The Secret Ingredient For Flavorful Dessert Bars Is Your Favorite Booze

When it comes to baked goods, dessert bars fill that wonderful gray void between cookies, brownies, and cakes. They're generally tender and moist, offering a small snack that comes in many flavors. From peanut butter and chocolate to strawberry cheesecake, there are few ways you can go wrong. But, if you really want to elevate your baked goods to the next level then you should reach for your favorite bottle of alcohol. Booze doesn't just make for handy cocktails, but it also has its place in the world of desserts as well. In fact, there's science behind its vital role.

Alcohol elevates baked goods like dessert bars by acting as a binder, pulling both fats and water together to improve flavor. It can improve both the texture and quality of your dessert bars, making for a more rounded final product. However, alcohol also has another effect on your desserts as well — imparting its own flavor and aromas to the finished product. As such, you will want to make sure that you are picking the right alcohol to compliment the flavors in your dessert bars. If you're cooking a cheesecake dessert bar, then you might want to add white wine. Whiskey would compliment a nice coffee-flavored dessert bar. And one making strawberry lemonade bars, adding citrusy vodka to the mix may do the trick.

As any wine aficionado would tell you, not all alcohol is created equal, and as such, you want to be careful about what you're pouring into your dessert. A cheap pack of beer may be your preferred drink, but it's not necessarily going to improve the flavor of that apple pie dessert bar you're making. When choosing a liquor, you want to ask yourself — is this the type of alcohol that you would use in a cocktail? If the answer is no, then you may want to rethink using it in your dessert bar.

Additionally, there's a danger of using too much booze in the mix. Alcohol may be one of the clever ingredients to elevate your baking game, but don't get carried away. The last thing you want to do is end up drowning your batter and having a soupy mess that doesn't form or tastes terrible. For that reason, you should be cautious when adding liquor to baked goods. It's better to just try a few tablespoons of booze initially and gradually figure out the right amount that works for you. When using alcohol in desserts, it should be noted that the alcohol doesn't completely cook out. It's something to keep in mind especially if you're planning dessert bars to serve to someone who's pregnant, avoiding alcohol for personal or religious reasons, or a minor.