Brandy Alexander Cheesecake

7 Reviews
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Photo: Ralph Anderson; Styling: Angela Sellers
Prep Time
20 Mins
Total Time
11 Hours 8 Mins
Yield
Makes 10 to 12 servings
By Shana Verhagen, Arlington, Texas
November 2009
RECIPE BY Southern Living

Allowing chill time for a cheesecake is important for developing texture and flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 (10-oz.) box chocolate-flavored bear-shaped graham crackers, crushed (about 2 1/4 cups)
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
  • 4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons brandy, divided
  • 4 tablespoons crème de cacao, divided*
  • 1 (16-oz.) container sour cream
  • Garnishes: blackberries, currants, raspberries, strawberries

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°. Stir together crushed graham crackers, butter, and 1 Tbsp. sugar. Press mixture on bottom and halfway up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze 10 minutes.

Step 2

Beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and cornstarch at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until yellow disappears after each addition. Add 3 Tbsp. brandy and 3 Tbsp. crème de cacao, and beat just until blended. Pour into prepared crust.

Step 3

Bake at 325° for 1 hour or just until center is almost set.

Step 4

During last 2 minutes of baking, stir together sour cream and remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. brandy, and 1 Tbsp. crème de cacao.

Step 5

Spread sour cream mixture over cheesecake. Bake at 325° for 8 more minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; gently run a knife along outer edge of cheesecake, and cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 1/2 hours). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

Step 6

Remove sides of springform pan, and place cheesecake on a serving plate. Garnish, if desired.

Step 7

*Coffee liqueur may be substituted. We tested with Kahlúa.

Step 8

Note: We tested with Nabisco Teddy Grahams chocolate graham snacks.

Chef's Notes

To freeze up to one month, wrap springform pan tightly with aluminum foil, and slide into a zip-top plastic freezer bag.

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Ratings & Reviews

the3mein's Review

DebM09
December 09, 2010
I have made this recipe more than once and have received many compliments on this recipe. I have actually gotten request to make this cheesecake. This is one of the best cheesecakes I have ever tasted hands down!!! TRY IT!!! :)

Cheesecake Success

the3mein
July 21, 2017
A very high quality, not-super-sweet cheesecake. I couldn't find currents so used berries, grapes, and kiwi. The center was softer and the outer parts more firm, but both were an appropriate consistency for a cheesecake. The Teddy Grahams were a pain to crush without a food processor. I doubled the crème de cocoa, the brandy, and the sugar in the topping per a suggestion in another comment. I think I could have even tripled them. Came out of the springform very easily. No danger of falling apart.

myrecieps123's Review

asoutherncook
February 21, 2011
Good recipe

asoutherncook's Review

frenchyy12
November 14, 2012
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving a year ago. It was so fabulous, I made it again for Christmas and plan to make it this year despite being the hostess for 17! I am not a big cheesecake fan, but oh my, this cheesecake is worth saving room for!

Grayson44's Review

Gail
November 23, 2012
This was my first time making a cheesecake and it tasted great and made a beautiful presentation. Everyone else loved it too. The only problems I had were that the very middle was a bit runnier and slightly more caved in which made the sour cream mixture heavier in that area, however, I just sliced around that part and you really couldn't tell because the rest was perfect. I'm not sure if I should have increased the cooking time to prevent that, or if I did something else wrong. The kahlua and brandy flavor really didn't come out very much after baking, and I'm not sure if you could add more and still have it cook the same. Despite my less than perfect baking skills, this cheesecake was still great and I will definitely try my hand at it again.

JansBistro's Review

myrecieps123
December 27, 2012
This was ok. I was disappointed that there wasn't more brandy or Kahlua flavour. I found it needed something more than just a sprinkle of berries so I made a berry topping with sugar cornstarch and water. Next time I'll half the recipe. My pan wasn't big enough.

DebM09's Review

JansBistro
November 29, 2009
This is the 1st cheesecake I have ever made and LOVED it! It was very easy to prepare and was delicious. The top of the cheesecake remained shiny after baking which threw me off a little, but I think that was just how the sour cream set. I did substitute Kaluha as the recipe stated and garnished with strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Everyone raved at our Thanksgiving Dinner and asked for the recipe. I will absolutely make this again.

Best Cheesecake Ever!

Grayson44
December 18, 2016
Made this last night for a dinner party and it truly is one of the best (if not THE best) cheesecakes I've ever had! I did take advice from others who said that the brandy taste didn't shine through so I added a tablespoon each of brandy and creme de cacao into the sour cream topping as well as an extra tablespoon of sugar. Rave reviews from all attendees. Must try!
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