Sugar Plum Sidecar Cocktail Recipe

Introduction

The Sugar Plum Sidecar is a beautifully balanced, dazzling cocktail that offers a modern twist on the beloved classic. With its festive plum flavors, zesty citrus tang, and sophisticated brandy base, this cocktail is both impressive and incredibly easy to make. It’s an unforgettable sipper with a jewel-toned hue—perfect for holiday parties or any time you want to elevate your evening with a touch of elegance.

Why the Sugar Plum Sidecar Is a Showstopper

This Sugar Plum Sidecar stands out for its unique combination of fresh plum and orange liqueur, which marry perfectly with the smooth notes of brandy or cognac. The drink is visually stunning and bursts with layered flavors—sweet, tangy, and aromatic. It’s a superb option for impressing your guests without requiring advanced bartending skills.

Crafting the Plum Purée

To deliver that true sugar plum essence, the recipe uses homemade plum purée. This step requires minimal time for a massive payoff in flavor. Start by chopping ripe, juicy plums, discarding the pits. To make the process effortless and safe, a Bamboo Cutting Boards for Kitchen, Set of 3 is perfect for prepping the fruit cleanly.

Next, blitz the plums into a smooth purée. For the silkiest consistency that incorporates seamlessly into your cocktail, the Ninja BL610 Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender, Black is ideal—its powerful blades will turn even fibrous fruit into velvet in seconds. Strain the purée with a fine mesh sieve to remove skins for a visually appealing and refined drink.

Building the Cocktail

Prepare your cocktail shaker and add ice to chill the ingredients rapidly. Measure out your brandy (or cognac), orange liqueur, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and homemade plum purée. For precise pours, the Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale with LCD Display, Black and Stainless Steel helps ensure your ratios are just right, guaranteeing a balanced haunt of sweetness and tartness in your drink.

Shake vigorously. This not only combines the flavors but slightly froths the mixture for an inviting texture.

Serving and Presentation

Strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe or martini glass. To achieve a bar-quality sugar rim, gently run a lemon wedge around the edge of the glass, then dip it into a shallow plate of sugar. Serve your Sugar Plum Sidecar immediately, garnishing with a slice of fresh plum or a twist of lemon.

Protect your serving space from sticky spills and sugar with a Pureegg Plastic Table Cloth Disposable 10 Pack, White, especially handy for festivities or larger gatherings.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This sidecar is designed as a single cocktail, with an approximate calorie count of 170–200 per serving, depending on the sweetness and size of the plums and the exact quantities of liqueur. It’s a spirited treat, best enjoyed in moderation due to its alcohol content.

Why You’ll Love the Sugar Plum Sidecar (Recap)

With luscious fruit notes, a festive color, and a familiar yet inventive twist, the Sugar Plum Sidecar is destined to become a signature at your gatherings. It’s simple to prepare, delivers complex flavor, and will have everyone raising a glass for seconds.

Instructions

1. Prepare the plum purée: Place chopped plums into your Ninja BL610 Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender, Black and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing gently to extract juice and discard solids.
2. Rim your serving glass with sugar: Run a lemon wedge around the rim and dip into sugar on a plate.
3. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1 oz plum purée, 2 oz brandy or cognac, 1 oz orange liqueur, ¾ oz lemon juice, and simple syrup if desired.
4. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds until well chilled and slightly frothy.
5. Strain into your prepared glass and garnish with a plum slice or lemon twist. Set your cocktail shaker on a Pureegg Plastic Table Cloth Disposable 10 Pack, White to keep your bar area clean during festivities.

Prep and Cocktail Times

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Whether it’s festivity or flair you’re after, the Sugar Plum Sidecar delivers a cocktail that’s both beautiful and bursting with seasonal flavor—an instant classic for your home bar repertoire!