Tasty Bourbon Bacon Burgers

I've been so sad since Wendy's got rid of their Bourbon Bacon Burgers. So we decided to make them at home with fresh ingredients! But before y'all go wild in the comments, this isn't intended as a direct replica or clone of Wendy's, so keep that in mind. (In my opinion, it's better though). We love the addition of tomatoes and lettuce. I'll let you decide for yourself after you try it. Here's what you'll need for 4 of these awesome bacon burgers:

Photo byAmanda

Ingredients:

Bourbon BBQ Sauce:

• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup honey bourbon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoon liquid smoke (applewood or pecan)
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger:

• 4 brioche hamburger buns, toasted
• 4 hamburger patties cooked as desired (for this recipe, we usually just salt and pepper them)
• 4 slices yellow or white cheddar cheese slices
• 1/4 cup crispy fried onions
• 8 slices bacon cooked
• 4 (burger sized) lettuce leaves
• Tomato slices, optional
• 1/4 cup bourbon barbecue sauce

For The Bourbon BBQ Sauce:

Combine all the barbecue sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and cool, stirring every so often (about 15 minutes).

Top your burger bun with this amazing sauce and feel free to use any leftovers as a french fry dipping sauce. Should make about 1 cup. Enjoy!