Brandy Slush Recipe Wisconsin

This Brandy Slush recipe combines tea, orange juice, lemonade, and brandy. A classic Wisconsin cocktail perfect for any holiday or celebration! Gluten-free.

Living in Wisconsin, brandy slush shows up every holiday season. From Thanksgiving to Christmas to Easter, this slush makes an appearance. It is a classic midwestern cocktail.

Brandy Slush is a frozen alcoholic cocktail made in an ice cream pail. Yes, an ice cream pail…it’s the Wisconsin way of making this alcoholic slush! The ice cream pail is the perfect size to fit all the ingredients and has a handle for transport – it’s recycling at its best!

Brandy Slush being shown in a glass with a drink straw on top of a countertop.

Enjoying a brandy slush brings back so many memories. I can’t recall a Christmas Eve without slush being served. Honestly, it is one of my favorite cocktails. I can’t wait for you to try this version of alcoholic slush for your next special occasion.

Follow this step-by-step video to learn how-to create a brandy slush!

How To Make

Equipment

empty ice cream pail
large pot
liquid measuring cup
medium-sized pot
stir spoon

Ingredients

9 cups water, divided
2 cups sugar
6 teabags
12 ounces lemonade concentrate
12 ounces orange juice concentrate
2 cups brandy

Six tea bags steeping in a large pot filled with boiling water.

Step 1: Make the tea.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Place 6 teabags in the water and steep for 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool.

You can use green or black tea for brandy slush. You could even do 3 tea bags of green and 3 tea bags of black tea.

Step 2: Make simple syrup.

Add sugar and 7 cups of water to a large pot. Bring to a boil and let boil for 1 minute. Allow the simple syrup to cool.

PRO TIP: Use this simple syrup recipe any time you are making a cocktail or mocktail.

An ice cream pail filled with simple syrup, tea, lemonade, orange juice and brandy on top or a countertop.

Step 3: Combine the ingredients.

In a clean, empty ice cream pail, add:

simple syrup
tea
lemonade concentrate
orange juice concentrate
brandy

Stir and then cover with the ice cream pail lid.

MIX IT UP: I used 2 cups of brandy for this recipe. However, adjust to your tolerance by reducing to 1 cup or increasing to 3-4 cups of brandy.

A hand placing a lid on to of an ice cream pail.

Step 4: Freeze.

Allow the brandy slush to freeze for 24-48 hours. Remember that the slush won’t freeze solid due to the alcohol.

A glass filled with slush and a drink straw being shown with an ice cream pail filled with slush and a can of soda next to the glass all on top of a countertop.

Step 5: Serve.

To serve, scoop the brandy slush into a glass leaving room to add soda. Top with Sprite, 7-up, or 50/50.

I have even made my Homemade Lemon Lime Soda recipe to add to this slush. It is a great way to cut back on sugar while keeping the flavor of the soda. Plus, my kids enjoy drinking the leftover lemon-lime soda!

FAQ

What is the best Brandy to use for Brandy slush?

Feel free to use whatever brand of brandy you’d like. While a good quality brandy is always preferred, this slush has lots of other flavors to blend with that any brandy works just fine.

Can I store brandy slush?

Yes! Brandy slush keeps well in the freezer year-round. Enjoy it around the holidays or during the summer months. It is a great poolside treat! I recommend labeling the ice cream pail if you have kids at home.

What if I don’t have an ice cream pail?

If eating the ice cream from the pail isn’t an option then you can use a freezer-safe container with a lid.

Is Brandy Gluten-free?

Yes, pure, distilled brandy, is considered gluten-free. Brandy is made by distilling wine, grapes, or other fruit. Always watch out for hidden gluten in cognacs that add flavorings or other additives after distillation. There is also a risk for gluten cross-contact in facilities that process products containing wheat, barley, or rye.
Common Brands of Brandy:
Old Admiral
Dreher
Emperador
Paul Masson Grande Amber
Torres
Old Kenigsberg

A hand holding a glass of brandy slush topped with soda with an ice cream pail of alcoholic slush behind the glass.

More Holiday Cocktail Recipes:

CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.

The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.

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Brandy Slush (Wisconsin Version)

Brandy Slush is a Midwestern holiday staple – made with Brandy, lemonade and orange juice concentrates, tea, simple syrup frozen into an alcoholic slush recipe that gets topped with a touch of soda.

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5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 0

Total Time 2 20

Servings 20 servings

Equipment

empty ice cream pail
large pot
liquid measuring cup
medium-sized pot
stir spoon

Ingredients

9 cups water, divided
2 cups sugar
6 teabags ✅
12 ounces lemonade concentrate
12 ounces orange juice concentrate
2 cups brandy ✅

Instructions

Make the tea. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Place 6 teabag in the water and steep. Allow to cool.
6 teabags, 9 cups water, divided
Make simple syrup. Add sugar to a large pot. Add 7 cups of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Cool.
2 cups sugar, 9 cups water, divided
Combine the ingredients. In a clean, empty ice cream pail, add simple syrup, tea, lemonade concentrate, orange juice concentrate, and brandy. Stir then cover.
12 ounces lemonade concentrate, 12 ounces orange juice concentrate, 2 cups brandy
Freeze. Allow the slush to freeze for 24-48 hours. It won't freeze solid due to the alcohol.
Serve. To serve, scoop slush into a glass leaving room to add soda. Top with Sprite, 7-up, or 50/50. Serve with a drink straw.

Notes

Pure, distilled brandy, is considered gluten-free. Always lookout for hidden gluten in cognacs that add flavorings or other additives after distillation. There is also a risk for gluten cross-contact in facilities that process products containing wheat, barley, or rye.

CCK Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.