Banana Alexander
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 20% ABV ∙
The Banana Alexander is a creamy shaken cocktail of Cognac, banana liqueur, and cream, a fruited twist on the classic Brandy Alexander. Silky and dessert-like, ripe banana rounds out the Cognac's warmth while the cream carries it into a soft, spiced-nutmeg finish — a fitting after-dinner sipper.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Cognac 45 mlBanana liqueur 30 mlSingle cream/half-and-half 25 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with grated nutmeg
Tips
- Shake with ice for a full 15 seconds so the cream fully aerates and emulsifies with the cognac and banana liqueur, avoiding a thin, watery texture.
- Use fresh, cold single cream or half-and-half straight from the fridge; this keeps the shake cold without needing extra dilution from over-shaking.
- Fine-strain into the chilled coupe to catch any small ice shards, giving the cream-based drink a silky, uniform finish.
History
The Banana Alexander is a modern variation on the Alexander, a cocktail dating to the early 20th century. The original Alexander was made with gin, crème de cacao, and cream, and first appeared in print in Hugo Ensslin's 1916 book Recipes for Mixed Drinks. By around the 1930s, brandy began to replace gin as the base spirit in Britain and Europe, giving rise to the now more famous Brandy Alexander, documented in Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book and Harry McElhone's contemporary guide, which eventually overtook the original gin version in popularity. The Banana Alexander follows this brandy-based lineage, replacing the crème de cacao with banana liqueur for a fruit-forward twist on the dessert-style formula.
FAQ
What is in a Banana Alexander?
Cognac, banana liqueur, and cream, shaken and strained into a coupe glass with a dusting of grated nutmeg. It is a banana-forward variation on the classic Brandy Alexander, built here with Cognac as the base spirit.
How do you make a Banana Alexander?
Shake Cognac, banana liqueur, and cream hard with ice until well chilled and slightly frothy, then fine-strain into a coupe and grate fresh nutmeg over the top. The shake is essential to emulsify the cream into the spirit rather than leaving it separated.
Is a Banana Alexander shaken or stirred?
Shaken. Cream and liqueur both need the vigorous agitation of a shake to combine into a smooth, lightly aerated texture; stirring would leave the cream loose and separated.
What glass is a Banana Alexander served in?
A coupe glass, served up and finished with a dusting of grated nutmeg.
