I still remember the first time I made a Frosty the Snowman cocktail. It was at my friend’s holiday party, where I’d optimistically volunteered to play bartender. I figured: how hard could it be to mix up a couple of festive drinks? Cue the anxiety when someone requested this snowy-sounding concoction I’d never even heard of. A desperate phone call to my bartender cousin later and, with some improvising, I somehow created what ended up being the runaway hit of the night.
Since then, this creamy, pepperminty cocktail has become my go-to winter indulgence. So many mint drinks veer into toothpaste territory, but this one is smooth and balanced – bringing together sweet chocolate, cool peppermint, and enough richness to make you want to curl up under a blanket with a classic holiday movie. Frankly, I’ve even been known to shake one up on steaming July afternoons because, let’s be real, sometimes a little Christmas in July is survival. No judgment, right?
Strength & Profile
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Ingredients (and the Perfect Glass):
- Vodka: 1.5 ounces (45 ml)
- White crème de cacao: 1 ounce (30 ml)
- Peppermint schnapps: 0.5 ounce (15 ml)
- Heavy cream: 1 ounce (30 ml)
- Ice: About a cup
- Candy cane: For garnish (and fun)
If you want full holiday glam, pour this into a chilled martini glass. The wide rim is great for that candy cane garnish and just makes the whole thing feel celebratory. But if you’re short on barware (no shame), a rocks glass does the trick.
How to Make It:
- Pop your glass in the freezer while you prep – trust me, starting with a chilled glass makes everything better.
- Fill your cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
- Add the vodka, crème de cacao, and peppermint schnapps.
- Pour in the heavy cream (seriously, go full-fat here, it’s worth it).
- Shake the living daylights out of it – about 15 seconds, or until the shaker’s too cold to handle.
- Strain into your frosty glass.
- Hook a candy cane on the rim. It’s a garnish, a stirrer, and a little nostalgic flourish all in one.
My sister-in-law can’t drink alcohol, so I’ll whip up a mocktail version for her: 2 ounces of milk, 1 ounce of white chocolate syrup, and a drizzle (about 1/4 teaspoon) of peppermint extract. She actually claims it’s even better than the boozy one, but I’ll let you be the judge.
Yes, this drink is unapologetically rich. Calories? Definitely present. If you’re feeling virtuous, you can swap in half-and-half or milk for the heavy cream, but this is one of those rare occasions when I think it’s absolutely worth embracing the indulgence.
A discovery I stumbled on by accident: this cocktail pairs beautifully with something salty, like a sharp cheddar on crackers. It cuts the sweetness just enough. And for dessert? I always assumed chocolate would be the dream pairing (and it is), but lemon cookies – trust me – are an unexpectedly brilliant foil for the drink’s creaminess.
For maximum festiveness, I sometimes rim the glass with crushed candy canes. Just run a lemon wedge around the rim, dip the glass in crushed candy, and you’ll have a peppermint halo with every sip.
If mint isn’t your thing, swap the schnapps for Baileys Irish Cream. The result is less peppermint, more rich coffee flavor – sort of like what would happen if Frosty snuggled up too close to the fireplace. I call it the “Melted Snowman.” It’s a crowd-pleaser in its own right.
The real charm of this cocktail is in the making. Like rolling snow for a real snowman, a little bit of improvisation, a little bit of nostalgia, and suddenly you’re sipping something magical. Best of all, this snowman only melts when you’re ready for another round.
