Let me show you how to make a sazerac with five ingredients in just five minutes! This classic American cocktail is made with cognac for traditional taste and will bring the flavor of New Orleans into your happy hour at home.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my smoked old fashioned cocktail, too!
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What is a sazerac drink?
The history of sazerac is intertwined with the city of New Orleans, where it was invented in the mid-1850s at what would become the Sazerac Coffee House. This drink is distinctive because of both its preparation and its presentation in a chilled, absinthe-rinsed rocks glass.
Now, the sazerac is the official cocktail of New Orleans, but you don't have to hit up Bourbon Street to get you a taste!
❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick and Easy - Not a bartender? No problem! You only need a few minutes to craft this cocktail and no advanced mixology skills.
What does a sazerac cocktail taste like? Short answer: smooth and strong. The sazerac tastes a little bit like liquorice with notes of herbs and spice and a hint of sweetness. All of the mixers are alcoholic and this drink is served straight up, so it isn't very diluted.
👉🏾 I have plenty more Southern favorite drinks for you to try, including my hibiscus mint julep, sweet tea old fashioned, spiced milk punch, and Georgia peach sweet tea!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Cognac is the liquor used in making a traditional sazerac. In fact, the drink is named after the brand of cognac used for the original. I'm using Hennessy here, and you can use whichever brand you like best.
Peychaud's Aromatic Bitters is the only bitters you can use to make an authentic sazerac. It was first created in Louisiana by a Creole apothecary and has a unique taste with notes of star anise and cooling mint.
]Absinthe or Herbsaint, depending on what's available to you. Absinthe is most traditional but was replaced by Herbsaint during its extremely long prohibition in the United States.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Can you make a sazerac with bourbon? Yes, but rye whiskey is more popular as it became the go-to spirit when cognac imports to the U.S. paused. In fact, the Sazerac Company has developed its own expression of rye, which is, of course, considered the best rye for sazerac. Rum is also sometimes used.
Sugar Cube is the traditional sweetener in this drink, but you can get away with using granulated sugar. Demerara syrup, simple syrup, or maple syrup are also suitable substitutes.
Lemon Peel is a traditional but optional garnish, so you can skip it if you like or garnish with a different kind of citrus peel, such as orange, lime, or grapefruit.
How to Make a Classic Sazerac
- Step 1: Coat sugar cube with bitters then crush it with a muddler.
- Step 2: Add ice and cognac then stir until glass is chilled to the touch.
Pro Tip #1
If you don't have bar tools at home, try a shot glass instead of a jigger, a highball glass instead of a cocktail mixing glass, and a dinner spoon instead of a bar spoon. The end of a kitchen spoon can also work in place of a muddler.
- Step 3: Rinse glass with absinthe or Herbsaint.
- Step 4: Strain chilled cognac mixture into the rinsed glass then twist lemon peel over top of the drink and garnish.
Pro Tip #2
To make the garnish, cut off a rectangular strip of lemon peel about three to four inches long then cut a slit in the center of it lengthwise. Fold the peel in half longways then press it down on the rim of the glass, where the slit should fit perfectly!
Frequently Asked Questions
To make a round of sazeracs, rinse four rocks glasses with ¼ ounce of absinthe each, then place in the fridge to chill. Add four sugar cubes to a mixing glass and coat with 12 dashes of Peychaud's bitters, then crush with a muddler. Fill halfway with ice, then pour in six ounces cognac and stir until glass is chilled to the touch. Divide the liquid evenly between prepared rocks glass through a strainer and serve.
More Favorite Cognac Cocktail Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Now that you know how to make a proper sazerac cocktail, I hope you'll enjoy one soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
How to Make a Traditional Sazerac
Equipment
- 1 rocks glass
- 1 cocktail mixing glass or highball glass
- 1 muddler or end of kitchen spoon
- 1 jigger or shot glass
- 1 bar spoon or table spoon
Ingredients
- 1 sugar cube
- 3 dashes Peychaud's Aromatic Bitters
- ice
- 1 ½ ounce cognac or rye whiskey
- ¼ ounce absinthe liqueur or Herbsaint liqueur
- 1 lemon peel
Instructions
- Place rocks glass or old fashioned glass into refrigerator or freezer to chill.
- Add sugar cube to mixing glass then coat it with bitters and crush with muddler.1 sugar cube, 3 dashes Peychaud's Aromatic Bitters
- Fill glass halfway with ice then pour in cognac and stir until glass is chilled to the touch (about eight seconds).ice, 1 ½ ounce cognac
- Remove rocks glass from the fridge then pour in absinthe and swirl it around to coat the inside of the glass. Pour out the excess.¼ ounce absinthe liqueur
- Strain the cognac mixture into the prepared glass then twist lemon peel over top to express oils and add to rim of drink as a garnish. Serve immediately and enjoy responsibly.1 lemon peel
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