Hard sauce is not really a sauce at all, and could really more accurately be termed a spread. It is a rich combination of butter, sugar, and alcohol which traditionally accompanies heavy desserts such as plum pudding. Many people associate hard sauce with the holidays in particular, when it is often offered with an assortment of desserts. In some parts of the world, hard sauce is known as brandy butter, a reference to the two primary ingredients.

To make hard sauce, butter and sugar are creamed together before a flavoring is added. Rum and brandy are two classic flavorings, although other alcohols or liqueurs could be used as well. Extracts of vanilla, almond, or orange could also be used, for cooks who are trying to avoid the use of alcohol. Some cooks also add accents like lemon or orange zest to their hard sauce.

The mixture is chilled so that it is cold before serving. Hard sauce may be offered in a central dish, allowing diners to serve themselves, or it may be individually served on each plate. Some cooks use molds to make fanciful shapes which also look more elegant than simple lumps of hard sauce. Gingerbread, fruitcakes, and other holiday foods all pair well with hard sauce, which is usually mounded on top of a dessert, rather than being spread out like a frosting. Hard sauce may also be garnished with mint, cloves, or other appropriate ingredients.

Any kind of sugar can be used in hard sauce. Many cooks use confectioner's sugar, since it yields a smooth, creamy texture. Granulated white sugar can also be used, although the hard sauce will be more grainy. Some cooks also use brown sugar to make a darker hard sauce with a molasses-like flavor. Brown sugar hard sauce is more rich and complex in flavor, as a general rule.

To make hard sauce, cream one half cup of butter before slowly adding one and one half cups of sugar of choice. Blend the mixture until it is light and fluffy before adding two tablespoons of rum, brandy, or a preferred flavoring. Once thoroughly combined, chill the hard sauce until you are ready to serve it. Hard sauce can keep for several days in the fridge, and is an excellent thing to make beforehand so that you do not need to worry about it in the flurry of holiday cooking.