Brandy Butter

Make fluffy homemade brandy butter for Christmas pudding and mince pies, with rum and alcohol-free orange variations, plus easy make ahead and freezer tips.

10/29/20262 min read

A ceramic bowl filled with homemade clotted cream and a spoon, sitting on a rustic wooden table with dessert jars.

Brandy Butter

The Spoonful That Makes the Christmas Pudding

If you ask most families what makes Christmas pudding really special, a lot of them will say the brandy butter. It's a soft, cool, sweet hard sauce that melts into the hot pudding in a creamy puddle. And it couldn't be easier: butter, icing sugar and a little brandy, beaten until pale and fluffy.

It makes a lovely gift in a little jar, and it's one of the few Christmas treats that freezes well, so you can make it well ahead and have it ready. I've given a rum version and an alcohol-free orange version too.

A troubleshooting guide chart for brandy butter recipe problems and solutions.

Packaging and Gifting

• Jar: a small 250 ml glass jar looks pretty and holds enough for 6 to 8 serves.

• Decorate: cover the lid with a circle of tartan or gingham fabric, and tie with red string and a small sprig of dried holly or a cinnamon stick.

• Label wording: Brandy Butter. Made (insert date). Contains butter (dairy) and brandy (alcohol). Keep refrigerated. Use by (insert date), or freeze for up to 3 months.

• For the orange juice version: Orange Butter (no alcohol). Made (insert date). Contains dairy. Keep refrigerated. Use by (insert date)r.

• Gift tag: Spoon generously over your pudding. Merry Christmas!

• Pair it with: a small Christmas pudding, a jar of Sticky Toffee Sauce, or a little spoon tied to the jar.

Alcohol: the brandy version contains alcohol. Label it clearly, keep it away from children, and remember alcohol laws vary by country. It's for gifting, not selling.

Allergens: contains dairy (butter). Brandy is grape-based. Check the label of your icing sugar if the recipient avoids wheat or cornflour.

Handing it over: it needs to stay cold. Pack it in a cooler bag if it's a long trip, and don't leave it in a hot car.

Making It With the Kids/Grandkids

The brandy is for adults, but little helpers can do a lot, especially with the orange version.

• Ages 3 to 5: sift the icing sugar (the adult measures), add the zest, and stick labels on the jars.

• Ages 6 to 9: scrape down the bowl, spoon the mixture into the jars and decorate the lids.

• Ages 8 and up: use the electric beaters, with an adult close by.

• Keep children away from: the brandy, the sharp edges of beaters and graters, and the oven and hot jars.

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This post is part of my Edible Gifts From the Kitchen series. You will find loads more edible gift ideas and delicious Christmas recipes here.

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