Vanilla Hot Chocolate Martini
Celebrate Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day in style with a homemade Vanilla Hot Chocolate Martini. Sweet, chilled and utterly delicious, this dairy-free twist on a classic martini goes down smooth and makes a perfect dessert cocktail!
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Valentine’s Day is this weekend!
Make a martini that tastes like a hot chocolate (except it’s cold!) for your date! Or for your friends!
They’ll be thankful you did… especially if this drink is served after dinner as a dessert cocktail.
I know Valentine’s Day is a love/hate holiday for most people.
I’m one of the weird ones who is indifferent about it.
Winston and I have a long-standing tradition of not celebrating Valentine’s on the actual day. We’ve always enjoyed trying a new restaurant around the fabled day of love, but we like to stay in the night of and make ourselves a fancy dinner.
This year, we’re having a cocktail dessert because that’s how we roll.
Valorie and I whipped this cocktail up the last time she was here making coffee cocktails. It was a complete accident, really, but we were both pleasantly surprised with it.
It’s darn good.
It’s tasty.
And this particular martini doesn’t taste like it has any booze in it, even though it’s actually swimming in booze.
So. Proceed with caution, but prepare to be delighted by this dessert cocktail.
Essential Tools for the Vanilla Hot Chocolate Martini
- A cocktail shaker (like the Cresimo 24 oz. Cocktail Shaker & Jigger, Kate Spade New York Gold-Dot Cocktail Shaker or Cambridge Silversmith’s Copper-Etched 24. oz. Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker.)
- Fine Mesh Strainer.
- Cosmopolitan Glasses.
Other Awesome Valentine’s Drinks
I meaaaaaaaan… it’s basically perfect.
And the recipe is just below.
Vanilla Hot Chocolate Martini
Ingredients
Martinis
- 4 oz. cashew milk , unsweetened (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 ½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- 2 oz. vodka
- 1 ½ oz. white creme de cocoa
- 1 oz. vanilla simple syrup
Vanilla Simple Syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 vanilla bean , split
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Instructions
Make the Vanilla Simple Syrup
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the water and sugar.
- Heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved into the water. (Don't bring it to a boil, just gently heat until the mixture is clear.)
- Pour into a mason jar, and add the vanilla bean.
- Steep overnight in the refrigerator, then remove the vanilla bean.
- Store for up to three weeks before mixing the martinis.
- Make the Martinis
- Mix the unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar and cinnamon in the bottom of a microwave-proof glass until well-mixed and combined. Pour the cashew milk on top, then heat for 1-2 minutes until the milk warms through. Mix in the dry ingredients, stirring until everything is combined.
- In a cocktail shaker, add several pieces of ice. Pour the hot chocolate cashew milk on top of the ice, then add the vodka, white creme de cocoa and the vanilla simple syrup.
- Shake until the drink is well-chilled and combined, then pour into two martini glasses, which have been rimmed with additional unsweetened cocoa powder/sugar mixture.
- Enjoy chilled!
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
I’ve decided 2017 is going to be the year I make more cocktails and this looks like a great place to start!
YES, please!! This cocktail looks and sounds incredible!!
I love trying out new cocktails! This one looks delicious!
You are speaking my language with this cocktail. It looks so good!
Happy Valentine’s Day to me with this!