Enjoy a festive and refreshing Peppermint White Russian Cocktail this holiday season. With the perfect balance of creamy, minty, and boozy flavors, this cocktail recipe is sure to be a hit at any party.
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Using Kahlua coffee liqueur, vodka, peppermint schnapps, and half and half, this delicious cocktail is a Holiday favorite and takes a classic white Russian and adds a peppermint twist! Easy to make, festive with a crushed candy cane rim addition, and a favorite to sip on! If you’re looking for more Christmas cocktails, also check out my Salted Caramel Martini or Bailey’s Peppermint Martini!
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Why you’ll love this Peppermint White Russian Cocktail Recipe
- Creamy, smooth, and flavorful– combining peppermint with coffee flavors equates to a drink that is easy to sip on a packed with yumminess.
- Easy to double, triple, or even quadruple for parties and hosting a Holiday party– if you need to make more servings, this is one cocktail recipe that is easily able to be increased.
- Tastes like Christmas in a glass– nothing says the Holidays more than a peppermint drink, right? Cozy up next to the fire and sip away.
- Simple ingredients– using only 4 ingredients, this peppermint Russian drink is easy and a favorite!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Below is a brief overview of each ingredient needed as well as some handy substitution options. To see printable recipe card, scroll to the bottom of this post.
- Coffee Liqueur– Kahlua is my go to option, however, there are several options available. This has a thick, sweet coffee flavor throughout.
- Vodka– this is a staple ingredient in any bar, any brand works, use your favorite. If you really love peppermint, you can also use peppermint vodka to make that peppermint flavor pop.
- Peppermint Schnapps– this is the key ingredient to add the perfect peppermint flavor. It tastes like a candy cane in liquid form. Any brand works.
- Half & Half– my go-to is half and half since we keep it on hand for our morning coffee. You can also use milk or heavy cream in place of the half & half. PRO TIP: if you omit the milk, cream, or half and half, you’ve just made what is called a Black Russian!
- Ice Cubes– does this count as an ingredient? I don’t think so! This is simply used to chill the drink before enjoying. You can add it to a cocktail shaker and strain, or add ice to your cocktail glass and serve on the rocks.
- Corn Syrup– this is used to rim your glass with crushed candy cane pieces. You can also use simple syrup if you don’t have corn syrup on hand. Chocolate syrup works great too.
- Candy Canes– you’ll want to crush some for the rim, but also add a few mini candy canes to each glass as a garnish. Peppermint candies work as well if you don’t have candy canes on hand.
How to make a Peppermint White Russian Cocktail
- Rim your Glass. To rim the glasses, add 3-4 tbsp. Corn syrup to a saucer, and crushed candy canes or crushed peppermint candies to another saucer. Dip the rim of the glass into the corn syrup, followed by the crushed candies.
- Make the Drink. Fill your glass about halfway with ice. Add in vodka, peppermint schnapps, half and half, and Kahlua. Optional, add a mini candy cane for garnish. PRO TIP: if you don’t want to serve over ice, you can add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, give it a shake, and strain into rimmed glass.
- Serve and Enjoy. If you are feeling up to it, you can also garnish with whipped cream and sprinkles in addition to the candy cane.
Tips for this Peppermint White Russian Recipe
- To save on time, rim your glasses ahead of time. This keeps things easy for those that want to make their own drink, or when preparing large batches.
- If you aren’t a big peppermint fan, you can omit and make a classic White Russian recipe instead.
- Do you prefer your ice crushed or cubed? However you prefer, go that route. We love crushed ice, so we crush ours for this recipe.
- If you are making this drink for a party, you can easily make it in a glass pitcher and leave an ice bucket out for people to pour themselves a drink.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance can I make this Holiday drink?
You can make this drink up to 48 hours in advance and simply store in a pitcher in your refrigerator. Don’t add the half and half or milk until ready to serve. Stir it in when ready to enjoy and you’re set.
What does a Peppermint White Russian taste like?
It is very similar to an iced coffee, with a peppermint addition. Of course, because of this, be sure to drink responsibly.
Do I have to refrigerate coffee liqueur?
Nope! Due to the preservatives, this can be stored at room temperature. Check the expiration date on the bottle, but they tend to have a long shelf life fortunately.
How to store
- Room Temperature– up to 2 hours, however, this drink really is better when chilled.
- Fridge– you can store in an airtight container up to 48 hours in advance.
- Freezer– these cocktails can be made into fun and yummy slushies by simply freezing. We learned this by accidentally placing in the freezer one late night and realizing our mistake the next morning. We were quite surprised by the slushie consistency and it was still delicious.
More Holiday Cocktail Recipes to try
- Salted Caramel Martini
- Festive Cranberry Margarita
- Gingerbread White Russian
- Caramel White Russian
- White Christmas Cocktails
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Holiday Peppermint White Russian
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 oz Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Peppermint Schnapps
- 2 oz Half and Half
- Crushed Candy Cane/ Corn Syrup or Simple Syrup (optional for rim)
Instructions
- To rim the glass, add 3-4 tbsp. corn syrup to a saucer and crushed candy cane or peppermints to a separate saucer. Dip the rim of the glass into the syrup, followed by the crushed candies.
- Fill glass with ice about halfway. Add in the vodka, peppermint schnapps, half & half, and Kahlua. Stir. *You can also use a cocktail shaker to mix drink and strain over the rocks.
- Optional, add a mini candy cane for garnish. Serve and enjoy!
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