Give the gingerbread man a holiday hiatus, and whip up a gingerbread martini with all the sugar and spice you love. While some may prefer to dive into a Yule log or get their hands on Santa's cookies, others may prefer to sip their desserts. Zesty, sweet, and maybe crumbly, make this gingerbread martini your warm companion during the holidays.
How to Make a Gingerbread Martini
Turn your favorite holiday cookie into a sweet cocktail. This recipe has the sweet, spice, and everything nice that you're looking for in a holiday drink.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Irish cream
- ¾ ounce vanilla vodka
- ¾ ounce gingerbread simple syrup
- ¼ ounce hazelnut liqueur
- ¼ ounce cream
- Ice
- Ground cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, Irish cream, vanilla vodka, gingerbread simple syrup, hazelnut liqueur, and cream.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
Turn this drink into a delicious dessert-style cocktail by adding extra cream, topping it with homemade whipped cream, and dusting it with cookie crumbs and cinnamon. Make it extra festive with a decorated gingerbread man.
Variations and Substitutions
Everyone likes their cookies a certain way, which also goes for their cocktails. You can customize your gingerbread martini with these suggestions:
- Add a small dash of molasses for a thicker, more prominent gingerbread taste.
- Use spiced rum in place of vanilla vodka for a stronger spiced flavor.
- Omit or add more cream based on how creamy you want your martini.
- Include a dash or two of cinnamon or vanilla bitters for a richer flavor.
- Add ¼ ounce of allspice dram for a boost of flavor.
- When using cream with coffee liqueur, it's not far off from an espresso martini. Mix the two recipes to make another unique and tasty dessert cocktail with a caffeine kick.
Garnishes
Like the gingerbread martini recipe, garnishes depend significantly on personal taste and preference. Garnishes are just as critical an ingredient in cocktails as the spirits.
- Use a regular or charred cinnamon stick.
- Float one or two whole star anise cloves.
- Coat the rim of your cocktail glass with crushed gingerbread cookies.
- Drizzle a single drop of molasses on the bottom of the glass.
More Than Just a Cookie
Give the gingerbread man a well-deserved break and cheers with a tasty, sweet and spiced gingerbread cocktail. Enjoy one of your favorite Christmas treats in the form of a delicious cocktail because there's nothing like sipping on your holiday desserts.
