Why Browned Butter Should Be The Star Of Your Next Cocktail

Your signature cocktail might not be as written in stone as you might've supposed, especially if you like to raise a glass of something timeless and quietly surprising. Even the staunch DIY dirty martini lovers and those who prefer their cocktails more than on the strong side might turn their heads at the sight and scent of a browned butter swirled concoction. Browned butter has been added into cocktails like Old Fashioneds to introduce some buttery goodness and to 'wash' – or rather infuse — an extra decadent taste into the mix. If you're new to the party, it could be the game-changer worth stirring into your glass for a twist on some of your favorite — or soon-to-be favorite — cocktails.

Brown buttered cocktails are as delectable as they sound. The infusion is achieved by adding your alcohol of choice (bourbon is the most popular) with unsalted butter. The rich toffee-like flavors of the browned butter makes for an extra luxurious infusion that isn't overpowering and allows the bourbon to show off in its usual ways. An added bonus? Infusing butter with bourbon leaves you with both a delicious bourbon infusion as well as some infused butter for some bourbon-enriched baking activities that will earn you some sleek and sophisticated points on the treat-making front.

While whiskey is the go-to alcohol pair when it comes to a hard-to-put-down brown buttered cocktail, dark rums are high contenders too. The subtle sweetness and vanilla notes present in bourbon specifically complement the browned butter cocktail and rum is an iconic pair with fruit (which add a burst of flavor and excitement to cocktails), so both choices give you a solid base to work with. Once you have decided on your alcohol, the joy of building your cocktail begins. You can opt for grapefruit juice or pear nectar to bring out some sweet or citrusy goodness. Go all out with the fruity vibe by using some lemon or orange peel to deepen those citrus notes. Adding spiced honey syrup into the mix is a great addition to layer in some gentle spice. The final element is incorporating some bitters. Dashing in some Angostura bitters will lend well to this cocktail.

For something with a bit of a creamy kick to it, try a browned butter Irish coffee twist. Here you'll want to make the most of heavy cream, your preferred coffee, some brown sugar or syrup, and your browned butter mix. You can serve this with iced or hot coffee, just be sure to watch out for the most common mistakes when dealing with coffee cocktails. To amp up the taste of your browned butter cocktail even more, you can make the most of the earthy smoothness by garnishing your drink with a cinnamon stick and freshly grated nutmeg to indulge in the grounding flavors.