Christmas Gingerbread Martini Cocktail Recipe

Christmas Cocktail Recipe

Your Christmas just got merrier with this gingerbread martini cocktail recipe. With only four ingredients, you can stir up the ultimate festive take on this classic to serve your guests this Christmas. So invite your loved ones over, get your Christmas tree lights on, whack on the holiday tunes, and mix up this tasty cocktail to get you in the mood for Christmas.

Cocktail Ingredients and Kit:

• Vodka
• Dry Vermouth
• Amaretto
• Gingerbread Syrup
• Barillio mixology set, including mixing glass, jigger, long spoon, and strainer

Tips and Tricks

1. As the keen Barillio blog readers among you may know, our bartending pros recommend stirring rather than shaking your martinis. Many people go by the quote from the James Bond movies ‘shaken, not stirred’ suggesting that the only way to drink this sophisticated classic is as an international spy suggests… shaken. However, anyone clued up on bartending will know martinis are always best stirred, not shaken.

2. We prefer using vodka in this gingerbread martini recipe. However, you could also use your favorite gin instead of vodka. We recommend choosing a gin with hints of other winter spices and flavors. For example, the Sipsmith Gingerbread Gin is perfect for complimenting this recipe with caramelized toffee apple, cinnamon, and cookie dough notes.

3. Of course, it also makes perfect sense to serve this Christmas gingerbread cocktail with a side of homemade gingerbread men or a ginger and carrot cake. But, if you don’t have time to bake before your guests come over, Biscoff is the perfect snack for the job, as the cinnamon flavor pairs perfectly with the ginger syrup in your martinis.

4. Add 2-3 cubes of ice to your martini glass to chill the glass to keep your drink cool. Plus, pre-cooling the glass helps you achieve that ultra-suave frost on the outside of the glass like a pro. Just remember to remove the ice cubes before straining your gingerbread martini into the glass to serve, so you don’t dilute the cocktail.

5. Finally, don’t forget to get out a chalkboard or craft a menu to tell everyone at your gathering what drink options you plan to make for the evening. This extra touch gets everyone excited about the food and drink and helps elevate your hosting skills.

Other Christmas Cocktail Recipes

We love this unique and festive gingerbread cocktail recipe and urge you to add it to your Christmas drinks list. However, if you want to expand your menu, you can get all our pro bartending tips on how to create a winter cocktail in our previous blog post. Or get creative and set aside an afternoon to experiment by shaking up some creations using your Barillio bartending kit. But luckily, if you don’t have time, you can check out these cozy cocktail recipes and martini variations from the Barillio blog:

• Indulgent chocolate martini cocktail recipe
• Old Fashioned cocktail recipe
• Spiced Vanilla Apple Spritzer recipe
• Classic martini recipe with orange bitters
• Sophisticated espresso martini recipe
• Aromatic apple and gin cocktail recipe

FAQ

How alcoholic is this cocktail?

This cocktail recipe contains three alcoholic ingredients: vodka, dry vermouth, and Amaretto. Therefore, this gingerbread martini is on the stronger side and should be consumed mindfully and not to excess.

Can you make this gingerbread martini alcohol-free?

If you are looking to cut back on the alcohol content, you could also use some alcohol-free alternatives.

Swapping to non-alcoholic ingredients is a great way to make cocktails that anyone under the drinking age, pregnant, avoiding alcohol, or driving can enjoy and feel part of the action.

For example, swap the Amaretto for Amaretti, a non-alcoholic spirit with a remarkably similar nutty flavor. You can also find alcohol-free vodka from brands such as Strykk or 0% ABV gin from brands like Ovant. Dry vermouth is a little harder to come by, but with some luck, you have time to order some online if you can’t find any in-store. Blutul Bianco or Lyre’s do a tremendous non-alcoholic vermouth which can be found on Amazon as a last resort!

What is Amaretto?

Ah, sweet Amaretto. This sweet almond-flavored Italian liqueur made from apricot kernels, almonds, and peach stones is the perfect ingredient to finish off the alcoholic liquids in this gingerbread cocktail.

You can use Amaretto in your baking to add a cozy flavor to your cakes, cookies, and gingerbread men.

Amaretto is easy to find in all good liqueur stores. However, you can usually use Hazelnut liqueur instead if you don’t like the slight marzipan taste of Amaretto or can’t find it in time for your at-home cocktail masterclass.

Why is it better to stir martinis?

When it comes to chilled cocktails, you have two options: shaking or stirring with ice.

Shaking martinis (even those with a gingerbread flare) can dilute the spirit concentration and cause the alcohol to bruise. As martinis are strong cocktails, the majority of the drink is made with alcoholic ingredients, and therefore, you need to take care of the preparation of your gingerbread martini.

Fortunately, you can chill the cocktail with ice by simply stirring it vigorously in a mixing jug for approximately 60-120 seconds for the best results.

Merry Christmas!

Now all that’s left to say before you rush off to grab all the Barillio essentials and ingredients you need to stir up this gingerbread cocktail at home is merry Christmas. Well, merry Christmas, and don’t forget to leave a glass out for Santa to spread some holiday cheer!