Brandy Alexander

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Rich, creamy, and sweet, this Brandy Alexander cocktail is the perfect treat in the evening, especially during the holidays. It’s an indulgent drink that is also strong and decadent that goes down smoothly. It’s slightly thick with a chocolate, creamy flavor that makes the cocktail taste like dessert in a glass.

Like most cocktails, the true origin is unknown, but the popular theory is that the drink was invented by a New York bartender named Troy Alexander. Originally, the cocktail used gin as a base, but brandy became a more popular choice over time. While this cocktail can use any brandy, I like cognac as it’s wonderfully smooth and soft. Want another similar cocktail recipe? Try my Mudslide recipe, White Russian recipe, or chocolate martini recipe.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make a Brandy Alexander.

Brandy — feel free to use brandy or cognac to make this cocktail. Brandy is a liquor made from grapes, whereas cognac is a brandy produced in the Cognac region of France. Cognacs tend to be more expensive.

Crème de cacao — you can use dark crème de cacao or light crème de cacao, depending on your preference. Both are sweet, but white crème de cacao has a milk chocolate flavor and vanilla notes, whereas dark crème de cacao has a richer, dark chocolate flavor.

Cream — adding cream to the cocktail is how you get the luscious, creamy texture.

Nutmeg — this is the perfect garnish for the cocktail as it adds a warm touch to the drink.

How to Make Brandy Alexander

Set of two photos showing crème de cacao and cognac added to a shaker from a jigger.

1. In a cocktail shaker, add the brandy.

2. Add the crème de cacao to the cocktail shaker.

Set of two photos showing cream and ice added to a shaker.

3. Add the cream to the cocktail shaker.

4. Fill the shaker with ice.

Set of two photos showing shaker shaken and strained into a coupe glass.

5. Shake until the outside is frosty, about 30 seconds.

6. Strain the drink into a chilled coupe glass. Grate fresh nutmeg on top of the Brandy Alexander for garnish, if desired.

Slightly overhead view of a coupe glass with Brandy Alexander with nutmeg, jigger, and some festive garnish scattered around.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

You can swap heavy cream for half and half. I would not suggest swapping for milk as it is too thin to give this drink its creamy and rich taste.
To make the drink even colder, you can chill your coupe glasses in the freezer beforehand.
If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, use a mason jar or any jar with a tight-fitting lid to shake the drink together. Then, strain the cocktail through a mesh strainer into your glass.
Avoid adding crushed ice to the shaker as the ice will melt quicker, which will water down the Brandy Alexander.
I recommend using whole nutmeg and not ground nutmeg as whole freshly grated nutmeg is stronger tasting and has much more flavor. It really enhances the cocktail’s flavor, so I don’t recommend skipping the garnish.
If you do not have nutmeg but also want a warm-spiced flavor for garnish, swap for a bit of cinnamon.

A glass of Brandy Alexander with fresh nutmeg shaved on top and some scattered beside it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I grate nutmeg?

To grate a whole nutmeg, use a microplane grater. If you do not have one, use the finest side of a regular box grater. Gently grate the nutmeg over the top of the cocktail but make sure you don’t go overboard, as the flavor is intense. If you are making a large batch or multiple cocktails, grate the nutmeg into a small bowl to quickly garnish the drinks.

How do I make a big batch?

You can easily make a pitcher of Brandy Alexander by scaling up the ingredients and stirring them together in a pitcher without ice. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

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If you’ve tried this Brandy Alexander recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

5 from 1 vote