Get in the holiday spirit by making this homemade Candy Cane Vodka. It’s easier than you think! Candy canes dissolve in a jar of vodka to create this simple infused alcohol. Mix Candy Cane Vodka into seasonal mixed drinks at holiday parties or add a shot to your hot chocolate for even more festive flavor. This infused alcohol creates so many unique cocktails for the season and is sure to add good cheer when shared with friends and family!
It’s a Monday after the long Thanksgiving holiday, and I don’t know about y’all, but this week is gonna be all about rebooting, not indulging so much and copious amounts of salad.
But before we get into all of that, I’ve made this lovely Candy Cane Vodka for y’all.
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 to spice up a party… or your regular liquor cabinet just because. (Also? It’s really delicious in hot chocolate. I’ve got a dairy-free recipe coming soon, y’all.)
Erin’s Recommended Tools/Products for Candy Cane Vodka
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- Essentials: Mason jar. (You can get personalized mason jars, too!) Candy canes.
I love this vodka in a good seasonal martini. (Adding this vodka in place of regular vodka in my Dairy-Free Vanilla Hot Chocolate Martini would be divine.) I love my Libbey 8 oz. Clear Cosmopolitan Cocktail/Martini Glasses. The Artland Ambrosia Martini Glasses are very festive for the holidays!
Sound good?
Now, let’s make some homemade infused vodka with CANDY CANES!
Candy Cane Vodka
Ingredients
- 8 regular-sized candy canes
- 1 1/2 cups vodka (I used Tito's... so use something you like to drink!)
Instructions
- Unwrap the candy canes and break in half.
- Place the candy canes in a 16 oz. mason jar.
- Pour the vodka on top of the candy canes.
- Allow the vodka and candy canes a few hours to steep. The candy canes will dissolve in the vodka, and then 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.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Shutterbean.Have you ever made something like this?
Candy cane. Vodka. I almost didn’t need to read this post because it sounded so good and I knew whatever you wrote about it would be amazing 🙂 I did read it though, and I was right, that does look incredible! I might have to try that this year.
Not gonna lie: It’s incredible, girl. I’ve enjoyed it in my hot chocolate and coffee on weekends… and it’s just the perfect touch of sweet and spice to add to make for some holiday cheer without being too out of control. (That sounds weird, huh? But it’s totally not!)
Oh my!! This sounds amazing! I never would have thought to mix the two, but this would be a great recipe to take to a Christmas party!
Thanks, Kalee! Yes, I think this would be fabulous to take to a Christmas party… and I bet several people would want to know how you did it, too! It’s so simple and delicious that it’s a winner!
This sounds SO GOOD. Oh my I’m going to HAVE to try this! This sounds so easy and so yummy, too!
It really is SO GOOD, and I hope that you still feel that way when you try it! I’d love to know what you think!
Wow! This sounds pretty cool. It would definitely be cute for a holiday party!
Thanks! This vodka really is festive for a holiday party!
This sounds yummy! My boyfriend has made jolly rancher vodka, but it was too sweet and artificial tasting. Candy canes are a much better option 🙂
It IS yummy… and that’s crazy about Jolly Rancher vodka. Don’t know if I would have ever thought of that or wanted to try it, but that’s fascinating that you found it a bit too sweet and artificial tasting. If you try this, I hope you find it a bit more palatable!
This. Is. Genius.
*bows* Thank you, ma’am.
I can’t really take credit for it, as it was adapted from the ever-inspiring Shutterbean, but this vodka a pretty awesome trick to have up your sleeve for this time of year, no?
Oh heavens yes!!! I have been dyingggg to make something like this lately! 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
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You’re welcome for sharing! I hope when you make this vodka, it hits the spot and is everything you dreamed it would be. 🙂
Holy, Moley! Sounds amazing!!
Thanks so much, Kathy! It’s a new holiday favorite of mine, and it works so nicely in so many things, too!
Oh my Candy Cane Vodka sounds yummy and super easy to make!
Thanks, Yolanda! It is both super yummy and easy to make!
You are speakin’ my language with this drink. Saving for later.
Awesome, awesome! I hope you enjoy this drink when you try it later!
I’m not much of a drinker, but I’ll pass this one o to my friends. I’d curious to how sweet this would be . . .
Fair enough. 🙂 I’m curious what your friends think and what they think about the sweetness of it. To me, it’s a sweet, but it’s not overpowering, though I could definitely see how it would be cloyingly sweet to someone else. It works really nicely in hot drinks, too, so I’ve added it to black coffee to add a bit of flavor and sweetness, and that seems to work wonderfully for lazy weekend mornings. (Especially last weekend when we were snowed in!)
Can u make this ahead of time and let it sit for a month or so….would make awesome Christmas gift.
Teresa, I think making this ahead of time would be super easy. Let it hang out in a cool place (like the pantry or a cupboard) and give it away as a Christmas gift — I bet people would love that!
So just checking, you use all 8 candycanes in 1 jar??
Yes, I used all 8 candy canes in one jar! They melt into the alcohol pretty quickly…
So vanilla vodka or regular?
Regular vodka, Miranda.
So I just made some as gifts for family and I used some big jars and some little but my little ones had white on the bottom and when I mixed it up it turned pink, yet the big jars are completely red and look like the pictures. Anyone know why?
Mines done the same, I have done little ones as Christmas pressies but they have turned out pink, could it be too much candy?
What size jars do you use, Becky?
That’s so strange, Noel. I have no clue. Did you change the number of candy canes used between the two of them? Maybe there wasn’t enough candy if the smaller ones were pink?
how are they as shots?
Honestly, I couldn’t tell you, Marisa! I’ve always drank this vodka as a part of a mixed drink. That said, this is a very peppermint-y drink, so if you’re into that thing, I would imagine it would make a good shot.
What do you mix it with as a mixed drink?
I’m currently LOVING mixing it into my Vanilla Hot Chocolate Martini instead of the regular vodka. It adds a nice pepperminty kick. It’s also really delicious in hot chocolate. I can imagine this would be delicious in a White Russian, as well!
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I made some this weekend for our family Christmas party. Used it as shots in a drinking game. It was a huge hit! Thanks for the great idea. Most definitely going to be making it again!
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Erin,
Can I make a punch with this vodka? What flavor juice would go best with this Peppermint vodka?
Hey Brandy,
I bet you could definitely make a punch with this vodka! As far as what kind… I don’t recommend a fruity one. It would be interesting to make a Hot Chocolate Punch or something along those lines since chocolate pairs really well with peppermint. A milk punch would be good, too…
If you make a punch, please let me know what you do and how it turns out!
Mine is pink and cloudy, not clear and red like your picture. Did you strain it?
Hey Candy. I didn’t strain my vodka, and I’m unsure why yours is doing that. I’ve made this recipe several times over the years and never dealt with cloudiness, other than when it was in the process. How long ago did you make yours? I find that mine sometimes has a fine peppermint-y silt at the bottom of the jar, and I have to shake it up. Is it possible that this is the case? Sorry I’m not much more help!
How can I drink this !?! Just straight from the jar and how long does it have to sit !?!
Hi Alejandro! You can drink this however you’d like. 😉 My personal favorite way to enjoy it is in some hot cocoa, but it’s delicious as a shot, too, if that’s more your thing. It doesn’t have to sit for very long. It’s ready to drink as soon as the candy canes have dissolved.
Just made this. It is so good! Can’t wait to try it in my holiday cocktails. So easy.
Woohoo! So happy that it turned out for you, Gale. I hope you and yours enjoy it!