Brandy/Cognac · Fizz · Fruity
Spiced Pear Cognac Fizz Recipe
Cognac and pear liqueur shaken with cardamom, lemon, and a splash of soda. Fruity and lightly spiced — cognac and pear liqueur shaken with cardamom, lemon, and a splash of soda. A dressed-up Sidecar built for cooler-weather sipping.
- Prep Time
- 2 min
- Method
- Shaken
- Glass
- Highball glass
- Strength
- Light
Every recipe on Sipped Right is tested for taste and balance before it's published.
Last updated October 20, 2026
About the Spiced Pear Cognac Fizz
This Fizz descends from the Sidecar — cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon — a drink whose birthplace is genuinely disputed between Paris and London around World War I. Bartender Harry MacElhone claimed the Sidecar for his own Paris bar in later editions of his book, after crediting London's Pat MacGarry in the earlier one; some historians trace it further to 1850s New Orleans and the Brandy Crusta.
A Sidecar's defining ratio is roughly equal parts cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon. This version keeps that backbone but splits the sweetness across Cointreau and a pear liqueur, adds a little syrup to round out the muddled cardamom's bite, then tops with soda to turn the shaken sour into a lighter fizz.
Ingredients
- Green cardamom pods, muddled2
- Cognac1 oz
- Cointreau¾ oz
- Belle de Brillet (pear & cognac liqueur)¾ oz
- Fresh lemon juice¾ oz
- Rich sugar syrup (2:1)¼ oz
- Soda water~2 oz, to top
- Pear wedge1, for garnish
Method
- Muddle the cardamom pods in a shaker.
- Measure and pour the cognac, Cointreau, Belle de Brillet, lemon juice, and sugar syrup into the shaker.
- Add a scoop of ice to the shaker.
- Shake for 15 seconds.
- Fill a highball with ice.
- Fine-strain the cocktail into the highball.
- Top with the soda water.
- Cut a pear wedge and place it on the rim.
Glass & Garnish
Highball glass, over ice. Garnish with a pear wedge on the rim. Fizzes in the Sidecar family are traditionally served clean with little to no garnish, but the pear wedge here signals the drink's namesake flavor and echoes the Belle de Brillet in the build.
Notes
The spice element is cardamom, not cinnamon, and the drink is served with a pear wedge only. Batches the shaken base ahead of time, but muddle fresh cardamom and top with soda per glass at serving. Common mistake: over-muddling the cardamom, which can turn bitter. Good alongside roasted or caramelized fall vegetables.
Tools Used
Affiliate links
As an Amazon Associate, Sipped Right earns commission from qualifying purchases made via links on this website, at no extra cost to you.
FAQ
- What's the origin of a Sidecar?
- Genuinely disputed. Harry MacElhone credited London's Pat MacGarry in early editions of his book, then claimed the drink for his own Paris bar in later ones. Some historians trace an earlier ancestor to 1850s New Orleans.
- What's the best cognac for this drink?
- A mid-range VS or VSOP works well — real cognac character without spending your best bottle on a drink also carrying cardamom, pear liqueur, and soda.
- Can I make this without Belle de Brillet?
- A pear brandy or pear liqueur can stand in, though Belle de Brillet's cognac base blends more seamlessly.
- Does this need a pear garnish?
- Not strictly — it's a visual cue to the pear liqueur, not a flavor requirement.
