Brandy Alexander

This retro dessert cocktail deserves a spot at your next dinner party. The Brandy Alexander, also known as the Alexander #2, is a derivative of the aptly named Alexander #1. The original Alexander was first printed in Hugo Ensslin’s 1916 cookbook Recipes for Mixed Drinks. The Alexander’s origins are a little murky, but historian Barry Popik says the most plausible story is from an event designed in honor of the fictional character Phoebe Snow. Hosted at the famous New York City restaurant Rector’s, their resident bartender Tony Alexander supposedly mixed gin, crème de cacao, and cream to match Snow’s pristinely white outfit. Eventually, someone swapped the gin in the recipe for brandy, and the rest is history. 

Making a Brandy Alexander couldn’t be easier: Just add equal parts of brandy, dark crème de cacao, and heavy cream for a sophisticated and luxurious post-dinner cocktail. The dark crème de cacao is crucial here—the rich flavor can’t be replicated with the clear version. The Brandy Alexander is the perfect drink to round out a dinner party without having to make a complicated dessert. Think of it as a boozy, ultra-fancy chocolate milkshake! 

Traditionally, this cocktail is garnished with a dusting of grated fresh nutmeg. If you want to up the ante and impress your guests, try using latte art stencils when using the nutmeg to add a fun design to your glass. Cheers!