Brandy Alexander Cocktail

The Brandy Alexander is a classic after-dinner cocktail that will elevate your next dinner party. Made with brandy, cream and crème de cacao and topped with freshly grated nutmeg, this drinkable dessert is a great way to end a delicious meal.

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Brandy Alexander cocktail recipe

A good dessert drink makes the ultimate nightcap to cap off a great meal. Who doesn’t love a creamy pink squirrel cocktail or a punchy espresso martini?

But there is perhaps no better choice than the Brandy Alexander. This creamy cocktail features sweet cognac, chocolatey crème de cacao and thick cream to make a decadent, luxurious cocktail.

It’s finished off with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg for a  garnish that adds the ultimate spiced aroma to every sip.

You’ll love this easy, three-ingredient drink with classy vibes — it feels like a step back in time.

More brandy recipes: Sugar Plum Sidecar • Tangerine Sidecar • Wassail

Why you’ll love this recipe

The Brandy Alexander is the perfect drink for your next dinner party.

• It tastes like melted chocolate ice cream — in the best way.
• It’s easy to make with just three ingredients.
• The Brandy Alexander is a great classic cocktail every home bartender should know.

What is a Brandy Alexander drink?

The Brandy Alexander is a sweet, creamy dessert cocktail made similar to a chocolate martini. It’s made by shaking heavy cream, crème de cacao and brandy, specifically cognac. It is usually finished with a sprinkle of nutmeg on top.

The result is a thick, indulgent drink perfect for ending the night on a good note. It tastes like grown-up chocolate milk. Or, “like milkshakes,” as John Lennon of the Beatles put it — it was one of his go-to drinks.

Brandy Alexander Day is celebrated on January 31, but you can drink this boozy milkshake any time. It makes a lovely after-dinner cocktail. 

History of the Brandy Alexander

Like many cocktails, the true origin of this drink is a little muddled. Chilled Magazine explains that the first version of this drink, the Alexander, was created through marketing efforts for Lackawanna Railroad in the early 1900s.

At a time when train travel was considered dirty and would leave riders covered in soot, the railroad began using clean-burning anthracite and advertised clean train travel. In advertisements, they introduced a character named Phoebe Snow, who wore a snow-white dress and drank the snow-white drink, the Alexander. 

Invented by New York bartender Troy Alexander for an event for the railroad, the drink made with gin, cream and crème de cacao. The train company advertised that you could order the drink on board in honor of Phoebe Snow. 

The brandy version of the gin-based cocktail, the Brandy Alexander, arrived on the scene in 1937 in Cafe Royal Cocktail Book by William J. Tarling, and grew in popularity ever since. 

The drink has seen its fair share of pop culture, too, appearing in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and a James Bond short story. The drink even has its own song, “Brandy Alexander” by Feist, which debuted in 2007, with the lyrics, “He’s my Brandy Alexander, always gets me into trouble, but that’s another matter, Brandy Alexander.” (It’s one of my very favorite songs.)

Tools & glassware

To make the Brandy Alexander recipe, you will need a basic bartending set, including a jigger for measuring, a shaker for combining the ingredients and a strainer for preventing ice from entering the cocktail.

A microplane or seater is needed for grating the nutmeg garnish on top of the drink.

Finally, to serve the drinks, you’ll want a martini glass, coupe glass or stemless martini glass. A stemmed cocktail glass, to me, adds to the sophistication and delicate nature of this drink.

Ingredients

You only need three ingredients to make this perfect dessert cocktail:

• Brandy or cognac: This aged spirit is sweet and fruity. Cognac is aged a bit longer than brandy, so its flavor is a bit more complex, which is why it’s the top choice for this cocktail, but you can use either type of brandy here.
• Crème de cacao: This chocolate-flavored liqueur comes in two ways: in clear form (light crème de cacao) and in a dark brown color (dark crème de cacao). I prefer the dark crème de cacao here, but if you want more of a snowy look, you can use white crème de cacao. 
• Heavy whipping cream: Use heavy cream or whipping cream here. Half-and-half will work, too, but it won’t be quite as thick and will lack some of that milkshake quality.
• Whole nutmeg: Use a piece of nutmeg and grate it on a microplane or zester to get the freshly grated effect. You can also use a pinch of ground nutmeg.

Variations and substitutions

Mix things up with one of these simple cocktail variations:

Frozen Brandy Alexander: You can make this an actual boozy milkshake in the blender. Use a few scoops vanilla ice cream instead of heavy cream. Freeze a big batch and then scoop it into glasses, à la the frozen grasshopper, for holiday parties or dinner parties. 

Amarula Brandy Alexander: Use the South African spirit Amarula instead of crème de cacao for a spiced and fruity twist.

Baileys Alexander: Try Irish cream instead of the crème de cacao to bring in flavors of coffee and vanilla.

Virgin Brandy Alexander: You can make a non-alcoholic Brandy Alexander with chocolate syrup instead of crème de cacao and a zero-proof spirit instead of brandy. There’s not a solid brandy alternative on the market that I’ve found, but a zero-proof whiskey like Ritual whiskey alternative would work well.

How to make a Brandy Alexander

Making a Brandy Alexander is quick and easy. You’ll love this simple recipe! 

First, fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the equal parts of Brandy, cream and crème de cacao. Cover and shake it up well.

Then, strain it into a martini glass. Over top, grate a piece of nutmeg or sprinkle on a pinch of ground nutmeg.

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips for making this drink

• Don’t shake too hard — you want the drink to be thick, but you‘re mot making whipped cream!
• Use real grated nutmeg on top for the best aroma.
• Level it up with a top shelf cognac.

What to serve with a Brandy Alexander

This chocolate cocktail is perfect with dessert after a great dinner.

Have it alongside red wine brownies or Baileys chocolate chip cookies.

They’d also be great at a Christmas party with a dessert like rum balls.

FAQ

More dessert cocktails

• White Russian
• Nutty Irishman
• Mudslide
• S’mores Martini
• Toasted Almond Cocktail