World Cup star El Hadji Diouf's first-half header stood despite angry protests from the visitors who were convinced he was offside.
And Michael Owen netted his 20th goal of the season to secure the points and keep his side's challenge for a Champions League spot alive.
Fresh from their emphatic Worthington Cup Final victory over arch-rivals Manchester United, the Reds looked to be still suffering from a nasty hangover for most of the first half.
They failed to register a single shot on target until the 25th minute, while at the other end Bolton's Bernard Mendy was causing the home defence all sorts of problems.
On more than one occasion he skinned John Arne Riise down the right flank before whipping over a series of dangerous crosses.
Youngster Jimmy Traore, in for the injured Stephane Henchoz, made a number of important, if unconventional clearances.
It was Diouf who registered the first shot on target following good work from the typically industrious Danny Murphy but his tame effort was easily saved by Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
In the 32nd minute Sami Hyypia got on the end of a cross from Dietmar Hamann and even though he was unmarked he sent his header well wide.
And just a minute later another wayward header from Hyypia, this time in defence, eventually fell to Ricardo Gardner but he totally miscued on the edge of the area and his shot went comically wide.
The visitors keeper performed heroics seven minutes before the break, first halting Owen's run, then athletically Vladimir Smicer's follow up shot.
But he could do little when Owen beat defender Simon Charlton at the back post before crossing for Diouf to head home virtually on the goal-line.
After the break Bolton could only muster a series of wild long-range efforts in what was essentially a lack-lustre second half.
In the 67th minute, in a reversal of the first goal, Diouf beat the hapless Charlton and turned provider crossing for Owen to tap in from close range.
The Liverpool defence looked unnecessarily nervous in the closing ten minutes with captain Hyypia having an unusually poor day as Sam Allardyce's men never gave up.
However, their lack of firepower was all too obvious and Liverpool sailed to a satisfactory but far from impressive win.