Bourbon Slush Is the Retro Cocktail You Should Have Stashed in the Freezer

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Simply scoop from the freezer and top with ginger ale!

bourbon slush
Photo:

Kelsey Hansen

Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
8 hrs 20 mins
Servings:
18

This bourbon slush recipe is a retro party favorite that's totally worth reviving. The frozen drink combines black tea, orange juice, lemonade, and bourbon for a refreshing sipper that's perfect for parties. We'll walk you through how to make a bourbon slush, including the must-have garnishes for each glass.

Tips for Making a Bourbon Slush

Here are a few tips from our Test Kitchen that are helpful to know when making this classic cocktail.

  • Allow your tea to steep for at least 5 minutes for the most flavor. If you want a more intense tea taste, steep the tea bags a few minutes longer.
  • Choose a freezer-safe storage container with a lid and label it with the date you made the bourbon slush.
  • For the best texture, freeze the slush mixture for at least 8 hours before scooping.
  • Let the container stand at room temperature before scooping so it's a bit easier to get out.
  • Garnish the glasses with maraschino cherries, and orange wedges. They help play up the retro feel of each glass.

Ingredients

  • 8 cups water, divided

  • 4 black tea bags

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 (12-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate

  • 1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate

  • 2 cups bourbon

  • 1 (2-liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled

  • Maraschino cherries and/or quartered orange slices

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of the water to a boil. Add tea bags. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Add sugar; stir to dissolve.

  2. In a freezer container, stir together tea mixture, remaining 6 cups water, lemonade concentrate, orange juice concentrate, and bourbon. Cover and freeze 8 hours or until firm.

  3. Let stand 10 minutes or until easy to scoop. Fill rocks glasses half full with scoops of slush. Top with ginger ale. Garnish with cherries and/or orange slices.

    Test Kitchen Tip: Freeze serving glasses for an hour or more before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

187 Calories
0g Fat
35g Carbs
1g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 18
Calories 186.8
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0.1g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 13.8mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 34.8g 13%
Dietary Fiber 0.2g 1%
Total Sugars 31.5g
Protein 0.6g 1%
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Vitamin C 38.3mg 43%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 1.2mg 7%
Potassium 172.3mg 4%
Fatty acids, total trans 0g
Vitamin D 0IU
Alanine 0g
Arginine 0g
Ash 0.6g
Aspartic acid 0.1g
Caffeine 7.9mg
Carotene, alpha 3.5mcg
Choline, total 2.7mg
Copper, Cu 0.1mg
Cystine 0g
Energy 780.6kJ
Fluoride, F 77.1mcg
Folate, total 16.6mcg
Glutamic acid 0g
Glycine 0g
Histidine 0g
Isoleucine 0g
Leucine 0g
Lysine 0g
Methionine 0g
Magnesium, Mg 11.2mg
Manganese, Mn 0.2mg
Niacin 0.2mg
Phosphorus, P 16.2mg
Pantothenic acid 0.1mg
Phenylalanine 0g
Phytosterols 0.1mg
Proline 0g
Retinol 0mcg
Selenium, Se 0.3mcg
Serine 0g
Starch 0g
Theobromine 0mg
Threonine 0g
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 0.1mg
Tryptophan 0g
Tyrosine 0g
Valine 0g
Vitamin A, IU 60.2IU
Vitamin A, RAE 3.1mcg
Vitamin B-12 0mcg
Vitamin B-6 0mg
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 0.1mcg
Water 282.3g
Zinc, Zn 0.1mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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