Frozen Brandy Alexander Cocktail Recipe

It's one thing to crack open a can of soda and mix it with your choice of booze, but if you want to take your home mixology game up a notch, it's worth getting a little more creative. Tasting Table recipe developer Molly Pisula shares this deliciously frozen Brandy Alexander cocktail that you can make in a blender in 5 minutes flat. "What's not to like about this drink? It's creamy, chocolatey, and absolutely delicious," Pisula raves. 

The drink is said to have been first invented in the early 1900s by a New York City bartender, Tony Alexander, but it has since seen many variations. From gin to brandy, the creamy chocolate drink was even praised by John Lennon as being "his milkshake of choice." Pisula enhances the richness of the drink by swapping cream for vanilla ice cream. As she describes, "It's the perfect dessert cocktail!" Serve it as a dessert cocktail after a meal, or as a party drink on a hot summer evening; your guests are sure to be impressed.

Pisula notes that although this recipe calls for cognac, you can swap in brandy instead. As she explains, "Every cognac is a brandy, but not all brandy is a cognac." Next, you'll need equal parts crème de cacao, which Pisula says "comes in both light and dark versions." She specifies, "They have a similar taste," and shares that she prefers the latter "because it adds a nice color to the drink." Although the recipe calls for 2 ounces of cognac for 2 drinks, Pisula comments, "If you like a boozier cocktail, you can add more cognac," and suggests "up to 1 ½ or 2 ounces per drink." She points out, "You'll still barely taste it with the ice cream in there!"

Next, pick up a tub of vanilla ice cream to turn this classic cocktail into a frozen creation. "Use a high-quality vanilla ice cream because the flavor really comes through in this cocktail," Pisula advises. Finally, Pisula likes to garnish her cocktail with whipped cream and cacao nibs which "adds a deep chocolatey flavor and a fun little crunch to the cocktail."

Unless you want to chug your cocktail, Pisula notes that "Chilling your glass beforehand will help keep the cocktail cold." Next, add the cognac, crème de cacao, and vanilla ice cream to a blender, and blend until the mixture is smooth. "If you want your cocktail to have more of a thick, slushy texture like a smoothie, add ice after you blend the ingredients," Pisula suggests.

Divide the cocktail mixture between 2 glasses, and garnish with whipped cream and cacao nibs. Alternatively, Pisula notes that you can skip those toppings and "garnish this cocktail with just a simple sprinkling of nutmeg or cocoa powder." Serve this frozen Brandy Alexander cocktail immediately to savor the frosty boozy treat. 

If desired, Pisula points out that you can make it ahead of time and explains, "I'd pour the drink into an airtight container and keep [it] in the freezer for up to an hour or so." It may get a little crystallized so she adds, "Either mix it up with a fork when you take it out, or you could put it back into the blender and blitz it again." Nevertheless, she highlights, "This drink is so quick to make though, I think it's best to just make it when you're ready to drink it."