10 celebrity chefs' mint-julep recipes that are perfect for the Kentucky Derby

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Gabbi ShawMay 7, 2022, 20:32 IST
10 celebrity chefs' mint-julep recipes that are perfect for the Kentucky Derby

A mint julep cocktail seen at the 145th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2019.Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Churchill Downs

  • The Kentucky Derby is on Saturday, May 7, 2022.
  • The official drink of the race is the mint julep, which is simply bourbon, mint, syrup, and water.
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We'll start off simple, with Martha Stewart's recipe for a mint julep, which requires 24 mint leaves.

We'll start off simple, with Martha Stewart's recipe for a mint julep, which requires 24 mint leaves.
Martha Stewart.Arnold Turner/Getty Images for Netflix; Julia Ewan/The The Washington Post/Getty Images

Stewart's recipe calls for "superfine sugar," lemon juice, mint leaves, crushed ice, and bourbon, all muddled together.

Stewart also has a variation on the classic with a peach julep, which just requires substituting peach juice for lemon juice, and adding club soda.

While this style of drink has roots in the Arab world and the Mediterranean, mint juleps first appeared in the US in Virginia, according to Tasting Table, and they were popularized in Kentucky with the Derby, becoming the event's official drink in 1938. Now, they're one of the most popular drinks in the South.

Alton Brown's recipe is similar, but it calls for an added splash of seltzer water.

Alton Brown's recipe is similar, but it calls for an added splash of seltzer water.
Alton Brown.Noam Galai/Getty Images for NYCWFF; Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

The Food Network star's recipe calls for 10 mint leaves, superfine sugar, seltzer water, and crushed ice. He also specifically shouts out Kentucky bourbon whiskey, as opposed to any type of bourbon.

Here are some of the best bourbons Insider recommends.

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Guy Fieri recommends adding some lemongrass and ginger to your julep.

Guy Fieri recommends adding some lemongrass and ginger to your julep.
Guy Fieri.Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images; FlowerPhotos/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Fieri's take on a julep involves making your own lemongrass-ginger syrup, which is made up of six stalks of lemongrass, sugar, and a slice of fresh ginger.

Like Alton Brown, Fieri also specifies Kentucky bourbon as his liquor of choice.

Bobby Flay, seen here at the Kentucky Derby, has a recipe that adds a little orange juice.

Bobby Flay, seen here at the Kentucky Derby, has a recipe that adds a little orange juice.
Chef Bobby Flay at the Kentucky Derby.Joey Foley/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Flay's ginger julep requires orange juice, bourbon, and ginger-mint syrup, and, of course, a sprig of mint.

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Alex Guarnaschelli has a recipe for an "herby julep."

Alex Guarnaschelli has a recipe for an "herby julep."
Alex Guarnaschelli.Jason Koerner/Getty Images; Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Guarnaschelli, unlike other chefs, associates her julep recipe not with spring or summer, but with Christmas.

"I know that a mint julep has nothing to do with Christmas, but I love serving a drink like this, with all of the crushed ice and herbs, right before or during a big holiday meal," the "Chopped" star told Food Network.

Her recipe calls for bags of Earl Grey tea, fresh mint, lemon juice, basil, and lime, along with bourbon.

Rachael Ray recommends adding Angostura bitters and a maraschino cherry.

Rachael Ray recommends adding Angostura bitters and a maraschino cherry.
Rachael Ray.D Dipasupil/Getty Images; Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket/Getty Images

Ray's recipe contains mint sprigs, an orange peel, sugar, bitters, ice, bourbon, and a maraschino cherry for a garnish.

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Emeril Lagasse says you can throw "a splash of Grand Marnier" in with the bourbon.

Emeril Lagasse says you can throw "a splash of Grand Marnier" in with the bourbon.
Emeril Lagasse.John Lamparski/Getty Images; Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for JumpLine

Lagasse's recipe is much like the other classic mint-julep recipes, but he says you can add a splash of Grand Marnier, an orange-flavored liqueur, "if you wish."

Giada De Laurentiis, seen at the Kentucky Derby, crafted a cranberry-rosemary julep.

Giada De Laurentiis, seen at the Kentucky Derby, crafted a cranberry-rosemary julep.
Giada De Laurentiis at the Kentucky Derby.Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Churchill Downs

De Laurentiis takes her julep a step further by adding frozen cranberries, snips and sprigs of rosemary, and orange twists to her bourbon, sugar, and ice. She also recommends Woodford Reserve for the bourbon.

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Nigella Lawson has a recipe for mint julep-soaked peaches.

Nigella Lawson has a recipe for mint julep-soaked peaches.
Nigella Lawson.Brendon Thorne/Getty Images; loooby/Getty Images

Instead of pouring herself a mint julep, Lawson created a recipe for mint-julep peaches. The recipe calls for water, superfine sugar, bourbon, white peaches, and fresh mint.

To make them, you must create a mint-julep "sauce" and soak the peaches in it.

Jamie Oliver crafted a raspberry mint-julep recipe.

Jamie Oliver crafted a raspberry mint-julep recipe.
Jamie Oliver.Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images; Karol Serewis/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

In addition to the mint, bourbon, sugar, and ice, Oliver recommends throwing a handful of raspberries into the mix before muddling it together.

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