Tottenham took the lead through Luka Modric's sensational volley but were pegged back soon after the break when Nigel Reo-Coker's low finish caught the visitors cold.
Bolton threatened to go ahead but Spurs hit them with a superb goal on the break, with Rafael van der Vaart finishing after a scintillating run by Gareth Bale.
Spurs added a third 55 seconds later, with Adebayor tapping in Aaron Lennon's cross before the Togolese striker rounded Adam Bogdan to stroke in a fourth - and inch Tottenham ever-closer to Champions League football once again.
This fixture will long be associated with the shocking collapse of Fabrice Muamba in an FA Cup match in March, but the midfielder returned to the Reebok Stadium for the first time - and received an emotional greeting before kick-off.
A tearful Muamba returned to the stands, but was forced to watch Spurs dominate the early exchanges.
Bale created the best early chance with a drilled effort from 20 yards that Bogdan could only parry into the path of Van der Vaart, who shot straight at the goalkeeper from close-range when he should really have scored.
Bale was at his devastating best at times and shrugged off Dedryck Boyata and then skinned David Wheater before flashing a wonderful ball across the face of goal that needed only a tap-in.
Spurs continued to test Bolton with Lennon and Van der Vaart each going close from distance and they eventually took the lead eight minutes before the break with a stunning effort by Modric.
From a corner, Van der Vaart spotted Modric lurking on the edge of the box and the Croatian took a touch before rifling a sensational volley into the top-corner.
But Bolton came out fighting in the second half and were rewarded for their dominance when Kevin Davies flicked on Boyata’s throw-in to David N’Gog. The former Liverpool man back-heeled the ball to Reo-Coker, who slotted under Brad Friedel.
The goal lifted the home side, who could have sneaked ahead when Chris Eagles’s volley dipped just over the bar - but moments later Spurs struck again.
Bursting forward on the counter-attack, Bale left Wheater flailing before rolling the ball into the path of Van der Vaart, who simply stroked the ball into the bottom corner.
No sooner had Bolton dusted themselves down, they were 3-1 down. Modric crafted the goal with a sublime through ball to Lennon on the right. The winger rolled it into the path of Adebayor, who only had to tap in.
Bolton searched for a way back but left themselves exposed every time they poured forward, so it was inevitable when Spurs added a fourth, Adebayor rounding Bogdan after collecting Bale’s through ball.
Bolton were demoralised and could have been on the wrong end of an even more humbling defeat had Tottenham taken all the chances they created.
The result signals Tottenham’s first back-to-back wins in the Premier League since January and is a timely boost to their hopes of securing a top-four berth.
But Bolton remain in the bottom three - and are staring relegation in the face.
