Walnut Alexander

Name: Walnut Alexander
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Cognac (brandy) — 45 ml (1 1/2 oz); Walnut liqueur — 15 ml (1/2 oz); Sugar syrup — 10 ml (1/3 oz); Single cream/half-and-half — 15 ml (1/2 oz); Egg white (pasteurised) — 10 ml (1/3 oz)

Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 19.7% ABV ∙

The Walnut Alexander is a creamy Cognac-based dessert cocktail that swaps in walnut liqueur alongside cream and egg white, double-shaken to a silky finish. Velvety and cloud-light on the tongue, with a warm, nutty undertone and a plush, frothy cap that dissolves into a smooth, lingering finish.

Ingredients

Servings

Garnish

Grated nutmeg

Instructions for 1 serving

Pre-chill a glass
Shake all ingredients with ice: Cognac 45 mlWalnut liqueur 15 mlSugar syrup 10 mlSingle cream/half-and-half 15 mlEgg white 10 ml
Strain back into the shaker
Dry shake (without ice)
Fine strain into the chilled glass
Garnish with grated nutmeg

Tips

Dry shake without ice after the first shake so the egg white builds real foam before the fine strain.
Measure the walnut liqueur carefully — it's potent and sweet enough to overpower the Cognac if over-poured.
Pre-chill the martini glass so the foam holds its structure instead of melting into the drink.

History

The Walnut Alexander has no documented creator or origin story of its own — it exists as a walnut-liqueur riff within the wider Alexander family, swapping the liqueur for one made from walnuts while keeping the cognac base and cream that mark the Brandy Alexander style.

Its parent, the Alexander, is generally dated to before 1915, with the earliest known printed recipe (equal parts gin, crème de cacao, and cream) appearing in Hugo Ensslin's 1916 book Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Its exact creator is disputed among several claimants, and the drink was later popularized in a brandy-based form as the Brandy Alexander. The Walnut Alexander simply substitutes a walnut liqueur for the traditional crème de cacao, giving the drink a nuttier character in place of the original's chocolate note.

FAQ

What is in an Alexander cocktail?

A classic Alexander is gin or Cognac, crème de cacao, and cream, shaken and strained up. This Walnut Alexander is a variation built on Cognac, replacing the crème de cacao with walnut liqueur and adding a touch of sugar syrup and egg white for a foamier texture.

How do you make a Walnut Alexander?

Shake the Cognac, walnut liqueur, sugar syrup, cream, and egg white with ice, then strain the mix back into the shaker and dry shake it without ice to build foam. Fine-strain into a chilled martini glass and finish with grated nutmeg on top.