Smooth Operator Drink Recipe

The Smooth Operator is a rich, creamy, and utterly indulgent cocktail featuring Frangelico, Kahlua, Baileys and Creme de Banane. It’s a very full, rounded sort of flavor that’s very nice after dinner or anytime you want a drink to sip for a while.

Tasting Notes

The first sip brings cool, creamy texture and mellow sweetness. Hazelnut from Frangelico shows up right away, with Kahlua’s coffee notes following. The Baileys brings it all together with hints of soft chocolate and vanilla.

The crème de banane adds its flavor, which is more ripe banana aroma than candy banana, and rounds out the finish with a soft fruit note. Expect a long, nutty aftertaste with hints of cocoa if you add a light dusting on top.

The sweetness level is medium. Serve it very cold so it stays balanced and doesn’t feel syrupy. Heavy cream gives it a plush mouthfeel, like melted ice cream, and shaking it well introduces tiny air bubbles that make it feel lighter than it is.

Equipment & Glassware

A cold, tight shake is the key to giving this drink great texture and balance. A Boston shaker chills quickly, but a cobbler shaker gets the job done, too.

A Hawthorne strainer or fine mesh strainer will catch any ice shards and give the drink a nice satin finish. For the glassware, a chilled coupe glass is ideal, but a small Nick & Nora glass or even a rocks glass over a single large cube will work, too.

A microplane or vegetable peeler helps with chocolate shavings, and a small sieve helps dust cocoa evenly without clumps.

Pro Tips

• Keep the cream in the fridge until the moment you pour to prevent curdling.
• Do a quick dry shake first, then add ice and shake again. This builds foam and smooths the cream.
• Shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds. You want the tin frosty and the drink airy but not watery.
• Fine-strain for a silkier mouthfeel, especially if you want that dessert-like finish.
• Garnish with cocoa powder or chocolate shavings to add aroma. Heavy syrups can be overwhelming.
• For a lighter take, use half-and-half and reduce Baileys to 1/4 ounce to keep the dairy in check.
• If you serve it over ice, use one large cube in a rocks glass to avoid fast dilution.

When to Serve

Smooth Operator makes a great after-dinner treat, especially after a hearty meal when coffee and dessert sound great but you want them in one glass. It’s perfect for holiday gatherings, date nights at home, or cozy weekends on the couch.

Serve it at dessert courses alongside tiramisu, chocolate mousse, or hazelnut cheesecake. You can also serve it anywhere you’d serve coffee, like a late brunch with pancakes and bacon.

For parties, offer it as a signature dessert cocktail and keep the coupes chilled so you can shake and pour fast. In warmer weather, you can serve it over a single big cube to keep things refreshing without losing the creamy charm.

Which Liquor Brands to Choose

Quality matters with liqueurs, since each brand’s sweetness and flavor can swing the balance. Frangelico is classic for hazelnut – smooth, nutty, and slightly sweet. Other hazelnut liqueurs may be sweeter.

Kahlua is the standard coffee liqueur for this one, with a round sweetness and mild coffee strength. If you want a more robust coffee punch, try Mr Black, but reduce the overall sweetness elsewhere.

For the Irish cream, Baileys is the standard and blends easily with coffee and nut flavors. If you prefer less sweet and more cocoa-forward, Five Farms or Coole Swan are nice alternatives.

Crème de banane varies a lot. Giffard Banane du Brésil offers natural banana with a touch of rum depth and is a top pick for balance. Tempus Fugit is richer and more potent, so use a lighter hand. If you only have generic banana liqueur, start at 1/4 ounce and adjust to taste.

Keep all bottles chilled if possible, especially before shaking with cream, so the drink doesn’t curdle and split.

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