If you are looking for the perfect end of an evening dessert drink, then look no further than this Nuts and Berries Cocktail recipe. This only requires three simple ingredients but yields an absolutely delicious drink that has perfectly balanced flavors of nuttiness and sweet berries. I've also included ways to make it dairy-free.
So here is a cocktail that was completely new to me until fairly recently: the Nuts and Berries cocktail. It's really the perfect nightcap to end the evening. This is something you drink because it is pure flavor but doesn't pack much of a punch in terms of alcohol content.
So what is a nightcap?
A nightcap can be defined as two things: a drink before bed and the cap that some people used to wear before bed. An evening drink gets its name from the item that used to be worn because of the timing of when this drink would be served.
There are no official rules for what makes a drink a nightcap other than it tends to not be a strong drink. Basically, it's the last drink of the day. For example, my Irish Coffee recipe would be another example of a nightcap (assuming you can enjoy coffee in the evening).
What ingredients are needed
Traditionally speaking, you need:
- Hazelnut Liqueur like Frangelico a
- Raspberry Liqueur like Chambord
- Half and half.
The hazelnut liqueur is the reference to nuts, and the raspberry liqueur is the berries part. The dairy rounds out the flavors here also giving us the name Nuts and Berries.
Variations
As promised, you can play around with the ingredients here. Here are some substitutes to help you make the recipe work with what you might already have. Seriously, is there anything worse than looking at a recipe and saying "dang, I don't have this or that?"
What if I don't have Frangelico? Then Amaretto would be a good substitute for Hazelnut Liqueur in this case.
What if I don't have Chambord? Then use a different berry liqueur to pair with this like Creme de Cassis.
What if I am dairy-free? Use almond milk or other nut milk, oat milk, or find Bailey's Almande which is also dairy-free but adds flavor but keeps the alcohol content a touch higher.
Can I use Bailey's in place of the half and half? Yes! You can use Bailey's, Heavy Cream, Light Cream, or Regular Milk here as well. It will change the consistency, but will still yield a delicious drink.
How is this cocktail served?
This cocktail can be enjoyed in a number of ways:
- On the rocks, you are putting ice in your drink. Pour into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Up, you are enjoying the drink without ice and can be served in a wine glass or in a martini glass.
- As a shot, eliminate the diary and enjoy the pairing of nuts and fruit flavor and pour it into a shot glass.
Watch me make this (46 Seconds)
How do I make this
Step 1: Measure out the Liqueurs and pour them into a glass. Decide how cold you want your drink. You can choose to pour these ingredients together and serve, shake them together with ice, or add ice at the end.
Step 2: Add half and half (or non dairy milk or Bailey's Almande)
Step 3: Stir with a spoon to combine & garnish with fruit (totally optional).
Step 4: Sip and enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this Nuts and Berries Cocktail!
If you try this, would you mind hitting the “Rate” button? I’d love to know what you thought of it. If you modified the original recipe here, please let me know how it turned out. I love comments!
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Other Cocktails You Might Enjoy
Nuts and Berries Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Hazelnut Liqueur if unavailable see recipe notes
- 1 ounce Raspberry Liqueur if unavailable see recipe notes
- 2 ounces half and half if unavailable see recipe notes
Instructions
- Measure and add both liqueurs together. If you want a chilled drink add ice and shake. If you want the drink to be slightly cold then skip the ice.
- Add the half and half (or non dairy alternative) to the glass and stir.
- Pour and serve. Sip and Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you don't have Frangelico, then use Amaretto as a substitute
- If you don't have Raspberry Liqueur, then use Creme de Cassis or other berry liqueur
- If you are Dairy-Free, then use almond milk or other non dairy milk OR use Bailey's Almande which is also dairy free.
- If you don't keep half and half around then feel free to substitute whole milk or heavy cream in its place.
Brenda -you make such beautiful cocktails. I would so love to be a guest at one of your parties!
Hey Dag! Thanks so much! We drink at home rather than go out. For the price of a couple of cocktails we can get a bottle to stock a bar.
We always added Godiva WHITE chocolate liqueur to those 3 ingredients. Such a great drink, thanks for helping to keep it around!
Hey Cinthia! Great suggestion with the white chocolate liqueur. And I wish more people knew about this drink. It's so tasty. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to share.