Hazelnut cocktails might not be the first thing you think of when making drinks at home or behind the bar — but they absolutely should be.

In this LIVE cocktail session, I’m putting hazelnut to the test across a range of indulgent, flavour-forward cocktail recipes, from tropical riffs to dessert-style serves and coffee-inspired classics. Hazelnut is often overlooked, but when used properly, it adds depth, texture, and richness that works brilliantly with rum, whiskey, fruit, chocolate, coffee, and cream.

You’ll see me build five very different hazelnut cocktail recipes, including a hazelnut and banana Mai Tai, a hazelnut colada twist, a coffee-led Carajillo-style cocktail, a fruit and nut martini, and a Calvados-based Apple & Hazelnut Alexander. Each drink is designed to show how versatile hazelnut syrup can be in modern cocktails — whether you’re a bartender, home bartender, or just looking for new flavour ideas.

If you’ve ever wondered how to use hazelnut syrup in cocktails, or thought hazelnut drinks were too sweet or limited to dessert cocktails, this video will completely change your mind. These are approachable, non-faffy cocktail recipes that taste far better than you’d expect.

Mai Tai - Hazelnut & Banana

- 45ml Dropworks Dark Rum

- 15ml Dropworks Funk Drop

- 15ml Giffard Banana

- 30ml Lime

- 20ml REÃL Hazelnut

- Ms Betters Orange Bitters

Hazelnut & Banana Colada

- 30ml Dropworks Dark Drop Rum

- 15ml Giffard Creme de Banana

- 10ml Crossip Blazing Pineapple

- 30ml REÃL Hazelnut

- 60ml Pineapple Juice

Hazelnut Carajillo - Sort of

- 45ml Ha'Penny 4 Cask Whiskey

- 15ml Tempus Fugit Cacao & Vanilla

- 20ml REÃL Hazelnut

- 60ml Espresso

- Chocolate Bitters

Fruit & Nut Creamytini

One of my old Frangelico recipes

- 30ml Dutch Barn Raspberry Vodka

- 15ml Dutch Barn Cherry Vodka

- 20ml Dubai Style Chocolate Liqueur

- 20ml REÃL Hazelnut

- 30ml Cream

Apple & Hazelnut Alexander

Traditionally Brandy- swapping to Calvados

- 30ml Calvados

- 15ml Tempus Fugit Cacao & Vanilla

- 20ml REÃL Hazelnut

- 30ml Cream

- Ms Betters Fig & Fennel Bitters