How to Make Peppermint Vodka

Get in the holiday spirit by making Peppermint Vodka. This homemade infused alcohol creates so many unique cocktails for the season and is sure to add good cheer when shared! All you need are two ingredients: candy canes and vodka.

Love peppermint at the holidays? Don’t miss Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Mason Jar Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix and Peppermint Milkshakes!

The Candy Cane Vodka recipe was originally published on December 2, 2013. The photographs, along with the text of this blog post, were updated and republished in December 2020.

Now that it’s December, it is perfectly acceptable to listen to Christmas music at full blast. It’s also acceptable to start baking cookies for your co-workers, friends and neighbors to share some holiday cheer.

And it’s totally acceptable to steep some holiday-flavored vodka, like this Peppermint Vodka, to spice up a party… or your regular liquor cabinet just because.

Also? This infused vodka is really delicious in hot chocolate.

Why I love this recipe:

This candy cane-infused vodka recipe literally calls for just two ingredients: vodka and candy canes.

And since you’re flavoring the vodka, you don’t need to go all-out and purchase a fancier brand. Anything you’ve got on hand will work.

This Peppermint Vodka recipe is also super fun for gifting, so if you’ve got people in your life who would love a minty vodka, now is the time to infuse a mason jar for them in preparation!

Other holiday sippers you might enjoy: Framboise Champagne Cocktail | Strawberry White Hot Chocolate | Citrus Cranberry Sangria | Pomegranate Hot Buttered Rum

Looking for a drink? Head on over to my Drink Recipe Index for all the recipe inspiration.

What do I need to make Peppermint Vodka?

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• 16 oz. mason jar
• You can purchase personalized mason jars, too, if you’re infusing this candy cane vodka as a gift!

In addition to this one tool, you’re going to need two ingredients:

• Candy canes
• Vodka—whatever you’ve got on hand. Since you’re infusing this vodka with peppermint flavor, you don’t necessarily need to have the nice stuff you’d use in a vodka-forward cocktail, like a Classic Moscow Mule.

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How to make Peppermint Vodka

First and foremost, unwrap the candy canes and break them in half. Breaking them in half will make it easier to fit them all into your jar. 😉

Place the candy canes in a 16 oz. mason jar, and pour the vodka on top of them.

Allow the vodka and candy canes a few hours to steep. This timeline will be different for everyone because it will depend on the candy canes themselves, as well as the temperature of your house. If it’s warmer in your home, the candy canes should dissolve faster into the vodka.

Once they are completely dissolved, it’ll be good to drink after you shake it up!

Store in a cool, dry place in the mason jar for as long as it takes to drink this up. (Seriously. This stuff won’t go bad.)

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I add this Candy Cane Vodka to?

You can sip this vodka because it’s nice and sweet, but if you want to add it to a cocktail, I suggest adding it to the following because these flavors taste good with peppermint.

• Vanilla Hot Chocolate Martini. Use peppermint vodka instead of the regular vodka here for a nice minty, chocolatey dessert drink.
• Bourbon Milk Punch. Substitute the candy cane vodka for the bourbon for a different twist on a classic drink!
• No Churn Peppermint Ice Cream Milkshake… Spike it!
• Gourmet Vanilla Hot Chocolate is always nice with a little kick and sweetness from candy cane vodka!

What kind of soda is good with peppermint vodka?

I would go with a classic cola, like Coca-Cola or Pepsi.

How long does this infused vodka last?

In all honesty, I don’t think this goes bad. You might notice that candy cane sediment settles at the bottom of your jar if you don’t touch it for a long time, but it can easily be stirred right back in using a cocktail spoon or even giving the sealed mason jar a good shake.

What’s the easiest way to peel a candy cane?

I’ve struggled with those wrappers and have discovered that using scissors to snip off the end of the wrapper at the bottom of the candy cane works best. Gently peel the plastic wrap back to free the candy cane! (I included a photo below to assist!)

Sound good?

Now, let’s make some Christmas-flavored homemade infused vodka!

Have you ever infused alcohol before?

Could I interest you in some Candy Cane Vodka this season?