Nuts and Berries Cocktail

Milky white nuts and berries cocktail with ice in an old-fashioned glass

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The nuts and berries cocktail is a delightful and delicious drink. A creamy mix with the sweet taste of hazelnut and raspberry liqueurs, it has been served in bars for many years. But there's no need to go out to enjoy this drink because it's very easy to make at home.

In this recipe, the nutty flavor comes from the hazelnut liqueur, Frangelico, and the berry is added with a shot of Chambord, which has a sweet black raspberry taste. It is the same delicious combination found in the popular PB&J shooter (sometimes called "nuts and berries"). This sweet mix is topped with your choice of cream, milk, or half-and-half. The result is a charming, low-proof cocktail that's perfect for happy hour or dessert. It's also a popular treat for the holiday season.

“The Nuts and Berries Cocktail recipe makes a delicious drink that looks beautiful and has a  relatively low alcohol content. It would be a nice choice for an after dinner drink or even a dessert substitute.” —Joan Velush

Nuts and Berries Cocktail / Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces hazelnut liqueur, such as Frangelico

  • 1 1/2 ounces black raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord

  • 2 to 3 ounces half-and-half, cream, or milk

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for nuts and berries cocktail recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Fill a chilled double old-fashioned glass with ice, and pour the hazelnut and raspberry liqueurs.

    Hazelnut and raspberry liqueurs with ice in an old-fashioned glass

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Stir well.

    Liqueurs and ice being stirred in the old-fashioned glass with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Top with the half-and-half.

    Half-and-half filling the glass with liqueurs

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Stir again, and serve.

    Milky white nuts and berries cocktail in an old-fashioned glass

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • While Frangelico and Chambord are the most common choices for this drink, you can substitute them with other raspberry and hazelnut liqueurs. The two brands happen to be the most popular of their respective flavor categories so they're often stocked in bars and easy to find in nearly any liquor store.
  • Choose the dairy product according to your taste. Typically, dairy drinks served on the rocks are better with a heavier option such as cream because the ice will dilute it as you drink. Whole or 2 percent milk would be preferred over lighter options. Half-and-half is the middle ground; it's not too light or rich but adds a nice creaminess.
  • The nuts and berries cocktail is also excellent with dairy alternatives. Almond milk is one of the best options and ramps up the drink's nuttiness in a delightful way.

Recipe Variations

  • For a martini version, pour 1 ounce of each ingredient into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
  • You can also enjoy this as a shot; simply eliminate the dairy and pour the liqueurs into a shot glass.
  • Add 1 ounce of raspberry vodka to the martini, and you have a cocktail that's also called the PB&J. Take it further and add 1 ounce of banana liqueur for a PB&J with bananas.
  • Amaretto is a nice substitute for a hazelnut liqueur, though not quite as nutty.
  • No milk or cream in the fridge? Pour Irish cream or another cream liqueur like RumChata instead.
  • If you prefer to skip the fruit, mix up a nutty Irishman. It can be served as a shot, on the rocks, or in a hot coffee cocktail.

How Strong Is a Nuts and Berries?

Pouring as much or as little dairy as you like will affect how strong the drink is, though it's almost always a relatively mild cocktail. For instance, if you pour 3 ounces of milk, the drink will weigh in around 9 percent alcohol by volume (18 proof).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
276 Calories
5g Fat
34g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 276
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 31mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 31g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 49mg 4%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 71mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)