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Brandy Alexander Cocktail Recipe

Name: Brandy Alexander Cocktail Recipe
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1 cocktail
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ounce brandy; 1 ounce crème de cacao (also called chocolate liqueur); 1 ounce heavy cream (or half and half or whole milk, if you prefer); Ice cubes; Optional: Grated or ground nutmeg, for garnish

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Mar 12, 2026 • 1 min read

The Brandy Alexander is a creamy dessert cocktail made with equal parts brandy (often cognac), crème de cacao, and cream. It’s served in a cocktail glass (though a coupe glass or Martini glass will do) and topped with a dusting of ground or grated nutmeg.

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History of the Brandy Alexander Cocktail

No one’s quite sure who the Brandy Alexander cocktail was named after—theories include theatre critic Alexander Woollcott, the Russian Tsar Alexander II, or New York City bartender Troy Alexander. It first appeared in the 1930 cocktail recipe cookbook The Savoy Cocktail Book and gained popularity throughout the twentieth century.

Classic Brandy Alexander Recipe

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makes

1 cocktail

prep time

3 min

total time

3 min

Ingredients

1 ounce brandy
1 ounce crème de cacao (also called chocolate liqueur)
1 ounce heavy cream (or half and half or whole milk, if you prefer)
Ice cubes
Optional: Grated or ground nutmeg, for garnish

1
Pour the brandy, crème de cacao, cream, and ice into a cocktail shaker.
2
Shake until the mixture is chilled.
3
Use a strainer to strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with nutmeg, if desired. Serve cold.

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