingredient that gives drinks a foamy mouth feel.
  • Maraschino cherry and an orange slice – for garnish.

How to make a bourbon sour

Making a bourbon sour is really simple, and it all comes down to using the right ratio of spirit, citrus, and sweetener. The cocktail foamer or egg white is optional, but gives the drink a silky mouth feel. Let's make one!

  1. Add the ingredients to the cocktail shaker half full with ice cubes.
  2. Shake, shake, shake until there's lots of foam (you can just stir it with ice if you're skipping the cocktail foamer or egg white).
  3. Strain the cocktail into a glass and garnish. If you'd like to add a few drops of aromatic bitters, go for it. Cheers!
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How to make a quick simple syrup

Traditional simple syrup is made from two parts water, and one part sugar (2:1 ratio). Follow these steps to make one cup of simple syrup:

  1. Heat two cups of water with one cup of sugar on the stove over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Allow it to cool, then transfer it to a glass jar or container and store it in your fridge.
Looking down on to bourbon sours

Best bourbon for a whiskey sour

There's no denying that a decent quality bourbon makes a great drink, but there's no need to pull out your fancy stuff. We use Bulleit bourbon, a mid-range Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey that's subtly complex, dry, and clean but won't break the bank.

When to serve a bourbon sour

A bourbon sour is a classy drink you can enjoy anytime! Its refreshing sweet-tart taste makes it a great choice for happy hour, holidays, dinner parties, or as a nightcap.

Recipe FAQS

What is cocktail foamer?

Cocktail foamer is an easy-to-use ingredient that gives cocktails creaminess without the mess! It's perfect if you're avoiding raw eggs, but you can also use a classic egg white to make it foamy. Or you can skip it; a bourbon sour is great even without the foam.

Can I make a bourbon sour without a foamy top?

Yes! If you're not using cocktail foamer or an egg white, you can just stir the ingredients together with ice and strain it into glasses.

Can you make a whiskey sour with bourbon?

Yes! Whiskey and bourbon can be used interchangeably in this cocktail recipe.

What about aquafaba? Can I use it instead of cocktail foamer?

Aquafaba is chickpea water, the water from a can of chickpeas. It can be substituted in place of eggs in vegan cooking and cocktail making. To use it to make a foamy cocktail, add 2 tablespoons of aquafaba to the cocktail shaker with the rest of the ingredients and shake until it's foamy.

I'm trying to avoid sugar. Can I use something instead of simple syrup?

Yes definitely! You can swap the simple syrup for agave, maple syrup, or honey simple syrup. We find maple and bourbon pair really well together.

Can I make it ahead of time?

You can mix the bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup together in advance but wait until you're ready to serve it to shake it with ice.

Two bourbon sour cocktails next to a bottle of bourbon

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4.94 stars (48 ratings)
A bourbon sour in a rocks glass with a cocktail cherry

The Best Bourbon Sour Recipe

Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 0 minutes mins
Total: 5 minutes mins
Rate Recipe Print
Here's a bourbon sour recipe that's perfectly balanced with the right ratio of spirit, citrus, and sugar. It has that refreshing sweet-tart taste and silky mouth feel we're after in a classic sour. It's easy to make with a handful of ingredients, and it's ready in just 5 minutes!
1 cocktail

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces good-quality bourbon
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 1 ounce simple syrup (see notes)
  • 1-2 drop cocktail foamer (or an egg white) (optional)
  • Marachino cherry and an orange slice (to garnish)

Instructions 

  • Fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice and add the bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and if using, cocktail foamer.
    2 ounces good-quality bourbon, 1 ounce lemon juice, 1 ounce simple syrup, 1-2 drop cocktail foamer (or an egg white)
    image for recipe instruction
  • Shake for at least 30 seconds – until there is lots of foam. (If you're not using foamer, simply stir until it's cold.)
    image for recipe instruction
  • Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange slice.
    Marachino cherry and an orange slice
    image for recipe instruction

Notes

To make simple syrup, heat 2 parts water with 1 part sugar until the sugar dissolves. For example, use 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Or 2 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. Extras will keep in your fridge for up to 2 weeks.Ā 
The foamer is optional and a bourbon sour is still very good without it. If you're not using the foamer, you can simply stir the ingredients with ice until they're cold. If you're serving it with no foam you can also add ice to the glass.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bourbon sour, Calories: 213kcal (11%), Carbohydrates: 23g (8%), Protein: 0.1g, Fat: 0.1g, Saturated Fat: 0.01g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 17mg (1%), Potassium: 48mg (1%), Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 21g (23%), Vitamin A: 2IU, Vitamin C: 11mg (13%), Calcium: 5mg (1%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
Ā© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

A bourbon sour in a rocks glass with a cocktail cherry

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If you like cocktails, check out all of our cocktail recipes!

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Kristen Stevens

Kristen Stevens

Hi, I'm Kristen! I LOVE everything to do with food: making it, taking pictures of it, and (the best part) eating it. ♔♔♔

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Posted: 03/24/2023 Updated: 09/07/2023
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