Peppermint Martini (Easy 3 Ingredient Cocktail)

Peppermint martini for a change this season? It’s quick, easy to make with only 3 ingredients, and adds a festive note to any holiday occasion!

Last year, just before Christmas, I had my first peppermint martini and was an instant fan!

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Holiday travel nightmare story follows–use the JUMP TO RECIPE BUTTON to skip.

My husband, my parents and I had flown to New York City to visit my daughter in Manhattan, and she wanted to take us to her local pub, namely, Biddy’s Pub.

My parents opted for an early night, so my daughter, husband and I went for trivia night, and I ordered a peppermint martini (not a peppermintini) since it seemed like a festive cocktail to have during Christmastime. One sip and I knew it would be a cocktail I’d be making at home.

Discovering that I loved a peppermint martini was one of the positive parts during our trip to spend Christmas with my kids on the East Coast. I was blissfully unaware of all that was to transpire over the next few days, including Christmas Day.

An extratropical cyclone, better known as the “Bomb Cyclone” of December, 2022 hit the East Coast of the US making headlines around the world–and we were smack dab in the middle of it. There’s even a Wikipedia page about the notorious winter storm of 2022. The irony is that we always have our kids visit us so we would have been enjoying 80+ degree (F) weather back home in Los Angeles!

I won’t bore you with all the details, because you probably wouldn’t believe everything that happened, but we were stuck in the airport for almost 10 hours, and left without a hotel, car rental or flight to Washington DC. The trip reminded us all of the movie, Planes, Trains and Automobiles!

Incredibly, we managed to get there the next day with an outrageously priced rental car, however, things didn’t get any better. On Christmas Day, all six of us got stuck in an elevator and had to be rescued by the Arlington Fire Department!

So back to the minty cocktail: as I said, it was a martini I wanted to make at home. When we were back in sunny California, I spotted a peppermint cream liqueur at my Trader Joe’s, bought it, and made plans. Of course, I looked at a few recipes, but honestly didn’t like anything that I saw.

Try this lemon drop martini recipe, too! I bet you’ll say it’s the best you’ve ever had!

Or, if you’re a seasonal cocktail lover, try this pumpkin spice espresso martini!

So my peppermint martini recipe goes like this: finely crushed candy cane to make a peppermint rim (I had planned that from the night in Biddy’s Pub, but for an easier version, just skip it) vodka and peppermint cream liqueur.

Need a dessert to go with peppermint martinis? Make this delightful yule log–it’s easier than you think!

It’s so good, and I don’t mind it not being pink, in fact I prefer it. I garnished this one with a mini candy cane garnish, just like Biddy’s Pub.

Substitutions and Tips

• If you don’t have peppermint liqueur, you can use creme de menthe, a white chocolate liqueur, or even something like Baileys with peppermint schnapps, or peppermint extract.
• In a pinch, break up candy canes and melt them in some milk and this will be your peppermint flavor.
• If you don’t have candy canes, you can garnish the drink with a sprig of fresh mint.
• Quantities are more of a guide than anything.

That’s an authentic Kartell lamp in the background. I fell in love with it in a restaurant in Naples. Now there are cheap copies of this lamp all over Amazon (which makes me sad), but the price difference is incredible.

Peppermint Martini

inspired by a Biddy’s Pub martini                              serves 2

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

• candy canes
• vodka
• peppermint cream liqueur

Special equipment: cocktail shaker, 2 martini glasses

Note: if you can’t find peppermint cream liqueur, make your own using a 1:1 ratio of heavy cream and peppermint schnapps.

Directions

Prep the Glasses

Crush the candy canes inside a plastic bag with something like a meat mallet. You can crush much finer than this if you prefer.

You can dip into a plate with Lyle’s Golden Syrup (like I did), or honey, but you can even use water for the rim of the glass.

It only takes a minute, isn’t it lovely?

Make the Peppermint Cocktail

In a cocktail shaker with ice, pour in the peppermint cream liqueur and vodka.

Close the shaker and shake at least 30 times.

Pour the cocktail evenly between both glasses.

CHEERS!

Ideal Occasions to Serve a Peppermint Martini

While anytime in December is perfect for this boozy beverage, it’s also a great option during the summer for a refreshing after dinner tipple! I would simply garnish with mint leaves instead of candy canes, or serve as is.

Another holiday cocktail: eggnog martini.

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