Brandy Butter

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/7/23
Easy traditional brandy butter recipe

The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1/3 cup

Thought it may sound fancy, with just three ingredients, this brandy butter is easy to make. A classic British accompaniment for spreading on mince pies and slathering on Christmas pudding, it's simply whipped butter with confectioners' sugar and brandy. Rich, sweet and lightly boozy this spread is similar to American frosting but less sweet.

Now's the time to splurge on high quality ingredients. Because there are so few of them in this brandy butter, it's important to use the best available for the best taste. Select a high-quality butter along with your favorite brandy.

Enjoy on cookies, toasted pannetone or any other pairing that sounds perfect...you can't go wrong!

Choosing the Best Brandy

  • Have some fun deciding which brandy to use. Cognac or Armagnac are both great options to use in brandy butter.

Adjust to Taste

  • You Know Best- Reduce or increase the amount of sugar and brandy to suit your tastes.

Make Ahead

This brandy butter stores well in the refrigerator making it easy to always have a batch on-hand. Or, it can be prepared in quiter moments ahead of parties and gatherings. Let it warm up a bit on the counter before serving so it spreads easily.

What You'll need to make this brandy butter
A Hand Mixer
Measuring Spoons
A Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (4 ounces, 100 grams) unsalted butter

  • 1 cup (8 ounces, 225 grams) confectioners' sugar

  • 3 to 5 tablespoons brandy

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for brandy butter

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  2. Place 8 tablespoons butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer until light and creamy.

    Butter beaten until creamy in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  3. Add 1 cup confectioners' sugar and beat again until it's all incorporated.

    Add confectioner's sugar

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  4. Add 3 to 5 tablespoons brandy to taste and stir well. If you add too much brandy, the mixture may curdle. If it does, don't worry, just add more confectioners' sugar until the mixture binds back together.

    Add brandy to taste

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  5. Spoon the butter into a serving dish, cover, and store in the fridge until serving.

    Brandy butter in a dish

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  6. Serve and enjoy.

    Brandy butter

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

How to Store and Freeze

  • In the Refrigerator- Brandy butter will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for two to three weeks.
  • In the Freezer- You can also freeze this butter for up to three months for later use. Just make sure it's in a well-sealed container. Defrost in the refrigerator and use it within a week.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
228 Calories
15g Fat
18g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 228
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 20%
Saturated Fat 10g 48%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 3mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 5mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)