Chocolate Peppermint Martini Recipe

When you think of holiday recipes, cocktails may not be the first thing to come to mind. However, specialty cocktails definitely have a place in the realm of festive treats, and this chocolate peppermint martini is one of the richest and most delicious options out there.

Recipe developer Jaime Bachtell-Shelbert has crafted this sweet, chocolatey, and minty cocktail recipe, and it is perfect for a holiday party or to make for an intimate family gathering (for those who are 21 and up, of course). "I love not only the flavor of this but how festive it is for a special occasion," Shelbert says, noting that it is also "very easy to make." As for the flavor, she describes it as "creamy with a chocolate peppermint flavor ... like your favorite chocolate peppermint candy." Best of all, this martini looks just as good as it tastes, thanks to a coating of chocolate syrup and peppermint candy around the rim of the glass. 

Sure, you could enjoy this chocolate peppermint martini any time of year — but something tells us that you'll especially enjoy sipping it around the holidays. Read on to learn how to whip up this delightful beverage in your own home.

Before you can start shaking that cocktail shaker, you'll want to make sure that you have the right ingredients on hand. For this recipe, you'll need a candy cane, some chocolate syrup, ice, crème de cacao, vanilla vodka, peppermint schnapps, and half and half. As an optional garnish, you can opt for whipped cream and grated chocolate. Bachtell-Shelbert also notes that you can sub heavy cream or regular milk for the half and half, depending on your preference and what you have at home. As you can tell from this ingredients list, this cocktail will have the perfect combination of sweet, chocolatey, minty, and creamy flavors.

To get started on this recipe, first place the candy cane into a plastic baggie. Crush the candy cane using something like a rolling pin, ensuring that it breaks down into tiny chunks. Place the peppermint candy chunks onto a plate, and on another plate, pour out teaspoons of chocolate syrup. Grab your martini glass, and swirl the rim in the chocolate syrup, and then press it firmly down onto the crushed peppermint bits. Repeat this process with the second glass, thus creating the festive and beautiful rim garnish for your cocktail.

Now, it's time for the fun part — actually making the cocktail! Grab your cocktail shaker, and fill it halfway with ice. Then, add in the creme de cacao, vanilla vodka, peppermint schnapps, half and half, and remaining chocolate syrup. Pop the lid on, and give the shaker a vigorous shake to ensure that all of the ingredients even come together. Once you finish shaking, pour the cocktail out evenly between the two glasses.

Once you've poured all of the liquid into the martini glasses, you can finish each cocktail off with some sweet garnish. Bachtell-Shelbert suggests using whipped cream, grated chocolate, extra chocolate syrup, and more crushed peppermint candy to top off the drink. And just like that, you're ready to serve and enjoy! "This cocktail is perfect for a party and is good enjoy as dessert," Bachtell-Shelbert says. Whether you want to make it for yourself on a Saturday night or for a holiday party, you'll relish in the sweet flavor of this chocolate peppermint martini.