You'll Want to Mix or Shake Up Our Favorite Brandy Cocktail Recipes

You might think of brandy as something to sip straight and enjoy as a digestif after a good meal but it also holds its own in a variety of well-known cocktails. Brandy is a distilled spirit is produced from fermented fruit—most commonly grapes—but it can also be made from peaches, pears, apricots. Along with its prominent deep, sweet, and fruity flavors, brandy has a subtle oakiness that you might more commonly associate with whiskey. It's an extremely versatile spirit, and in this collection of recipes its adaptability is on full display. From cocktails that showcase its fruitiness to drinks that highlight its warmth, there is something here that everyone can sip on.

The sidecar and the brandy Alexander are two of the best known brandy cocktails, then there are more innovative concoctions like the Victory Garden Cocktail, that's pictured here. It features applejack brandy (meaning the spirit was produced from apples rather than grapes), whiskey, lemon juice, orange bitters, and club soda. The bright yet cozy sparkling cocktail gets its subtle sweetness and earthy taste from a thyme-rosemary syrup that's a herbal take on simple syrup, made by boiling sugar, thyme, rosemary, and water until the sugar dissolves. Be sure to garnish the cocktail with a rosemary sprig for a presentation that's as glorious as the beverage itself.

Brandy pairs well with wine to form delicious cocktails, perhaps because both products are derived from grapes? In this gallery, our Mulled Lillet Wine and sangria recipes showcase how seamlessly the two alcohols blend together.

Whether you're new to mixing drinks with brandy or imbibe the spirit often, these brandy cocktails are sure to strengthen your love for brandy so much so that your bar cart will never without it again.

Mulled Lillet Wine

Brandy is a winner in all kinds of cozy cocktails. Here, the spirit is simmered with Lillet Blanc, an aromatic aperitif wine, as well as orange, lemon, and a variety of warm spices, including black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.

Classic Sangria

The marriage of wine and brandy forms a deliciously complex sangria that celebrates a variety of fruit, including oranges, apples, and grapes. While the batch beverage is more of a punch than a cocktail, we think it fits the bill anytime you're craving a fruity alcoholic drink and this version certainly satisfies.

Apple-Pie Spiced Cider

Have your pie and drink it too with this fall-centric cocktail. Amplify cider's flavor with apple brandy, as well as ground allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground cloves—all ingredients commonly found in apple pie.

Green Mountain Cooler

Smokey from the apple brandy, sweet from the maple syrup, and brightened with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, this smooth cocktail will delight all-year round.

Champagne Punch for Two

This celebratory beverage gets its pink hue from grenadine and its orange flavor from Cointreau. Both ingredients are mixed with Champagne and garnished with fresh raspberries. This bubbly beverage is perfect to sip before a romantic dinner for two.

Kirsch-Wine Cocktails

Cherry brandy, cherry soda, and dried cherries are featured in this fruity batched cocktail. The brandy and soda are added to a pitcher with white wine and mixed to combine. To serve, pour the cocktail into glasses filled with ice and garnish each drink with four cherries.

Brandy Alexander

If you like dessert cocktails, this creamy delight is for you. Made with just three ingredients brandy, Kahlua, and heavy cream, this frothy cocktail that will satisfy your sweet tooth. Serve over ice with ground nutmeg for a garnish.

Apple Brandy and Cider

Here, apple cider is taken to new heights in a boozy version with fresh cider, apple brandy, dry vermouth, and bitters. Finish the drink with an orange twist—the peel releases oils that play up its citrusy flavor.

Summer Sangria

A delicious beverage to sip on during summer, our sangria is made by combining brandy with chilled red wine, club soda, and fruit. We like to use oranges and lemons, but feel free to add in apples, blueberries, and anything else available to you.