Festive Brandy Snaps with Brandy Whipped Cream

Golden, crisp, and delightfully nostalgic: This festive brandy snaps recipe brings together everything you love about classic holiday desserts – buttery caramel flavour, warm ginger spice, and a touch of brandy for indulgent cheer. These delicate lacy cookies, filled with silky brandy whipped cream, are light, elegant, nostalgic, and wonderfully festive -perfect for Christmas dessert trays or cozy winter gatherings.

Hey, folks – I hope you all are doing well!

I’m thrilled to share this festive brandy snaps recipe, a traditional British treat that feels like a warm hug in cookie form. The crisp, wafer-thin shells are rolled while still warm and filled with softly whipped cream infused with brandy and vanilla. They look fancy, but they’re surprisingly simple to make – and even easier to devour.

What Are Brandy Snaps?

These brandy snaps are delicately thin, lacy wafer cookies that turn wonderfully crisp and golden in the oven. Once baked, they’re rolled into elegant tubes and often filled with whipped cream (though they’re just as delicious on their own). Popular in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, they’re a timeless treat with old-fashioned charm.

Believe it or not, I hadn’t tried one until 2023 – despite seeing them everywhere! I’d always assumed anything rolled and paper-thin would be fussy to make. Spoiler alert: they’re ridiculously easy.

And here’s a fun, unexpected twist – the “brandy” in brandy snaps doesn’t actually refer to the liqueur at all! The name comes from “branded,” meaning burnt, which perfectly describes their caramelized colour. Still, I say a splash of real brandy in the batter doesn’t hurt anyone!

Festive Brandy Snaps Recipe: Flavour and Texture Profile

This festive brandy snaps recipe delivers the perfect balance of textures and flavours: crisp, caramelized shells with a whisper of ginger and buttery sweetness, paired with cool, fluffy brandy cream. Each bite melts and crunches in harmony – luxurious yet featherlight. The golden syrup adds a deep toffee note, while the brandy and vanilla lend sophistication and warmth. It’s a dessert that feels old-fashioned in the best possible way – elegant, cozy, and unmistakably festive.

Festive Brandy Snaps with Brandy Whipped Cream: Flavour and Texture Profile

But you know me. Any dessert (well, almost everything) is better with a splash of alcohol. Besides, I had already told Andrew that I would be making BRANDY SNAPS (at that point, I did not figure out the tricky part of the name yet.) So I used some brandy. This is not a classic recipe, but I can deal with that. Normally, in place of brandy, recipes call for lemon juice.

This festive brandy snaps recipe delivers the perfect balance of textures and flavours: crisp, caramelized shells with a whisper of ginger and buttery sweetness, paired with cool, fluffy brandy cream. Each bite melts and crunches in harmony – luxurious yet featherlight. The golden syrup adds a deep toffee note, while the brandy and vanilla lend sophistication and warmth. It’s a dessert that feels old-fashioned in the best possible way – elegant, cozy, and unmistakably festive.

Why You’ll Love These Brandy Snaps

• Festive and classic: This festive brandy snaps recipe captures the essence of the holidays with buttery caramel, warming ginger, and a hint of brandy.
• Light and elegant: The lacy cookies look stunning on any dessert table and pair beautifully with festive drinks or coffee.
• Textural perfection: Crispy on the outside, creamy within – every bite offers contrast and balance.
• Surprisingly easy: Despite their elegant look, they require just a handful of simple ingredients and a few quick techniques.
• Make-ahead friendly: You can bake the cookies a day ahead and fill them before serving for effortless entertaining.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Festive Brandy Snaps Recipe

Brandy Snaps:

• Butter: Adds richness and creates the delicate, toffee-like base.
• Brown sugar and golden syrup: Combine to form the signature caramelized flavour and lacy structure.
• Brandy: Infuses warmth and a subtle depth – use cognac or spiced rum for variation.
• Flour: Gives enough structure to hold their crisp shape while keeping them light.
• Ground ginger: Provides that unmistakable festive spice and warmth.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and highlights the buttery notes.

Brandy Whipped Cream:

• Heavy cream: Whipped until soft and airy for a luscious filling.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens the cream just enough without overpowering.
• Corn starch: Optional – helps the cream stay stable longer.
• Brandy or cognac: Adds holiday cheer and richness; vanilla works beautifully for a non-alcoholic version.
• Vanilla bean seeds: Deep, aromatic flavour that rounds out the cream’s sweetness.

More Festive Boozy Desserts for the Holidays

Looking for more fun, boozy desserts recipes just like these festive brandy snaps for Christmas and winter holidays? be sure to check these recipes below:

• Christmas Gingerbread Tiramisu – Festive Holiday Dessert
• Irish Cream Chocolate Dessert – Easy Holiday Treat
• Festive Pistachio Panettone Trifle – Easy No-Bake Dessert
• Chocolate Cranberry Orange Trifle (Christmas Trifle with Brownies)
• Pistachio Cointreau Truffles

I’d love for you to try these Festive Brandy Snaps with Brandy Whipped Cream. If you give this festive recipe a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts!

Cheers!

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Festive Brandy Snaps with Brandy Whipped Cream

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Christmas, Christmas Cookies, Sweet BakesCuisine: British, Irish

Servings

12-14

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Crisp, lacy cookies with ginger and brandy whipped cream – a festive, elegant brandy snaps recipe perfect for the holidays.

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Ingredients

• Brandy Snaps:

• 4 tbsp. (56 gr.) unsalted butter

• 2 tbsp. (25 gr.) light-brown (golden) sugar

• 4 tbsp. (~85 gr.) golden syrup

• 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp. (15-22 ml.) brandy

• 1/4 cup and 2 tbsp. (58 gr.) all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• a good pinch of salt

• Brandy Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup (236 ml.) cold heavy whipping cream (about 35%)

• 1/2 – 1 tbsp. powdered sugar

• 1 tsp. corn starch (optional)

• 1-2 tbsp. brandy or cognac (or 1 tsp. vanilla for a non-alcoholic version)

• 1/2 to 1 vanilla bean seeds

Directions

• Brandy Snaps:
• Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. You will also need spoons with ~ 2/3 to 1 inch-thick handles to roll the brandy snaps around or something similar; I used cannoli molds.
• Put the butter, sugar, salt, and syrup in a large heavy-based saucepan and heat over a low-medium heat to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar. Occasionally swirl the pan gently to mix everything together as the butter melts. Cook for about 10 minutes, but don’t let it boil. Off heat and let it cool slightly for 2 minutes.
• Sift the flour and ginger directly into the saucepan through a fine-mesh sieve. Stir until combined and smooth. Stir in the brandy.
• Depending on the size of your baking sheets, place 4 to 6 separate heaping teaspoons leaving a good gap (at least 4 inches apart) between each. Using a knife or the back of a spoon, gently spread the mixture into a small even circle; you do not need to be too precise as the batter will expand and do the job itself.
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• Bake one sheet at a time for about 5-6 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet and continue baking until caramel to toffee brown in color, 2 to 3 minutes, or depending on your oven and your preference. But keep in mind that too pale snaps will not get crisp enough.
• Remove from the oven and let them cool just for 5-10 seconds (the longer you wait, the harder they will get; if cooled for too long, you will be no able to roll them.) Working swiftly, lift each brandy snap off the baking sheet and wrap around the handle of the wooden spoon (or a cannoli mold, as I did), overlapping the edges and pressing gently to seal, to form a hollow cannoli shape. Set each one on a cooling rack, seam-side down, and leave to cool completely. Repeat with all. If too stiff to roll, return the brandy snaps to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes until flexible again.
• When ready to serve, whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar and starch (it is optional, but it helps stabilize cream) in a large bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the brandy (or vanilla) and beat for another 20 seconds just to incorporate. If you prefer, you can serve the brandy snaps without any cream – they will be good!
• Transfer to a piping bag or large resealable plastic bag. Cut the tip and pipe the whipped cream into the rolled brandy snaps. Dust with the powdered sugar if desired. Serve immediately – I do not recommend filling them in advance as the snaps could get soggy, plus their lacy exterior is not perfect for that. But you can make the snaps in advance and keep them, in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days (if they get too soft because of the humidity, pop them in the oven for 1-2 minutes then cool.) Enjoy!