Will Eating Bourbon Fudge Give You A Buzz?

Bourbon and chocolate desserts are a match made in heaven. Want to make the best fudge brownies ever? Bourbon. Want to give your pound cake a boozy makeover? Bourbon. Want to make a spiked frosty that puts Wendy's to shame? You guessed it — bourbon. Even if you're not a fan of the liquor on its own, it's a great cooking ingredient for its sweetness and warmth. However, if someone is worried about their alcohol intake, then figuring out how much is too much in a dessert can be a nightmare.

The good news is that it's really difficult to eat yourself drunk. Key word being "difficult," not "impossible." The average shot of alcohol is 1.5 ounces, and most bakers aren't going to use more than a couple of shots in their baked dessert. The average box of fudge brownies has 16 servings, which produces nine equal brownie squares in an 8-by-8-inch tray. If you were to add two shots (3 fluid ounces) of bourbon to the recipe, you'd end up with around 0.3 ounces of alcohol per fudge square. That number also doesn't account for heat, which "burns off" a percentage of the liquor. To put it simply, you'd have to eat a ton of fudge to feel any effects from the alcohol.

Indulging in a couple of fudge brownie bites made with bourbon isn't going to have you stumbling out the door or leave you with a hangover (if it does, you might need to seek medical attention). With that said, there are some important things to consider when approaching food made with alcohol. If you plan on driving after an event where there's food cooked with booze, remember that alcohol doesn't completely burn off when heated (this is a myth that can lead to legal trouble).

In most states, it takes a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% to fail a breathalyzer test. You might not feel inebriated in the slightest, but all it takes is for one cop to be suspicious enough to test you with a breathalyzer. These machines aren't perfect, and even non-alcoholic beverages can set them off. The amount of alcohol it takes to get you to a 0.08% BAC depends on your anatomy and how long it's been since your last drink — even just one shot of bourbon can put someone with a low body weight at that mark.

Depending on their size, a fudge brownie or two should be safe, but desserts where liquor is infused with cold ingredients can be a lot trickier to gauge. Bourbon-infused whipped cream, mousse, or sundaes might get you buzzed, depending on the chef. Whether a dish is cooked or not, a host should always disclose if it contains distilled spirits, and it's always okay to ask how much is in the recipe if you're unsure.