8 Peppermint Martinis With a Sweet Kick of Flavor

From candy canes to chewing gum, peppermint has been added to innumerous treats and beverages. While peppermint-flavored things are most prevalent during the winter holiday season, you can enjoy them year-round if you love that frosty feeling dancing across your tongue and down through your throat. If you can't get enough of this tingling feeling, check out these eight different ways to make a peppermint martini to give yourself some inspiration for drinks to enjoy from January to December.

Peppermint Martini

You can enjoy a classic peppermint martini highly decorated or dressed down, depending on your preference. This recipe chooses to add to its simple peppermint concoction with a sugary garnish and peppermint candy that you can enjoy later.

Ingredients

• Simple syrup for garnish
• Rock candy for garnish
• ½ ounce peppermint schnapps
• 2 ounces vodka
• Ice
• Peppermint candy for garnish

Instructions

1. Dip the rim of a martini glass into some simple syrup and then and dip it into a plate filled with rock candy. Set aside.
2. In a mixing glass, combine the peppermint schnapps and vodka.
3. Add ice and stir.
4. Strain the mixture into the prepared martini glass.
5. Garnish with a peppermint candy.

Minty Fresh Martini

Take the time to test out your infusion skills with this minty fresh martini which uses peppermint infused gin - a type of gin that you can make at home.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce simple syrup
• ½ ounce peppermint schnapps
• 2 ounces peppermint infused gin
• Ice
• Candy cane for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the simple syrup, peppermint schnapps, and peppermint vodka.
2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
3. Strain the mixture into a martini glass.
4. Garnish with a candy cane.

Winter's Evening Martini

A very simplistic and strongly flavored cocktail, this winter's evening martini works perfectly as a final drink to finish off your holiday parties with.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce peppermint simple syrup
• 2 ounces peppermint schnapps
• Ice
• Mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the simple syrup and peppermint schnapps.
2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
3. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass.
4. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Peppermint Twist Martini

Put a twist on your peppermint martini with this red recipe that adds grenadine for a shocking color and red sprinkles to set the holiday tone.

Ingredients

• Simple syrup for garnish
• Red sprinkles for garnish
• ½ ounce grenadine
• 2 ounces peppermint schnapps, chilled
• Ice
• Candy cane for garnish

Instructions

1. Dip the rim of a marini glass into some simple syrup and then dip the glass into a plate filled with red sprinkles. Set aside.
2. In a mixing glass, combine the grenadine and peppermint schnapps.
3. And ice and stir. Strain into the prepared martini glass.
4. Garnish with a candy cane.

Peppermint White Russian Martini

Re-popularized in the Big Lebowski, white Russians are highly beloved cocktails for their creamy, coffee goodness. This peppermint white Russian martini takes the regular white Russian and puts a minty spin on it.

Ingredients

• Simple syrup for garnish
• Crushed candy cane for garnish
• 1 ounce heavy cream
• ½ ounce Kahlúa
• 1½ ounces peppermint vodka
• Ice

Instructions

1. Dip rim of a martini glass into some simple syrup and then dip the glass into a plate filled with crushed candy canes. Set aside.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the heavy cream, Kahlúa, and peppermint vodka.
3. Add ice and shake until chilled.
4. Strain the mixture into the prepared martini glass.

Green Lady Martini

The green lady martini is a unique cocktail because of its unusual ingredients. Green Chartreuse is a main element in this light green cocktail, and its specialty blend of herbs and spices makes for one quirky drink.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce simple syrup, ¼ ounce for garnish
• Pink sugar for garnish
• 10 peppermint leaves
• 1 ounce green chartreuse
• 1½ ounces gin
• Ice
• Candy cane for garnish

Instructions

1. Dip the rim of a martini glass into simple syrup and then dip it into a plate filled with pink sugar. Set aside.
2. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the peppermint leaves.
3. Add the green chartreuse and gin.
4. Add ice and shake until chilled.
5. Strain the mixture into the prepared martini glass.
6. Garnish with a candy cane.

Cran-Mint Martini

Cranberry is well known for being able to be mixed with nearly everything, and mint is no exception. This cran-mint martini combines cranberry juice, peppermint leaves, and vodka for a drink that's easy to make at home.

Ingredients

• 10 peppermint leaves
• 1½ ounces cranberry juice
• 2 ounces vodka
• Ice
• Candy cane for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle the mint leaves.
2. Add the cranberry juice and vodka.
3. Add ice and shake until chilled.
4. Strain the mixture into a martini glass.
5. Garnish with a candy cane.

Chilled Grasshopper Martini

This interesting take on the classic grasshopper combines heavy cream, crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and peppermint schnapps for a powerful dessert drink.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce heavy cream
• 1 ounce crème de menthe
• 1 ounce crème de cacao
• ½ ounce peppermint schnapps
• Ice
• Cocoa powder or grated chocolate for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the heavy cream, crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and peppermint schnapps.
2. Add ice and vigorously shake until chilled.
3. Strain the mixture into a martini glass.
4. Garnish with a sprinkling of cocoa powder.

Ways to Garnish a Peppermint Martini

From the candy to the plant itself, there are countless ways that you can garnish a peppermint martini; if you're not sure about where to start, check out these custom peppermint martini garnishes:

• Crush some peppermint candy and substitute it for sugar to create a garnished cocktail rim.
• If you're near the holiday season, you can use miniature or full-sized candy canes to garnish your minty concoctions.
• A peppermint sprig or a few peppermint leaves can add just enough color to a colorless cocktail to finish it off nicely.
• If you're not worried about accidentally swallowing anything, you can add a peppermint candy into your drink to settle at the bottom and enjoy once you've finished.
• Chocolate pairs well with peppermint, so you can top off your cream-based martinis with chocolate shavings or chocolate syrup.

Martinis That Are Mint to Be

Not everyone is a huge fan of mint; the second half of the year is always filled with hot debates people over which flavor is better - pumpkin spice or peppermint. If you fall into the latter camp, then you should give any one of these peppermint martini recipes a try.