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Two glasses of sidecar cocktails with an orange wedge and linen beside it.
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Sidecar

This simple Sidecar cocktail made with Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice is a classic drink that you can serve anytime. Fresh citrus flavor balances the sweetness of the liqueur in this popular and simple shaken drink.
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 serving
Calories 248kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Old-fashioned or rocks glass
  • cocktail shaker
  • Cocktail strainer

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces cognac
  • 1 ounce orange liqueur such as Cointreau
  • 1 ounce lemon juice

For Garnish

  • orange twist
  • superfine sugar for rim optional

Instructions

  • If desired, place the superfine sugar on a small plate. Dip the rim of a coupe glass in water and then in the sugar to coat.
  • In a cocktail shaker, combine the cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice. Fill with ice.
  • Shake until well chilled, about 10 to 20 seconds. Strain into the coupe glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Notes

  • Mix sidecar cocktail ingredients with ice cubes, not crushed ice. Crushed ice begins melting quickly and will water down your drink, so add larger cubes to your cocktail shaker.
  • No cocktail shaker, no problem. While a shaker is a nice addition to a bar setup, you can make shaken cocktails using any jar with a tight-fitting lid and then strain the drink with a mesh strainer to remove the ice. As long as you can shake the jar to combine the mixture of brandy, liquor, and lemon juice, it will work!
  • Use your beautiful barware. I love using my favorite cocktail glasses to show off a colorful drink like this one. Coupe glasses are a great go-to for this drink, but you can also use a small martini glass, or another style of cocktail glass that has a rim that is good for sugaring.
  • Tips for getting the best sugared rim. Use superfine sugar that's intended for cocktails, as it will stick to the rim the best. Dip the top of the glass in water or add a pop of citrus flavor by running an orange or lemon wedge over the rim before dipping in the sugar. Place the sugar in a flat plate or dish with edges that are larger than the rim of the glass. Aim to keep the sugar on the outside of the glass to add sweetness as you sip and prevent it from falling into the drink.
  • Make orange twists with a vegetable peeler. The easiest way to get a thin piece of orange peel for the garnish is to use a vegetable peeler or channel zester. Twist the thin peel and add to the rim of the glass. You can make a lemon twist in stead of orange, if preferred.
  • Sweeter sidecar variation with sugar syrup. For a sweeter drink, ideal for sipping after a meal, add a dash of simple syrup or a generous pinch of the superfine sugar into the cocktail shaker before adding the ice.

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg