What does a peppermint martini taste like?
A peppermint martini tastes like a candy cane dipped in chocolate: cool, sweet mint with creamy white chocolate notes and a vodka warmth underneath.
Peppermint martini
candy cane in a glass
A peppermint martini is a holiday dessert cocktail, usually vodka shaken with peppermint schnapps and white crème de cacao (a clear chocolate liqueur), often with a splash of cream. The mint hits first, cool and bright like a candy cane, then the chocolate softens it into something closer to a peppermint patty. With cream it's smooth and milky. Without, it's clearer, sharper and stronger. A crushed candy cane rim adds crunch and even more sugar. It's sweet, so it works better as a dessert than as a first drink.
Where you’ll see it
On holiday and winter cocktail menus, served up in a martini glass with a crushed candy cane rim. Some bars call it a candy cane martini or add chocolate syrup.
Order it if you want something sweet, minty and festive after dinner.
Quick questions
- Is a peppermint martini a real martini?
- No. It just borrows the glass. A classic martini is gin or vodka with dry vermouth. This one is a sweet, minty dessert drink.
- What does a peppermint martini taste similar to?
- A Grasshopper, the classic mint and chocolate cream cocktail, but with vodka for more kick and usually a candy cane rim.