• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Peanut Blossom
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Book Club
  • Cookbooks
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • HOLIDAYS
  • BOOK CLUB
  • COOKBOOKS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • RECIPES
    • HOLIDAYS
    • BOOK CLUB
    • COOKBOOKS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Blog » Kentucky Derby

    10 Easy Kentucky Derby Party Recipes

    Published: May 1, 2017 · Modified: Aug 30, 2021 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

    1.1K shares
    • Share
    • Email Friend!

    Looking for Kentucky Derby Party ideas? From mix your own mint julep bars to easy southern themed appetizer recipes, everything you need to host the best Kentucky Derby Party is right here.

    10 hostess hacks: the easiest Kentucky Derby Party Ideas ever

    Are you a Kentucky Derby fan? I have always been intrigued by all the traditions that surround this annual spring event--the amazing hats, the decorations, the parties, the mint juleps. A friend of mine that lives in Kentucky posted the most hysterical status on Facebook just a week ago about how you can't possibly claim to be a glue gun expert until you've lived in Louisville during Derby season.

    From the sounds of it, she's been spending hours crafting unique hats for her and her adorable three girls to wear to countless entertaining events over the course of the Derby. I am more than a little bit jealous. How fun! I can imagine that by the time the actual party day arrives, a Kentucky Derby hostess is looking for all the shortcuts she can get.

    I love to entertain but it can be just so much work. I thought it would be fun to share some party hacks for getting a full southern menu on the buffet for your friends with a minimal amount of effort. Perfect for hosting a last-minute Derby party no matter where you are or for any southern-themed festivities all year round!

    10 hostess hacks: the easiest Kentucky Derby Party Ideas ever

    1. Mint Julep Bar with Variations

    The hero of the event! You can't have a Kentucky Derby party without a mint julep! Blasphemy! But mint and bourbon straight up may not be everyone's cup of tea. How much more fun would it be to set up a "Mix Your Own" bar with 4 flavor combos?!

    Since moving to the south, Handyman Tim has taken to learning more about the local bourbons. For me, a traditional mint julep is just way too strong. I spent some time playing around on the awesome cocktail recipe resource over at Master of Mixes to find some ideas. Then I selected a handful of their fruity cocktail mixers to create blends that would be more appealing to the bourbon lovers like my husband but could be lightened up a bit for the ladies in the crowd.

    4 Amazing Mint Julep Flavors

    1. Blood Orange Mint Julep: My absolute favorite one! I think I found my summer drink.
    2. Pineapple Twist Mint Julep: Tim's favorite.
    3. Sweet Strawberry Mint Julep: I enjoyed this one tremendously but it was far too sweet for Tim.
    4. Southern Peach Mint Julep: I couldn't host a southern party without trying a peach twist. Though it was tasty, I'd sip all day long on that Blood Orange one instead.
    10 hostess hacks: the easiest Kentucky Derby Party Ideas ever

    Master of Mixes has an amazing Mint Syrup that is the base of all 4 recipes. To that you add 2 ounces of your preferred fruit mixer and top with a pour of bourbon.

    For a mint julep with a more authentic (strong!) ratio:

    2 oz fruit mix + .5 oz mint syrup + 2 oz bourbon + ice

    For a mint julep with a lighter more refreshing (girlie!) taste:

    2 oz fruit mix + .5 oz mint syrup + .75 oz bourbon + ice

    I set out bottles of Master of Mixes' Blood Orange Margarita Mixer, Mai Tai Mixer (for the pineapple version), Strawberry Margarita Mixer, and Peach Margarita Mixer alongside the mint syrup and a bottle of bourbon. You can find each of the tasty Master of Mixes mixers right here.

    Letting your guests mix their own allows them to make them as light or strong as they want and everyone can have fun sampling the different flavors. It would be so fun to have a taste test vote at the end to see which one was most popular!

    Though the Master of Mixes mint syrup gives the mint julep all the minty flavor it needs, I set out some fresh mint for garnish along with fresh strawberries and cut up pineapple.

    10 hostess hacks: the easiest Kentucky Derby Party Ideas ever

    The remaining 9 hostess hacks involve easy peasy southern "recipes" that you can pull together in a pinch with a simple visit to the grocery store. Serve everything up on your own pretty platters and dishes for a homemade touch.

    2. Cheese Straws:

    This classic spicy southern munchie can be bought right in the cracker aisle of most gourmet grocery stores. They are the perfect savory complement to a sweet cocktail.

    3. Sweet and Spicy Nut Mix:

    The south is known for peanuts and pecans. Look for a fancy nut mix like the sweet and spicy one I found at our grocery store. Otherwise, you could easily make up a batch of these spiced pecans long before the party starts. They keep well for weeks.

    10 hostess hacks: the easiest Kentucky Derby Party Ideas ever

    4. Pimiento Cheese with Crackers:

    This was definitely an acquired taste for me when we moved to the south but now I love pimiento cheese, especially on a hamburger.

    If you can't find a prepared carton of it at your grocery store, here is my super easy pimento cheese spread recipe to mix together on your own.

    • A bowl of homemade pimento cheese is served on a plate with butter crackers.
      Homemade Pimento Cheese Spread

    5. Skewer a Cheese Cube Plus Grape:

    For the guests who may shy away from the Pimiento cheese option, pull together a simple but fancy finger food. Just grab a container of cheese cubes from the store and skewer them up with a red or green grape.

    10 hostess hacks: the easiest Kentucky Derby Party Ideas ever

    6. Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Dipping Sauces:

    Grab a bag of fancy sweet potato fries from the freezer section and then go browsing in the condiments aisle for 2 or 3 dips to go with it. Maybe a Southern BBQ sauce and a bottle of spicy mayo? YUM.

    7. Roast Beef & Horseradish Crostini:

    This easy prep-ahead roast beef crostini appetizer recipe is always a huge hit.

    Swing by the deli aisle and get some freshly carved roast beef sliced thick. Skewer it up with a dollop of prepared horseradish sauce and chopped fresh cherry tomatoes and serve on a simple crostini bread.

    • A plate of roast beef crostini with horseradish cream and cherry tomatoes.
      Roast Beef Crostini

    8. Peach Pizza

    Make a gourmet pizza with the South's favorite fruit with one of the five delicious variations in this peach pizza recipe. Then cut the pizza into smaller squares as an appetizer. If you use a homemade pizza dough, you could roll it out to a square shaped pizza that would make it even easier to cut.

    • A homemade peach pizza has been sliced and served.
      Fresh Peach Pizza with Pancetta

    9. Pulled Pork on Hawaiian Roll: 

    Pulled pork is a southern staple. Grab a container of prepared bbq pork from the refrigerator section of your store and serve it up slider-style on a mini Hawaiian bun. Bonus points if you take the time to set out some fresh coleslaw to go with it.

    10. Easy Strawberry Shortcakes:

    Grab a container of whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and store bought biscuits. Set out the fixin's for your guests to make their own mini strawberry shortcakes. No one can resist this sweet ending.

    11. Pecan Pie Bars:

    I found amazing prepared pecan bars in our grocery store bakery department. Buy just a few of the big ones but then cut them up petit four style (bite-sized) and place on a pretty platter to help stretch them further.

    If you have the time, making a batch of homemade pecan bars is super easy and lets you cut them to just the right size.

    • A stack of shortbread pecan pie bars on a cake plate for serving.
      Shortbread Pecan Pie Bars

    More Kentucky Derby Party Ideas

    • A big blue bowl is filled with a creamy grape salad with cream cheese, covered in brown sugar and pecans.
      Chicken Salad Chick Grape Salad {Copycat Recipe}
    • The remoulade sauce is on a plate with mini crab cakes and a spoon. Lemon wedges are scattered around and green onions sprinkled on top.
      Spicy Remoulade Sauce for Crab Cakes
    • Homemade cornbread croutons on a blue plate next to a bowl of buttermilk dressing.
      Homemade Cornbread Croutons
    • A white ruffled platter has large squares of homemade buttermilk cornbread.
      Grandma's Buttermilk Cornbread

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Rita

      April 04, 2021 at 12:47 am

      These are great tips for any party & especially. Derby week. Thanks fir sharing.
      I did miss some form of Hot Browns. Also, Benedictine is a must have and about as easy as it gets.

      Reply
    2. Sally E Companion

      April 22, 2019 at 7:57 am

      I'm an event planner for my office + 200 employees. I usually do Cinco de Mayo for them but have been considering Derby Day. These posts really make it difficult to decide which to do.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for moms.

    More about me →

    What's Trending Now

    • A photo collage shows the variety of recipes that can be made in a bread maker.
      50 Best Bread Machine Recipes
    • A blue baking dish filled with mac and cheese with bread crumb topping. A serving spoon has removed a portion to show the creamy elbow noodles.
      Make Ahead Mac and Cheese
    • An airfryer basket has 7 seasoned chicken tenderloins golden brown and cooked.
      Healthy Chicken Tenderloins in the Air Fryer
    • Two salmon filets are surrounded by fresh green beans in an air fryer basket.
      How to Cook Salmon in Air Fryer

    Popular

    • A freezer-friendly metal pan holds an 8x8-inch apple crisp with crumble topping.
      Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp
    • A stack of the best books for book club in 2023
      Best Book Club Picks 2023
    • A taco salad made with mini frozen tacos.
      10-minute Trader Joe's Meals
    • A young kid's hand is holding a homemade pizza lunchable.
      30 School Lunch Ideas for Kids
    • A collage of easy dinners for busy nights.
      30 Quick Dinners for Busy Nights
    • A photo collages shows several easy dinner ideas kids could make.
      Easy Dinner Ideas for Yo-Yo Nights {You're On Your Own!}
    • A meal train dinner kit featuring supplies for tacos sits in an aluminum tray for delivery.
      30 Clever Meal Train Ideas with Recipes
    • Harry Potter themed snacks are in a platter with a witch hat sitting next to an open copy of a Harry Potter book.
      21 Harry Potter Snacks for Movie Night

    Footer

    As Seen On

    The Taste of Home Logo
    The Pioneer Woman Logo
    The Country Living Logo
    The Buzzfeed logo
    The Good Housekeeping Logo

    About

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Contact
    Privacy Policy
    Disclaimer

    Favorites

    Bread Recipes
    Soup Recipes
    Quick Dinner Recipes
    Harry Potter Fan Club
    Reading with Kids

    Holidays

    Easter Recipes
    4th of July Recipes
    Catholic Celebrations
    Thanksgiving Recipes
    Christmas Recipes

    Recipes

    Appetizers
    Dinners
    Salads
    Side Dishes
    Desserts
    Brunch
    Homemade Pantry

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright © 2023