Gingersnap Holiday Martini

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One of the most fun parts of the holidays always seems to be all the festive cocktails! There are so many options, and my favorites are usually a twist on another classic holiday recipe that include all the best flavors of this time of year. Whether it be warm, a little spiced, or filled with Christmas classics like peppermint, it can be so fun to turn holiday recipes into delicious cocktails.

What's the holiday twist in this cocktail?

This gingersnap holiday martini recipe tastes just like your favorite gingersnap cookie. I'm not sure if anyone else has tried these, but when we were little our Grandma would always buy us the triple ginger snap cookies from Trader Joes this time of year, and even as young kids we loved the spicy, gingery, holiday flavors that were extra delicious in the colder months. This martini recipe tastes just like them, with the classic spiced flavors with a little sweetness, and of course a cocktail kick.

Ginger simple syrup

What makes these taste like a gingersnap?

The ginger simple syrup! Once I realized that a simple syrup can really be infused with anything, like the rosemary simple syrup in our Pomegranate and Rosemary Blood Orange Cocktail, the possibilities became endless! If you like ginger, you know it is spicy, strong, and almost a little peppery, which for me is what reminds me of the spiced holiday flavors of this time of year.

You'll add about 1/2 a cup of water to a microwave safe glass (I like to use my glass measuring cup) and then add about 1/4 cup of crystalized ginger, which can be found in the spice aisle of the grocery store. Heat this in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until it is boiling. Then you'll strain this simple syrup into a small glass or bowl, and discard the remaining ginger. It's truly that easy, and now you have a simple infused ginger simple syrup. Plus, the sugar from the crystalized ginger will add that little bit of sweetness that this cocktail needs.

Brown sugar rimmed martini glass

How do you make these cocktails look extra nice?

Once the simply syrup is made, it's time for one of my favorite parts of all cocktail making, lining the martini glasses. I love doing this because it truly makes an at-home cocktail feel extra special and only take a few minutes. This is super easy to do, and you'll use some of the prepared simple syrup which is so nice as you won't need to grab anything else to ensure the rim sticks. To add the prettiest rim you will just need to-

  1. Use a small pastry brush to brush the edges of a martini glass with some of the ginger simple syrup. If you don't have a pastry brush, you can also pour some of the simple syrup on a shallow plate and dip the glass in it.
  2. Add some brown sugar to a shallow plate, and dip and twirl the edge of the glass until it is coated in the sugar.

So why brown sugar? Well, brown sugar contains molasses which gingersnap cookies often also do, so it is the perfect rim for this cookie-inspired cocktail.

Gingersnap martinis

The last step before shaking up this cocktail is to add a drizzle of molasses to the bottom of the martini glass. Not only does it look so pretty, but it also incorporates more of that classic flavor into this cocktail. You can either add some molasses to a small squeeze bottle, or you can use a small spoon to grab some from the jar and drizzle it in the bottom of the glass.

So what goes in this cocktail?

Now that your glasses are prepared, it's time to grab just 3 ingredients for these perfectly spiced and strong martinis-

  • ginger simple syrup - the homemade version is perfect for ensuring these martinis taste just like the classic cookie
  • vodka - classic for a martini, and really lets the other flavors shine
  • baileys - when I think of holiday drinks, I always think of baileys, and it adds the perfect creaminess to this cocktail

Gingersnap martinis

Time to shake them up!

For any type of martini, I always love to fill the cocktail shaker up to the top with ice. Even though it may not look like there's enough room, when the liquids are added the ice melts slightly making extra room, and it helps ensure everything is perfectly chilled. To make 2 martinis, it's as easy as-

  1. Adding 4 ounces of the ginger simple syrup
  2. Adding the vodka
  3. Adding the baileys
  4. Shaking it up for 20 seconds!

There's nothing better than a chilled and perfectly mixed martini so shaking it up is key. Divide this delicious gingersnap holiday martini recipe between the two cocktail glasses and admire how pretty they look with the molasses and brown sugar rim!

Gingersnap martini with brown sugar rim

This gingersnap holiday martini recipe is easy, festive, and full of nostalgic holiday flavors. Shake this up and enjoy, preferrably with a gingersnap cookie in the other hand.

Recipe Details:

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Gingersnap Holiday Martini

This perfectly spiced gingersnap holiday martini tastes just like the classic cookie with a cocktail twist.

Author:
Jackie

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup crystalized ginger
  • 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp molasses
  • 4 ounces vodka
  • 4 ounces baileys

Instructions

  1. Combine water and crystalized ginger in a microwave safe glass. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until boiling. Strain simple syrup into a small glass or bowl, discarding remaining crystalized ginger.
  2. Add brown sugar to a small plate. Brush some of the ginger simple syrup around the rims of 2 martini glasses, and dip in brown sugar, twirling until coated.
  3. Drizzle molasses into the bottom of each martini glass.
  4. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add 4 ounces ginger simple syrup, vodka, and baileys. Shake for 20 seconds, then divide between martini glasses.

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