These Kentucky Derby Party Food Recipes will make your gathering perfect. These menu and derby party ideas include appetizers, main dishes, sweets, and cocktails to make your race day celebration complete!
Kentucky Derby Party Foods
The first Saturday of May is always an exciting day in our house.
Watching all the amazing horses race around the track while wearing our fanciest hat is more fun with some delicious Kentucky Derby Party Recipes.
From southern tomato pie to fried green tomatoes, you will find something you love. Put on your fancy hat and cheer for your favorite horse during the Run for the Roses.
Celebrate the Kentucky Derby with family, friends, and these delicious foods that are perfect for your Kentucky Derby Party Menu!
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1. Derby Pie Brownies
The best way to celebrate the Kentucky Derby is with Derby Pie Brownies. Chocolate Brownies covered in bourbon, toasted pecans, and chocolate chips!
Just like the traditional Kentucky Derby Pie but in a gooey and fudgy brownie! Are you drooling yet?
2. Bourbon Balls
These boozy Bourbon Balls are made with 4 ingredients and are great for your Derby party or your holiday cookie exchange too!
3. Derby Pie Bites
Pop a few of these Kentucky Derby Pie Bites on Derby Day or any other day. Chocolate, Bourbon, and Pecans baked like Derby Pie and then dipped in a coating of dark chocolate.
One of my favorite sweet treats for the horse race!
4. Derby Pie Dip
The world-famous Kentucky Derby Pie made with pecans, chocolate, and bourbon is now Derby Pie Dip. Serve with shortbread cookies and it will be just like pie only easier to eat!
5. Derby Pie Cheese Ball
A Derby Pie Cheese Balls is all the delicious gooey parts of a classic Derby Pie with chocolate, caramel, pecans, and bourbon.
Then they are stuffed inside this sweet chocolate cheese ball made with cream cheese and rolled in toasted pecans.
Perfect for watching the Kentucky Derby!
6. Kentucky Hot Brown Skillet Dip
The classic Louisville Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich gets a makeover from the classic Brown Hotel.
All the best parts of the open-faced sandwich with turkey and a cheesy Mornay sauce transformed into a bubbly, cheesy, Hot Brown skillet dip.
Perfect for watching the most exciting 2 minutes in sports on Derby Day! Make this easy dip instead of individual Hot Browns. Or you can serve it alongside slider buns.
7. Benedictine Spread Cheese Ball
This Benedictine Cheese Ball is a riff on the traditional southern classic benedictine recipe that is eaten all over Kentucky, especially at the Derby!
A cucumber dill spread that is perfect on crackers, crostini, bread slices, or all by itself.
8. Pimento Cheese Straws
These Pimento Cheese Straws are crispy, spicy, flaky, and cheesy. The perfect combination for these delicious snacks you won’t be able to stop eating!
9. Pimento Cheese Spread
Creamy, cheesy Pimento Cheese Spread is a great party spread! You can make it ahead of time, it keeps for a few days – if it lasts that long.
Serve it in a bowl or roll it into a cheese ball and sprinkle with toasted pecans! Try it crackers or on a burger for a new twist!
10. Pimiento Cheese Bread
This sweet and spicy pimento cheese bread has it all! Creamy pimento cheese, sweet and spicy pepper jelly, and topped with crunchy kettle chips.
Of all these Kentucky Derby food ideas, this one is my surprise favorite!
11. Candied Pecans
These quick and easy candied pecans are the perfect sweet snack for munching, adding to a salad, or topping your favorite dessert. 4 ingredients are all you need!
12. How to Toast Pecans in Oven
This recipe will help you make perfect, buttery, toasted pecans, or any other type of nuts, to use in a variety of recipes and dishes. Think of all the great pecan pies!
13. Million Dollar Deviled Eggs
With perfect hard-boiled eggs, crispy bacon, and sweet gherkin pickle juice, Million Dollar Deviled Eggs are a delicious version of a classic appetizer. Perfect for the Derby!
14. Hush Puppies
The perfect bite for any Southern gathering. Crispy on the outside and fluffy and tender on the inside!
15. Cheese Grits
A Southern staple, these creamy cheese grits are the perfect dish for any gathering!
16. Pineapple Bourbon Lemonade Mixed Drink
Bright and tropical pineapple meets its tart cousin the lemon and works together to tame the richness of bourbon in my Pineapple Bourbon Lemonade! It’s one of my favorite bourbon cocktails.
17. Sparkling Mixed Berry Lemonade
My Sparkling Mixed Berry Lemonade is full of frozen berries and made with fresh squeezed lemons and sweetened with honey for a healthy and fun drink!
18. Blackberry Coconut Splash
Let’s celebrate with a crisp light cocktail made with fresh blackberry syrup and sparkling water. This Blackberry Coconut Splash is light and refreshing!
19. Mint Julep
This classic mint julep recipe is just the cocktail for watching the most famous horse race! Made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon it’s the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.
A delicious combination of simple syrup, muddled fresh mint leaves, Kentucky bourbon, and crushed ice. Serve in julep cups for the finishing touch.
20. Belmont Jewel Cocktail
The Belmont Stakes is a popular race too so it’s not a bad idea to make a variety of cocktails for your derby day party. Made with bourbon, lemonade, and pomegranate juice.
21. Black Eyed Susan
Try the official cocktail of the Preakness Stakes! Made with vodka, elderflower liqueur, pineapple juice, orange juice, and lime juice. A great way to celebrate if you are not a fan of bourbon.
One of my husband’s favorite recipes! I like the Kentucky Oaks Lily better. It’s the signature cocktail from the Friday race!
Made with vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, lemon juice, and a few blackberries for garnish. Most refreshing!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!
I hope you like all of these easy Kentucky derby recipes and make one or all of them while watching your favorite horse run around the Churchill Downs Racetrack. It’s not called the fastest two minutes in sports for nothing!
Horses, Hats, and Decorations
These party favors and decorations will help you round out your festive Kentucky Derby Party!
{Originally Published 05/01/17 – photos and notes updated 04/18/23 to improve reader experience}
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Kylee
Sunday 24th of March 2019
This collection of deliciousness makes me wish I knew people who held derby watching parties!
Michaela Kenkel
Sunday 24th of March 2019
You make me want to book a ticket to the Kentucky Derby!! Great recipes!!
Julia
Friday 8th of March 2019
It was delicious and easy to prepare! Thank you, it’s very delicious!
Patria Alway
Tuesday 28th of August 2018
I very pleased to find this website on bing, just what I was searching for : D too saved to bookmarks.
Teri
Monday 1st of May 2017
This is by far THE best collection of Derby recipes I have ever seen. Great job and thanks for sharing! I can't decide which is my favorite, but I think I'll start in the drink section and work my way backwards. :)
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net
Monday 1st of May 2017
That was my first thought too!