Brandy Hot Toddy

The brandy hot toddy has a warm flavor with notes of cinnamon and apple! It’s the perfect hot drink for cold weather.

Looking for a warming drink with brandy? Try the Brandy Hot Toddy! This variation on the classic Hot Toddy is uniquely delicious, featuring the fruity, sweet taste of brandy with apple and cinnamon. Adding hot water opens up the flavor of the liquor so you can appreciate the complexity in each sip. Use any type of brandy you have on hand, and cup your hands around the warm mug for the ideal cozy drink.

Ingredients in a hot toddy with brandy

The hot toddy is a mixed drink made of liquor, hot water, and honey. It’s got a long history: it was drunk in Britain as early as the 1780’s, likely originating from India. By the mid-1800’s it had spread across the ocean: Americans were prescribing it as a cure for the common cold.

The original British hot toddy was made with whiskey, like Scotch. Once it spread to America, Americans began drinking it with the spirits they had access to: rum or brandy. So you can imagine early Americans drinking this to warm up around a fire, or as a cure for various ailments. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for a hot toddy with brandy:

• Brandy of any type
• Maple syrup or honey: we prefer the flavor with maple syrup
• Hot water
• For the garnish: Apple slices and cinnamon stick

Types of brandy

You can use any type of brandy you have on hand for a Brandy Hot Toddy. It’s a casual drink, so save your top-shelf Cognac for something more sophisticated (a Brandy Manhattan or Sidecar, perhaps?). Here are a few types of brandy to consider:

• American brandy, any type of brandy made in the US: we used Korbel brandy (also great in a Wisconsin Old Fashioned)
• Cognac, a French brandy that tastes spicy, fruity, and bitter, with notes of vanilla and oak
• Armagnac, a more full-flavored, richer French brandy, with notes of dark caramel, chocolate and burnt orange
• Calvados, an apple or pear brandy made in France
• Brandy de Jerez, Spanish brandy that tastes dry and smooth, with notes of caramel, almond and vanilla

Pisco is also a type of brandy: it’s Peruvian and has a much different flavor profile. Save that for a classic Pisco Sour!

How to make a Brandy Hot Toddy

For a brandy hot toddy, all you have to do is combine brandy, maple syrup and hot water. For this variation, we added sliced apples and a cinnamon stick as a garnish. The apple flavor really does come through, adding a nice fruity complexity. Here’s what to do:

• Mix: In the serving glass, stir together 3 tablespoons brandy with 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey. The maple syrup works well here flavor-wise, but you can use honey if you prefer.
• Add apples to the glass. This way when you pour over the water, you’ll get a nice apple aroma.
• Add hot water: Pour in ½ cup hot water.
• Garnish: Add a cinnamon stick if desired.

Make it for a crowd

Want to make this brandy hot toddy for a crowd? You can do that too. Simply simmer 8 times the ingredients on the stovetop until hot but not boiling. Then garnish as specified above. It’s an easy way to serve it when entertaining.

More hot toddy recipes

There are several ways to make a hot toddy! Here are some of our favorites to try:

• Try the classic Hot Toddy
• Mix up the alcohol with Bourbon Hot Toddy or Rum Hot Toddy
• Use cider instead of water for an Apple Cider Hot Toddy

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Hot Toddy

02

Bourbon Hot Toddy

03

Rum Hot Toddy

04

Apple Cider Hot Toddy

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