Whiskey and bacon come together for a killer dinner in this Jack Daniel’s Bacon Mac and Cheese! This dish is one hundred percent deliciously crave-able!
If you’ve never mixed booze and bacon together, you are missing out my friends. It’s like a happy dance of awesomeness in your mouth! And not just for the hipster hype of it all. Done right, whiskey and bacon are best friends. Jack Daniel’s Bacon Mac and Cheese is the perfect way to pop your boozy bacon cherry! It’s an easy mac and cheese recipe loaded with flavor.
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The idea for this pasta dish came from one of my co-workers back when I was waiting tables, and it’s the perfect way to try your hand at cooking with booze.
My friend had been out of town for a new store opening, and when he got home he told me how he was stuck up there, seeing all the recipe sneak peeks I was posting on Instagram.
I was known for bringing in recipe leftovers to work for everyone to devour and he hated missing out on all the goodies. A girl’s got to do something with all those baked goods.
He told me about this bourbon bacon mac and cheese he had while gone AND that I needed to figure out. Challenge accepted!
After some questioning, I found out the bourbon was more in the bacon than the pasta, but I can never leave things alone. So, I made Jack Daniel’s candied bacon, a Jack Daniel’s Cheese sauce, and bliss happened.
The sweet, salty bursts of flavor from the bacon are simply wonderful, and the sauce is creamy and rich. The whole thing reheats really well too! Get cookin’ and treat yourself tonight!!
Disclaimer: Yes, I know Jack Daniel’s is a whiskey, not a bourbon. I used what I had on hand at the time. If you prefer, you can absolutely substitute your favorite bourbon for this recipe.
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Jack Daniel's Bacon Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Whiskey Candied Bacon:
- 10 slices bacon
- ½ cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey or whiskey of your choice
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Macaroni & Cheese:
- 1 pound macaroni pasta
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Jack Daniel's Tenessee Whiskey
- 2 cups milk
- 3 cups medium or sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 slices provolone cheese
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Candied Bacon:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup Jack Daniel's to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Remove from heat. On a plate, combine brown sugar and cayenne. Dip bacon into Jack Daniels and then press each side into brown sugar mixture to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 7 minutes, then flip and bake for about 5 minutes. Watch the bacon so it doesn't burn!! (The sugar will run all over the pan, and the bacon with have a shiny lacquered look.)
- Remove the bacon to a plate coated with non-stick cooking spray to cool completely. Chop bacon; set aside.
Macaroni:
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain pasta; set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, and whisk to combine. (You will have a tight roux.) Add 1 tablespoon Jack Daniel's and whisk into roux.
- Whisk in 1 cup milk until combined. Add remaining milk. Whisk frequently until sauce thickens and begins to bubble.
- Add cheeses; whisk until cheeses melt and sauce is smooth. Add paprika and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour sauce over pasta, and add bacon. Stir until pasta is completely coated in sauce. Add more salt and pepper if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Kristin says
OMG!!!! You stop it right now! I saw this on your sidebar as I was posting on the drink recipe and ugh….I need this in my mouth right now!! So pinning this for later. I might even have to make it for tonight.
Julie says
Hahaha. That totally just made my day Kristin. Glad I could temp you. 😉
Sheree Thomas says
This looks delicious and hubby just said that he would try it.
Cathy Beymer says
This recipe looks interesting, and I definitely want to give it a try. Just one comment though, Jack Daniels is NOT bourbon. It is Tennessee Whiskey. I’ll be using Maker’s Mark in mine.
Julie says
I am fully aware of the differences between bourbon, whiskey, whisky, especially as my husband sold Jack Daniel’s, among various other spirits, for over 6 years. The restaurant recipe this is based off of used bourbon. I preferred Jack Daniel’s for my recipe preparation and even called out that Jack is a Tennessee Whiskey in the ingredients…along with noting you can use your whiskey of choice. I’ve spent a lot of years around various types of whiskeys and know my shit. Thanks. 🙂
Dee says
Seriously, this response is the best!! Stand your ground!! And thanks for this recipe, the BF asked me to make it tonight. I’m kinda excited! bacon + booze, add some cheese = future mouthgasm
*I’ll come back and give ya a rating once I’ve recovered from the amazingness I’m sure it will be
Lisa says
She said she used Jack Daniels whiskey INSTEAD of the bourbon used in the restaurant’s recipe her co-worker told her about.
Isa says
We’ve made this recipe for countless guests, friends, and family and it is absolutely phenomenal. We even prepared a big batch and put it in a disposable metal pan and heated it over an open campfire for a gourmet treat while in the great outdoors. Outstanding flavors – a real treat!
Isa says
This recipe comes out fantastically every time – my husband and I have made it for potlucks, camping (does just fine reheated on an open fire, covered with foil), and even family dinner. Really rich and indulgent with all the right texture! Thank you!
Melissa says
I’m curious if you can make this ahead of time or the day before a party??? Will it still taste great??? I’m planning on serving this at my husband’s 40th bday party and am trying to have all the prep work done so I can some what enough the party with our guests. Thanks for any input!!!
Julie says
I haven’t made this ahead of time, so I can’t guarantee how it would come out. Here are the two route I’d take. 1) Pre-cook the bacon and the pasta. Just coat the pasta in some oil to keep it from sticking to itself. Then day of, make the cheese sauce and throw everything in the pot to heat it through. 2) Make the whole dish, put it in an oven safe pan (coated with non-stick spray), cover with foil, and then reheat it in the oven day of with the foil on. I’m guessing 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 mins depending on how much pasta you have. Just check that it’s warm through and the cheese is bubbly.
Melissa says
You’re the best!!! Thank you for the awesome tips!!!
kim says
keep a very close eye on the bacon! one minute it’s not quite cooked and the next it’s a blackened burned mess (thanks to the brown sugar) it’s my own fault. but just wanted to warn others 🙂
Bob says
Made this Christmas weekend for my nephews. Well…. I made it for the entire family but the nephews are Eating Machines. So I tripled everything and then some. Three pounds of pasta and an ass-load of Extra Extra Sharp Cheddar. And I quote: “This is the best !#@$^%@#*!! Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had!”. Four nephews. Three pounds of pasta. *Nothing Left*. Phenomenal recipe. Thank you!!
Katie Beth says
Making this tonight for my daughters and myself. I will update as to how they liked it. Thank you for the recipe.
Jessica Haisonak says
Do you have to bake the pasta after it is all done? or is it done to eat when it is covered with the cheese?
Julie says
Hi Jessica! You do not have to bake the pasta. Once you’ve combine everything (pasta, cheese, and bacon) in the pot you are done.
Tarah says
Hoping to impress a guy at his birthday BBQ with this recipe! We both love Jack Daniels. Thank you!
Rita Yee says
This is my first time to visit your site, having followed the link to this recipe from Pinterest. You may very well be my hero 🙂
While I haven’t made this yet, I can’t imagine that it will be anything but magical given the ingredients. I have to believe that, should it fail, it will be all of my own doing!!
I plan on making it this weekend and seeing how it fares in a crockpot on “warm” while tailgating. I’ll come back and let you know how it does!!
Julie says
That’d be great! I hope you enjoy it!!
Carrie Fort-Ludwig says
Is it possible to make ahead and warming in the crock pot?
Julie says
I haven’t tried doing that, but you could give it a shot. The leftovers reheat fine for me. 🙂 I’d love to know how things go if you try it!
Da Haus says
How long do you bake it for and at what temp?
Julie says
Hi Da Haus. The baking temp and time for the bacon is in the recipe. The macaroni itself isn’t baked. Hope this helps!
Tina says
Stumbled across this looking at quesadillas on your site…wouldn’t you know it? We have a potluck at church Sunday! Guess what I’m taking? 😛 (This sounds FANTASTIC!)
Tanya says
I’m curious how long the candied bacon will keep for? I was hoping to make some up just to keep on hand for later use. Not like forever or anyting, just to use later in the same week. I’m hoping to make a big batch of just the bacon to try in a few recipes. Thank you!
Julie says
You know Tanya, I haven’t tried storing it. I usually make enough for the recipe at hand. But I’d say it should last the week and the candy coating should keep it from getting soggy in the fridge.
Kimberly Torres says
OMG! This is so freaking amazing… The best thing I’ve eaten, ever…. Thank you so much for the recipe…I’ll be making this for Thanksgiving side dish and Christmas, what the hell maybe even once a week. Yeah it’s that good.!!! ???
Kay says
I have made this 3 times and making it again tonight. My absolute favorite!! Thank you for another way to consume bacon.
Julie says
My pleasure Kay! So happy you love the recipe!
Jamie says
I have made this with my father over and over again. We love this recipe. It is sort of “our thing” now. I will keep this recipe forever!!!
Julie says
You just made my whole day Jamie!! 🙂 I’m so glad this recipe is your thing. Hamburger mac and cheese was “our thing” with my dad.
Sam says
NOT a recipe for beginners. I would add that there needs to be some degree of pre knowledge or skill in making the sauce. I ended up wasting all my ingredients because the sauce did not come together well. Ended up grainy and totally inedible. I would have liked to know before hand how this could be avoided. Also, how to make the bacon less gooey, that was also really terrible.
Julie says
Hi Sam! I’m sorry the sauce came out grainy. I’ve run into that with other mac and cheese recipes, but not this one. As far as the bacon, cooking longer until the bacon looks candied, instead of gooey should help there. I’m getting ready to make a video for this recipe, so I’ll double check on both these items and let you know if I have any other tips to help things go better next time.
Sharon says
Hi! This sounds awesome, and I’m about to make the bourbon bacon roast beef sliders to dazzle hubby’s billiards buddies. They are so gonna wish they married me- haha! I was wondering what the consensus is on the tsp of cayenne pepper. To me, it seems like a lot for 10 slices of bacon. I know there’s lots of sweet to counter the hot. I tend to skimp on hot pepper in recipes cuz I’m afraid it will be too hot for most people’s tastes, and then I regret it and wish it had more zing.. Can anyone elaborate on the hot-factor? I’m not a hot-phobe, I just like to cater to the masses. Thanks!
Julie says
Hi Sharon! I’m not crazy about spicy, but I think the cayenne gives a nice kick. You could dial out down to 1/2 teaspoon though and see if you want more the next time. The 1/2 teaspoon will still give enough flavor. Just be sure to get the bacon crispy. Depending on the cut of your bacon & oven it can take a little longer sometimes.
Jess says
Absolutely loved this mac n cheese! I used smoked gouda instead of provolone and it was amazing!