10 Cognac Recipes That You Should Try Out At Home

Cognac is a specific type of brandy produced from distilled white wine. It must be distilled twice, using copper pot stills, and aged in French oak barrels for a minimum of two years. It is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. If you’re a fan of sweet and yet hard liquor, then this one is for you.

The history of Cognac traces back to the 1600s. Rumour has it that wine exported from the region to Holland was deemed unsatisfactory. The Dutch had already begun distilling gin, so they began distilling the wine they were receiving, too. As they took notice in France, winemakers then shifted to distillation themselves.

Every 4^th of June, the world comes together to celebrate this elegant spirit. To spice up your consumption of cognac, I would highly recommend cocktails. Here are a few recipes that you can try out.

1. Sidecar Cocktail

This cocktail, described as a timeless brandy sour drink, is a perfect balance between sweet and sour. So if this kind of taste is your cup of tea, then it is highly recommended.

Ingredients

1. Cognac
2. Orange liqueur
3. Lemon juice
4. Garnish – a slice of lemon

Instructions

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
3. Shake well.
4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

2. Champagne Bowler

Few things compare to fruity cocktails. They’re perfectly sweet and take away the bitterness of hard liquor. Here’s a perfect fruity cocktail recipe with cognac. The white wine, the cognac, and the sparkling wine should be in the ratio of 1:2:4

Ingredients

1. 3 strawberries
2. Simple syrup
3. Cognac
4. White wine
5. Sparkling wine

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add the strawberries and simple syrup. Muddle well by pressing the ingredients against the side of the glass.
2. Fill the shaker halfway with ice. Add the Cognac and white wine.
3. Shake well.
4. Pour the contents of the shaker (including the ice) into a wine goblet.
5. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a strawberry.
6. Serve and enjoy!

3. Dulce de Tequilla

It’s so crazy to think that the combination of tequila and cognac will go down the palette smoothly, but believe me, it’s worth a try. The word Dulce de tequila literally means “tequila candy.” If you lean towards sweetened cocktails, this one is for you. Ensure that the ratio of your tequila to cognac is 2:1

Ingredients

1. Tequilla
2. Cognac
3. Orange liqueur
4. Lime juice
5. 1 tablespoon syrup

Instructions

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the tequila, cognac, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave nectar.
3. Shake well.
4. Strain into the glass
5. Serve and enjoy!

4. Brandy Alexander

If you’re a fan of creamy cocktails then you might want to try this out. I find that such cocktails are so smooth that you almost forget you’re drinking alcohol.

Ingredients

1. Cognac
2. 2 tablespoons crème de cacao
3. Cream

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail or coupe glass.
3. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

5. Spiked Coffee

If you’re a lover of coffee and Cognac, then why not bring the two together? This recipe is simple, and yet smoother than most other cocktails. I would highly recommend it, and especially for black coffee lovers.

Ingredients

1. 120ml Coffee
2. 30ml Kahlua
3. 60ml Cognac

Instructions

1. Make your coffee as desired, whether it be black or creamy.
2. Pour the Kahlua and Cognac into your coffee
3. Stir

6. Cognac Sour

For whiskey lovers, this might interest you. It is the whiskey recipe, but instead, with cognac. It’s a perfect combination that blends perfectly to reveal a smooth yet exciting taste.

Ingredients

1. 15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
2. 25 ml simple syrup
3. 45ml cognac
4. Ice
5. Cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and cognac.
2. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice.
3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
4. Garnish with the cherry.

7. Cognac Eggnog

This cocktail is described as a boozy holiday treat. Typically, Eggnog is a sweet beverage made with milk and cream, sugar, eggs. The addition of cognac to the recipe makes it a “spiked” drink which is smooth.

Ingredients

1. 6 eggs and 2 additional yolks
   1. 1/2 cup of sugar
   2. 1/4 teaspoon of salt
   3. 4 cups of milk (whole is preferable)
   4. 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
   5. 1 cup cognac
   6. 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
   7. 3/4 cup of heavy cream, lightly whipped

Instructions

1. Put a large pan on the stove on low. Whisk together the eggs yolks, sugar, salt, and milk.
2. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove it from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
3. Add the nutmeg, cognac, and vanilla. Chill.
4. Just before serving, fold in the whipped cream.

8. Mulled Wine With Cognac

Any wine lover will tell you that the taste of mulled wine is to die for. In fact, it’s one of my top two forms of alcohol. Now imagine, mixing it with cognac. It’s a rich recipe with a diversity of flavours. You might want to try this out.

Ingredients

1. 1 bottle red wine
2. 1 cup cognac
3. 3/4 cup sugar
4. 2 cinnamon sticks
5. 3 whole cloves
6. 1 tsp grated nutmeg
7. 1 vanilla bean
8. 1 sliced orange
9. 1 sliced lemon

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Let it sit overnight if possible in the refrigerator
3. Strain out the fruits and other non-drinkable ingredients and serve it warm in glass mugs.
4. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

9. Classic Hot Toddy with cognac

The Hot Toddy has been made with many variations of alcohol, and cognac is one of them. This recipe has also been said to ease the intensity of the common cold.

Ingredients

1. ¼ cup Cognac
2. 1/2 cup boiling water
3. 1 tablespoon honey
4. 1 slice of lemon
5. 1 small cinnamon stick (optional)

Instructions

1. Pour the Cognac into a mug or glass. Add boiling water and honey and stir until honey is dissolved.
2. Garnish with a lemon slice and cinnamon stick. 

10. Boulevardier With A Twist

This is another recipe that’s largely borrowed from other cocktail recipes with whiskey and rum. This cocktail is deliciously well-rounded.

Ingredients

1. 30ml bourbon
2. 15ml cognac
3. 20ml sweet vermouth
4. lemon peel                                                       

  Instructions

1. In a mixing glass, combine all ingredients except for the lemon/orange peel. Fill the glass halfway with ice, then stir vigorously about a dozen times.
2. Strain into a chilled glass.
3. Squeeze/twist the lemon (or orange) peel over the glass to extract oils, rub the peel around the inside rim of the glass and serve with the cocktail.

Liked this article? Here are 10 Gin Cocktails That You Should Try Out At Home Or if you prefer whiskey check out 10 Whiskey Cocktails That You Should Try Out At Home