Brandy Butter Recipe (2024)

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Have you ever had brandy butter--also called hard sauce? It's a delightful combination of flavors and is served on top of a warm slice of plum pudding.

You'll want to serve this homemade dessert topping with plum pudding or homemade mincemeat tarts this Christmas. Be sure to try our 9 British Christmas recipes as well.

Brandy Butter Recipe (1)
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make Brandy Butter
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Store
  • Serve
  • Expert Tips
  • More Christmas Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Ingredients

Brandy Butter Recipe (2)

Curious what you need to make brandy butter? Let's discuss the key ingredients in this simple recipe.

  • Butter: We use a combination of salted and unsalted but feel free to use either one. The salted helps cut some of the sweetness, while unsalted is typically fresher.
  • Brandy: Adding a small amount of this liquor gives this topping its signature flavor. Only add enough to taste, or the mixture will be too bitter.
  • Icing Sugar: This sweetens the mixture and holds it together.
  • Orange Zest: This brightens up the flavors, but be careful not to add too much, or it will be bitter.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Brandy Butter

Grab some icing sugar, butter, vanilla extract, orange zest, and brandy.

Brandy Butter Recipe (3)
  1. Put the butter in a bowl and sift the icing sugar on top. (image 1)
  2. Beat together until lightened in color and fluffy. (image 2)
Brandy Butter Recipe (4)
  1. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and brandy a little at a time until you like the flavor.(image 3)
  2. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later. (image 4)

Recipe FAQs

How do you eat brandy butter?

This British dessert topping is often served with desserts such as Christmas pudding and mince pies. When spooned onto a warm pudding, the butter melts into it to add extra flavor, or is spread on top of a mince pie before eating.

What does brandy butter taste like?

It has a sweet, buttery taste with hints of vanilla, and a slight bitterness from the orange zest and oak from the alcohol.

What is brandy butter made from?

It's made by whipping powdered sugar and butter together with vanilla, brandy, and orange zest. I like to use a mixture of salted and unsalted butter to help balance the sweetness.

Is there alcohol in brandy butter?

Yes, there is alcohol in it. We used 5 to 7 tablespoons in a batch that makes 3 cups. You can substitute this with fruit juice, such as apple juice, or omit it entirely if you prefer.

Store

  • Leftovers: Store in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
  • Freeze: Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Eat within 1 week of thawing.

Serve

Any warm, heavy dessert goes well with it. Here are some ideas to get you started, although feel free to experiment!

  • Plum pudding or figgy pudding
  • Mince pies
  • Bread pudding
  • Toasted sweet bread (try cinnamon swirl bread, stollen, plum bread)
  • Cinnamon rolls

If you are looking for another British dessert, make sure to try our recipe for Lincolnshire plum bread.

Expert Tips

  • Use both salted and unsalted butter. The salt helps cut the sweetness, while the unsalted adds a fresher flavor.
  • Add the brandy slowly. It's easy to add too much, and then the flavor is overpowering. If you accidentally add too much, simply add more icing sugar and vanilla to balance it out.
  • Tweak the flavorings to your taste.
  • Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, then serve it cold with Christmas desserts like plum pudding.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, and use within 1 week of thawing.

More Christmas Recipes

  • Traditional Figgy Pudding Recipe
  • Candied Lemon Slices
  • Julekake: Norwegian Christmas Bread
  • Roscón de Reyes (Spanish Kings' Cake)

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Recipe

Brandy Butter Recipe (9)

Brandy Butter Recipe

Brandy butter, a sweet and fluffy blend of butter, sugar, brandy, orange zest, and vanilla, is the traditional accompaniment to plum pudding at Christmas. Just mix together the ingredients in one bowl to make this delicious gluten free brandy butter. Everyone will love this classic sauce with plum pudding, bread pudding, or mince pies during the holidays!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 cups

Calories: 122kcal

Author:

Ingredients

  • ½ cup salted butter, softened
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups icing sugar
  • 5-7 tablespoons brandy
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Instructions

  • Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl. Sift the icing sugar on top, then beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and lightened in color.

  • Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a flexible spatula, then mix in the vanilla extract and orange zest. Mix in the brandy one tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired taste. Taste and add additional sugar, vanilla, or orange zest as desired.

  • Serve with hot plum pudding, bread pudding, mince pies, or Christmas cookies. If making ahead, store in the fridge until needed.

Video

Notes

  • Use both salted and unsalted butter. The salt helps cut the sweetness, while the unsalted adds a fresher flavor.
  • Add the brandy slowly. It's easy to add too much, and then the flavor is overpowering. If you accidentally add too much, simply add more icing sugar and vanilla to balance it out.
  • Tweak the flavorings to your taste.
  • Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, then serve it cold with Christmas desserts like plum pudding.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, and use within 1 week of thawing.

Nutrition

Serving: 2TablespoonsCalories: 122kcal (6%)Carbohydrates: 11g (4%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 8g (12%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 21mg (7%)Sodium: 41mg (2%)Potassium: 4mgFiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 10g (11%)Vitamin A: 249IU (5%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 3mgIron: 1mg (6%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth

    Brandy Butter Recipe (10)
    This is great with plum pudding. Nice and fluffy. It's soft and creamy, making it the perfect addition to figgy pudding as well. The orange zest adds a nice touch.

    Reply

    • Emma

      Thanks!

      Reply

      • Georgia

        This was an amazing Perfect
        The zest did add a little something to it
        Thank you. I will make it again
        Georgia

        Reply

        • Emma

          Glad that you enjoyed it, Georgia, and I'm happy to hear that you want to make it again! 🙂

          Reply

Leave a Reply

Brandy Butter Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What do you eat brandy butter with? ›

' Here are our favourite three ways to enjoy our boozy butter.
  1. Mince Pies. Mince pies taste absolutely gorgeous heated up in the oven with a big dollop of brandy butter on top. ...
  2. Christmas pudding. ...
  3. Crumpets. ...
  4. Get on our nice list by reducing naughty waste. ...
  5. Join our milkround.

How long does brandy butter last once opened? ›

Nutritional Information per 100g
Alcohol Content8%
Shelf Life24 Months from production
Shelf Life Once Opened1 month (Refrigerate after opening and use within one month)
Storage Temp - UnopenedAmbient (1°C-30°C)
Storage Temp - Opened1 - 5°C
7 more rows

How to fix split brandy butter? ›

If you are over generous with the brandy it will curdle so just beat in more sieved icing sugar and it will come smooth again. Serve with the Christmas pudding or even as a cheeky addition to a mince pie.

Is there alcohol in brandy butter? ›

Brandy butter is a mixture of butter, sugar and alcohol, sometimes known as a "hard sauce". It is traditionally served with Christmas pudding and is also wonderful with warm mince pies.

What is another name for brandy butter? ›

The name of hard sauce (aliases: brandy butter, rum butter, Senior Wrangler sauce) is a bit misleading, as the dish has more in common with a melt-in-your-mouth butter mint than a drizzly glaze.

What is the difference between brandy butter and brandy cream? ›

Brandy butter uses caster sugar, giving the whipped unguent a pleasing graininess that dissolves on the tongue, part of the charm and a foil to the sticky pudding. There's an argument that brandy cream does a slightly better job though, as cream is much higher in milk sugar - lactose - than butter.

Can homemade brandy go bad? ›

Most primary (also called "base") liquors like whiskey, brandy, rum, gin, tequila, and vodka, have an almost infinite shelf life if left unopened. That's because they don't have much sugar and, unopened, aren't at risk of any oxidation.

How old do you have to be to buy brandy butter? ›

Are you over 18? This is an age restricted product.

Does homemade butter go bad? ›

Homemade butter's shelf life depends on how thoroughly you extract the buttermilk. If a substantial amount of buttermilk remains, it will sour within a week, otherwise homemade butter can keep for up to 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

What can I use instead of brandy in brandy butter? ›

My top tips for making brandy butter sauce

No problem - the brandy can be easily substituted for another alcohol. Dark rum (not white), cognac or whiskey would all be good.

Why is it called hard sauce? ›

The finished "sauce" is quite stiff (essentially like whipped butter) and is spooned over warm desserts where it will begin to melt into more of a saucy texture. However, don't expect hard sauce to ever reach a pourable consistency.

Can you buy brandy butter? ›

Tesco Finest Brandy Butter 200G - Tesco Groceries.

What do you put brandy butter on? ›

A traditional accompaniment to Christmas pudding and mince pies, brandy butter is made with unsalted butter, sugar and brandy. It can be bought ready-made in pots and jars or made at home. Try this easy recipe for traditional brandy butter; perfect for slathering over mince pies or Christmas pudding.

What alcohol is poured on Christmas pudding? ›

Douse the pudding

Pour the lit brandy over the top of your Christmas pudding – the flames will transfer and – voilà! – a spectacularly festive flaming pud.

Does brandy butter need to be refrigerated? ›

Storage Refrigerate after opening and consume within six weeks and by the date shown.

What do you eat brandy with? ›

Seafood Dishes - Pair pear brandy with seafood like scallops or shrimp. It's a nice combination that mist people will enjoy. Cured Meats - Include pear brandy in a charcuterie board with cured meats like prosciutto, salami, or pancetta. The brandy's sweetness complements the savory meats.

What does brandy taste good mixed with? ›

Here are some brandy mixed drinks to consider: Brandy Sour: Cognac, lemon juice, sugar syrup, bitters, and pasteurized egg whites. Brandy Highball: Cognac, ginger syrup, and sparkling fruit juice. Brandy Sidecar: Cognac, triple sec, and lemon juice.

What is the best accompaniment for Christmas pudding? ›

Although the pud is undoubtedly the star, all that rich, fruity filling needs a dollop of something creamy and cool to serve alongside. Pour over double cream, spoon on thick clotted cream or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a quick win, or whip up your own boozy brandy butter for ultimate indulgence.

How is brandy best served? ›

Brandy is usually served in a wide-bottomed, short-stemmed glass at room temperature. To fully enjoy the brandy, hold your glass in your hands before taking a sip. This will only enhance the taste of the drink. You should drink brandy slowly and keep it in your mouth for a while before swallowing.

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