Chocolate Candy Cane Martini

What could be a better cocktail around the holidays than a rich, sweet Chocolate Candy Cane Martini?

I have to be honest with you here: I don’t know what peppermint has to do with Christmas. I know candy canes come out around the holidays, so is that one type of candy the reason for the seasonal flavor? I don’t get it, but who am I to argue with Starbucks and Pinterest and the entire food blogsphere? Peppermint = Christmas, and I’m getting onboard with that.

How to make Candy Cane Infused Vodka for a holiday cocktail

Since I didn’t want to be left out on the peppermint fun, I decided to come up with a Christmas cocktail for you this week. This was originally going to be made with peppermint schnapps until it occurred to me that I could try soaking candy canes in vodka instead. (This especially occurred to me when the grocery store didn’t have peppermint schnapps.) I am certainly not the first one to try this, but it IS the first time I’ve ever made any kind of infused vodka. Turns out, it’s really, really easy.

To make candy cane infused vodka:

• Place 4 mini candy canes in a glass or jar
• Add 1/2 cup of vodka
• Allow the candy canes to sit in the vodka for 3-4 hours until they are fully dissolved

I could see the magic happening immediately; the candy canes dissolved completely to make a pretty pink, minty treat. I think you could just pour this chilled candy cane vodka into a cold martini glass and call it a cocktail, but I wanted to add a little more, you know, chocolate.

How to make a chocolate candy cane martini

Now that you have your candy cane infused vodka you can easily make a delicious chocolate candy cane martini. You just need a few more ingredients and to take a few simple steps to make the drink.

Ingredients in a candy cane martini:

• Candy Cane Infused Vodka (mini candy canes and vodka)
• Chocolate Liqueur such as Godiva, Bailey’s Chocolate, or Mozart Dark Chocolate or a creme de cocoa
• Half and Half
• Ice for shaking

Steps in making a candy cane martini:

• Add the infused vodka, coffee liqueur and half and half to a shaker
• Add ice
• Shake vigorously for 10 seconds
• Strain into a chilled martini glass
• Enjoy!

So there you have it. Candy cane vodka, chocolate liqueur, and a bit of half and half gives you a creamy, minty, delicious Chocolate Candy Cane Martini perfect for holiday parties or a Christmas Eve nightcap. Cheers! Who needs Irish cream when you can have creamy chocolate in your cocktail instead?

Chocolate Candy Cane Martini Recipe Modifications and Substitutions

This recipe is a great way to get yourself into making holiday drinks, especially if you like peppermint. Now that you have the peppermint infused vodka you can modify this candy cane martini to your personal tastes.

• Skip the chocolate. You can make this drink strictly a candy cane martini by not using a chocolate liqueur. You can make it with or without the half and half. As I said this candy cane infused vodka is good enough to drink shaken as a martini.
• Add a candy cane rim. If you want to improve the presentation, you can crush up some candy canes and roll the martini glass rim in the crushed candy cane. Just rub a little water or a lemon wedge on the rim first.
• Make it a Mocha. You can add replace 2oz of the chocolate liqueur with Kahlua or a coffee liqueur or replace all the chocolate liqueur if you want something closer to a peppermint espresso martini.

Chocolate Candy Cane Martini

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Making your own candy cane vodka is simple, and it is perfect for this holiday martini.

• Total Time: 4 hours 2 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 miniature candy canes or one full-sized candy cane
• 1/2 c. vodka
• 4 oz. chocolate cream liqueur I used Vermeer
• 2 oz. half and half

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Instructions

1. Place candy canes in a glass container, and pour vodka over the candy. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours.
2. Place martini glasses in the freezer to chill.
3. In a cocktail shaker, add infused vodka, chocolate liqueur, and half and half. Add a few ice cubes, and shake for about 10 seconds. Immediately strain into chilled glasses. (You don’t want to shake or let the drink sit with the ice too long because it will become watered down.) Enjoy!

Notes

If you use a chocolate liqueur that is not cream based (like Godiva), you can double the half and half.

• Author: Andi Gleeson
• Prep Time: 240
• Cook Time: 2

You should toast the holidays with these other cocktails too!