Decadent and easy to make, Peppermint Bark Martini is the ultimate holiday drink to put everyone in the holly jolly spirit of Christmas!
Peppermint Bark Martini is a sweet, creamy cocktail bursting with delicious peppermint that you can shake up in minutes! Break out the candy canes, white chocolate, RumChata, peppermint schnapps, crème de cacao, and cream for a truly festive drink.
Peppermint Party
You haven’t tasted Christmas until you’ve had a Peppermint Bark Martini! There is one time of year that you can go big with peppermint flavors, and this martini is an absolute celebration of the candy cane! From the white chocolate-rimmed glass to the deliciously creamy peppermint drink, this martini is a huge hit at every holiday party. Peppermint Bark Martini is one of those gifts where you get to keep one and share one (many) to bring everyone lots of holiday joy!
Other Recipes to Serve with Peppermint Bark Martini
- What’s a party without a special drink that everyone can enjoy? Slow Cooker Candy Cane White Hot Chocolate is the perfect drink to mix, heat, and just set out for guests to grab.
- Did you remember to go all out with the peppermint flavors? Don’t worry. These Peppermint Patty Stuffed Chocolate Crinkle Cookies will save the day- they are amazing and will fly off the cookie table at the party!
Ingredients
Liquor: For this recipe, you will need RumChata, peppermint schnapps, and white crème de cacao. There is brown crème de cacao available, but it will turn your cocktail a beige color, so you what to get the clear kind.
Cream: To make this drink rich and creamy, you will need heavy whipping cream, but half and half also works well.
To garnish the glasses: You will need white chocolate chips, chocolate candy melts, peppermint candy, or candy canes. I like to stick a mini candy cane in the martini for some extra presentation points when we have company over.
How to Make Peppermint Bark Martini
STEP ONE: Place the peppermint candy into a resealable bag and crush until the candy is small pieces. On a flat plate, melt the white chocolate in the microwave. Turn the martini glass upside down and cover the rim of the glass with the chocolate and then sprinkle the crushed peppermint over the chocolate.
STEP TWO: Add ice to a cocktail shaker or a mason jar with a lid, and then add the RumChata, peppermint schnapps, crème de cacao, and cream. Cover the shaker and shake vigorously until it feels cold to the touch.
STEP THREE: Pour the cocktail into the prepared martini glasses and add a mini candy cane to the glass if you’d like!
Tips for Success
- If you don’t have a shaker, then a mason jar with a lid will work perfectly. Don’t forget to strain the ice out, though, if you’re using a mason jar!
- When crushing the peppermint candy, don’t crush it too finely to where it becomes peppermint dust. Smash the candy until only small chunks of candy remain.
- If you are preparing a few martini glasses with the chocolate and peppermint candy ahead of time, pop them in the fridge to help the chocolate set. Cold glasses will also keep your drink chilled a little longer.
How do I make this drink dairy free?
To make a Peppermint Bark Martini dairy free, simply substitute the cream for full fat coconut milk. The rich creaminess of the coconut milk is perfect in this drink and only brings the barest hint of coconut to the martini. We all know how powerful peppermint can be! There are also vegan cream options that can be used and these are thinner than heavy whipping cream or usually even half and half. The thinner the cream, the thinner the martini, so keep that in mind when making these.
How do you rim a glass with peppermint?
There are a few ways to rim a glass with peppermint or any candy. The first step is to break up the peppermint candy, candy cane, or whatever candy you choose to use. This is easily done by placing the candy in a resealable bag and using a rolling pin, meat tenderizer, or another slightly heavy object, gently smashing the candy until you are left with small bits.
To make the candy stick, simply place the rim of the glass on a plate of melted chocolate and coat the entire rim. You can also choose to put water on your fingers and run your fingers along the rim to make it damp. You just want the rim wet enough for the candy to stick but not so wet that the candy runs off. Sprinkle the candy on the damp rim, let it dry a little, and fill it with your shaken drink.
Keep the party merry and bright with these cocktails!
- Holiday Sangria
- Spiked Peppermint Hot Chocolate
- Cranberry Ginger Fizz Cocktail
- Pomegranate Cranberry Moscow Mule
- Eggnog Martini
*This post was originally posted on 12/22/2017.
Equipment
Ingredients
Peppermint Bark Martini
- 1 1/4 ounces RumChata liqueur
- 1 1/4 ounces peppermint schnapps
- 3/4 ounce white crème de cacao
- 1 1/4 ounces heavy cream or half-n-half
For Rimming Glasses
- 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips `
- 1 tablespoon candy canes or peppermints
- Mini candy canes for garnish
Instructions
- Crush the candy canes or peppermints in a food storage bag using a rolling pin. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave on a flat plate for 30 seconds at a time until melted.
- Dip the rim of the glass into the melted chocolate. Immediately sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies over the chocolate coating the glass. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the RumChata, peppermint schnapps, crème de cacao, and cream. Cover the shaker and shake vigorously until chilled.
- Strain into the prepared martini glass and add a mini candy cane if desired. Serve cold.
Kim Brainard says
Perfect holiday cocktail. Hint on rimming glasses: Put the crushed peppermint on a plate and dip the chocolate covered rim into it. Just the way a bartender rims a margarita glass makes the process easier and more consistent.
Bravo on this festive cocktail !,
Mother of Corgis says
I was looking for something festive for Christmas, something minty and creamy without feeling “heavy.” I whipped up a batch of these with my MIL for a test drive and they were SO GOOD that I was making more before the first drinks were finished. This one’s a keeper!
I made these martinis again for a NYE party last night and they were a HUGE hit!!! Good thing I multiplied the recipe by 20, because I barely had any left. Both times I skipped the white chocolate rim because that seems difficult to wash off of delicate martini glasses. I just ran the edges under some water, then dipped into a plate of crushed peppermint candies. These are beautiful cocktails and look just as gorgeous in a rimmed rocks glass with a couple of ice cubes.
*** Helpful tip: I recommend using a food processor or blender for crushing your candies, as they are very hard and can easily pierce a plastic bag and make a huge mess.