Sister to the Mint Julep: A Strawberry-Bourbon Cobbler

By Anna Monette Roberts

Updated on 4/24/2014 at 6:32 PM

One of my favorite cocktails of all time is a Kiwi Cobbler from Food & Wine magazine. The combination of muddled fruit, mint, and vanilla bean scream warm weather and lazy weekends outside. That's why I sought to create a riff on the cocktail for the Kentucky Derby using in-season strawberries and bourbon. The flavors meld effortlessly. Thanks to the vanilla bean and strawberries, there's no need to go overboard on the sugar. Think of this as a less-sweet, fruity mint julep. Cheers!

Strawberry-Bourbon Cobbler

Cook Time5 minutes
Yield1 cocktail

Inspired by Kiwi Cobbler from Food & Wine

INGREDIENTS

    • 1 teaspoon sugar in the raw
    • 2 large strawberries, stems removed and cut in quarters
    • 1/2-inch piece of a vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped with back side of knife
    • 10 mint leaves, plus more for garnish
    • 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
    • Ice
    • 1 ounce or more chilled club soda

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. In a double old-fashioned cocktail glass, muddle sugar, strawberries, and vanilla bean until strawberries look slightly pulpy. Spank mint leaves and add to glass. Pour in bourbon, and stir until combined. Fill glass with ice, and top with club soda. Garnish with more mint.