These sliders bring together the smoky sweetness of caramelized onions cooked in whiskey, the crispy perfection of bacon, and juicy, seasoned beef patties. Each bite is an explosion of flavor that’s sure to wow your taste buds.

Whiskey Bacon Onion Sliders on a tray with cute football picks.

There’s something undeniably satisfying about a burger slider that’s packed with bold, rich flavors—and these Whiskey Bacon Onion Burger Sliders are no exception! Perfect for game day gatherings, backyard barbecues, or a cozy dinner at home!

I made these sliders for New Year’s Eve and watched them disappear right before my very eyes! Just like the past year!

They are the perfect combination of smoky, sweet, savory, and indulgent—all packed into one perfectly sized bite. So, it’s no wonder they disappeared so quickly and why they are a favorite with the “guys” at this Nest!

I love that many of the elements of this recipe can be made days ahead of time so that they easily come together when ready to serve. Another huge bonus…they reheat easily…IF you happen to have any leftovers!

Table of Contents

Norine’s Top Tips

If you don’t want to use Whiskey, you can substitute with beef broth or apple cider.
To keep it simple, you can cook the bacon several days ahead of time and make the sauce beforehand as well. Store the cooked bacon and/or sauce in the refrigerator until ready to make the patties.
Double this recipe for larger gatherings! They’re going to disappear quickly!
I like to use Blackstone Whiskey Burger Seasoning for the patties. However, any favorite burger seasoning works in this recipe.
Store any leftover burgers in a food storage container in your refrigerator and reheat in the microwave for 1 minute.

Ingredients Needed for Whiskey Bacon Burgers

1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, or your favorite burger seasonings
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup, cooked and crumbled
½ cup diced onions
2 cloves, minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup whiskey, you can substitute it with beef broth
1 cup BBQ sauce – I like to use “Sweet Baby Ray’s”
8 slider buns – I love the Brioche buns from Walmart Marketside, Hawiian Sweet Rolls work well too.

Ingredients for Whiskey Bacon Onion Burger Sliders.

How To Make Bacon Burger Sliders

Before we fire up that skillet, we need to make the patties for these incredible sliders. There are three separate components to this recipe. The patties, the bacon caramelized onion BBQ sauce, and the toasted buns.

Let’s start with the burgers!

Ground Beef Patties

In a medium-sized bowl, combine one pound of ground beef, all-purpose seasoning or similar, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Mix until combined.

Ground beef, seasonings, and worcestershire sauce.

Using a 3 tablespoon scoop, or a large spoon, make 8 individual balls.

Shape the balls into patties about ¼ inch thick. Place on a plate, or tray, until ready to cook.

Using a scoop to create individual balls.

Bacon Prep

In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the bacon until crisp.

TIP: Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces BEFORE frying it. Then you don’t need to crumble or chop the bacon after. It’s ready to go! It also cooks a lot quicker!

Once the bacon is browned, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate.

Cooking Hamburger Patties

Drain the bacon grease, reserving 1 tablespoon.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook hamburger patties in reserved bacon grease and 1 tablespoon of melted butter.

Cooking hamburger patties in a large skillet.

Cook the patties until almost done in the middle, approximately 3–4 minutes per side. Remove the patties from the skillet and set aside. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of grease, then return the skillet to the stove.

Hamburger patties cooking in the skillet.

Making Bacon BBQ Burger Sauce

Over medium heat, in the same skillet you cooked the patties in, add the chopped onions and garlic to the reserved drippings and 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir to cook for about 3 minutes, scraping all those delicious bits of burger up as you go.

Caramelizing the diced onions in the bacon grease.

Add the cooked bacon back into the skillet with the caramelized onions and garlic.

Pour in the whiskey. BE CAREFUL if cooking on an open flame! To be extra careful, momentarily turn off the flame while adding the whiskey. Allow the whiskey to reduce by half. About 2–3 minutes.

TIP: You can substitute the whiskey with beef broth, or apple cider!

Add bar-b-que sauce to the bacon and whiskey mixture. Give it a good stir! Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.

TIP: Do you like things “spicy”? Now is the perfect time to add some sliced or diced jalapeños! I wasn’t that daring…but for those of you with a hankering for “hot and spicy”, this is the perfect addition to this sauce!

The house smells incredible! You’re starting to drool…I know, I’ve been here! It’s a really great place to be!

Adding BBQ sauce to bacon and whiskey mixture.

Place the patties in the barbecue sauce, turning to coat. Allow the patties to simmer in the sauce until everything’s hot and bubbly.

Patties in the sauce soaking up all that yum!

Toasting the buns and assembling the sliders!

While those burgers are soaking up all that yummy goodness…let’s get the buns toasted and everything ready to assemble.

Slice the buns in half. Butter the inside of each half of the bun. Place the buns, butter side down, on a heated griddle, or hot skillet. Lightly press them down for 1–2 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the golden brown toasted buttery buns (I think I’ve used enough adjectives, don’t you? Lol)… from the griddle and place them on a serving plate.

Place a patty on the bottom of each toasted bun. Spoon extra bacon sauce over the top of each slider, before placing the top of the bun on each slider. Do not allow that BBQ sauce to go to waste! Not one drop!

Placing the burgers on each bun with extra sauce.

Place the top of each slider bun on top of each burger and secure with a sandwich pick to hold them together!

Whiskey Bacon Onion Burgers on a serving plate.

Serve them alongside your favorite fries, chips, a crisp salad (if you’re the healthy sort…Lol), or even on their own for an unforgettable treat. Don’t forget to grab some extra napkins because these sliders are as messy as they are delicious.

I firmly believe if a burger isn’t messy…it isn’t good! So, no matter the size, big or small, you should always need a napkin when chowing down on a burger!

This is a line-up that can’t be beat! An “All-star” team if you ask me!

Sliders all lined up on a serving tray ready to eat.

Other Favorite Game Day Recipes

And just like that, you’ve created a mouthwatering dish that’s sure to be the star of any meal or party. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as the guys at my Nest do! This one is a finger licking good keeper!

Happy Nesting!

Norine from Norine's Nest leaning on a kitchen counter.

Printable Recipe Card

Yield: 8 sliders

Whiskey Bacon Onion Burger Sliders

Name: Whiskey Bacon Onion Burger Sliders
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, or your favorite burger seasonings; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup, cooked and crumbled; ½ cup diced onions; 1 tablespoon butter; ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (see substitutions below); ½ cup whiskey; 1 cup BBQ sauce; 8 slider buns

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, or your favorite burger seasonings
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup, cooked and crumbled
½ cup diced onions
1 tablespoon butter
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (see substitutions below)
½ cup whiskey
1 cup BBQ sauce
8 slider buns

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, combine ground beef, all-purpose seasoning, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Once combined, create 8 individual mini hamburger patties about ¼ inch thick.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the patties. About 3–4 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of grease and return to the stove. Add the onions, stir to cook, about 3 minutes until golden and caramelized. Add the cooked and crumbled bacon. Stir to combine.
Slowly and carefully add the whiskey. IF cooking over an open flame, turn the flam off momentarily until whiskey has been added. Allow the whiskey to reduce in half, 2–3 minutes. Add BBQ sauce. Stir to combine.
Reduce the heat to low and place the patties in the sauce. Turning to coat. Let the patties simmer in the sauce until everything is hot and bubbly.
While the patties are simmering, cut the slider buns in half. Butter the inside of each bun. Place the buns, buttered side down, on a hot griddle or skillet and toast until golden brown.
Place the buns on a serving platter. Place a patty on the bottom of each toasted bun. Spoon extra sauce over the top of each patty. Place the top bun on each burger and serve.

Notes

1. You can substitute beef broth or apple cider for whiskey.

2. You can add diced jalapeño peppers to the sauce while sautéing onions for additional spice.

3. I pre-cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces before cooking to make it easier to prepare the bacon BBQ sauce.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 385Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 862mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 2gSugar: 15gProtein: 24g

About the Author

Meet The Author

Photo Credit: Jenelle Lacy Photography

Hi! I'm Norine, the cook, baker, and recipe creator behind Norine's Nest. I love sharing and creating recipes that invite family, friends, and neighbors to gather around the dinner table. Sharing good food and creating memories with those we love brings me happiness. Thanks for stopping by my Nest!