Traditional Brandy Butter

Traditional Brandy Butter is a British hard sauce made with only 3 ingredients. Unsalted butter, icing sugar and brandy are whisked together and allowed to firm up and served over warm Christmas desserts like plum pudding and mince pies.

Homemade brandy butter sauce is incredibly simple to make and isn’t just for Christmas time! Try spreading it over homemade banana bread for a delicious treat any time of year.

What is a hard sauce?

Despite its name, hard sauce isn’t a liquid until served over a warm dessert, where it melts into a luscious brandy butter sauce.

A traditional British accompaniment for puddings (like Christmas pudding), mince pies (pictured below) or cakes, hard sauce adds a luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth sweetness. The melted butter combines with the dessert’s heat to create a silky, flavorful brandy-infused sauce.

Warm Christmas Pudding and Brandy Sauce

Brandy sauce (not to be confused with brandy butter),  is a white sauce made with butter, milk, and cream that is also served over traditional Christmas pudding (also known as figgy pudding).

Warm Mince Pies

If you’ve ever had a traditional Christmas sweet mince pie, you’ll know just how delightful these festive treats are. The sweet dried fruit filling encased in flaky pastry, topped with homemade brandy butter, which then melts into a sauce. See below.

Whipped Brandy Butter

For a soft, fluffy texture, whip softened unsalted butter with sugar using a whisk, hand mixer, or stand mixer. In my opinion, unsalted butter provides the best flavor. If you like, you can add a little salt to your taste.

Why did my Brandy Butter Separate or Curdle?

Adding the brandy too quickly can cause the mixture to curdle or turn into a lump that just spins around the bowl and wont whisk. If this happens, whisk in a little more powdered (icing) sugar to help smooth it out. To avoid this, add the brandy in very small amounts while continuously whisking.

Best Sugar for Brandy Butter

Powdered sugar (icing sugar) is ideal for brandy butter because it blends smoothly into the butter. If you choose to use caster sugar, granulated sugar, or brown sugar, you’ll need to cream or whip it thoroughly to ensure it fully incorporates. Otherwise, the butter may have a gritty texture.

Brandy Butter Optional Additions

Customize your brandy butter with flavorful additions like vanilla extract, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, or even rum as a substitute for brandy (of course you’d have to change it’s name to Rum Butter).

Brandy Butter without Alcohol

While brandy is traditional, a great non-alcoholic substitute is vanilla beans or vanilla paste. Be mindful that vanilla extract often contains alcohol.

The amount of brandy you add is entirely up to you. I find that 2 to 3 tablespoons provide just the right amount of brandy flavor.

How Long Does Brandy Butter Last?

Personally, I don’t refrigerate my Brandy Butter. I prefer it in a spreadable form, but it will only last 1 to 2 days this way. After that, it must be refrigerated.

Leftover Brandy Butter

Brandy butter keeps for up to 2 weeks in the fridge when stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. It also freezes very well for up to 3 months. Just bring it to room temperature before using.

If you’ve made my Traditional Brandy Butter, please leave a star rating on the recipe card. You can also ask a question or leave a comment below.