This Gingerbread Martini is the best Christmas cocktail to serve on Christmas Eve or any holiday party! It's made with rum and is sweetened with homemade gingerbread syrup! It's extra creamy, full of warming spices, and really easy to make!
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Why This Recipe Works
Gingerbread syrup - Nothing beats homemade syrup and this one is one of my favorites! It's super easy to make and has a ton of uses. All you need is brown sugar, water, and gingerbread spice. Head to Gingerbread Simple Syrup for the full recipe, extra tips, and other ways to use it!
Extra creamy and flavorful - Gold rum, Bailey's, gingerbread, and chocolate bitters are truly a great flavor combination. Trust me, you've got to try this cocktail this holiday season! If you're not a fan of rum, you can also use vodka which is much more neutral in taste and really allows all the other flavors to shine!
Easy and simple - The syrup recipe is super easy and straightforward but if you don't feel like making your own, you can use store-bought! Monin is always my go-to brand for syrups. The cocktail itself is totally fool-proof and comes out perfect every time!
Ingredients
- Gingerbread syrup - The syrup is made with dark brown sugar, water, and gingerbread spice mix. You can either use store-bought spice mix or make your own. Alternatively, you can also use whole spices but I find using a spice mix much easier, accessible, and affordable.
- Rum - Gold and dark rum are both great options for this martini! I initially made with with vodka but rum goes really well with Bailey's and all the warming spices.
- Bailey's - Irish cream liqueur adds creaminess, flavor, and sweetness. It's made with flavored cream, Irish whiskey, and cocoa.
- Almond milk - The recipe calls for a little bit of almond milk or cream. I added it for extra creaminess but it can be left out if you want the cocktail to be a little more boozy in flavor.
- Chocolate bitters - I love using chocolate hazelnut bitters from a local Toronto brand called Nickel 9. Regular chocolate bitters work also great or you can omit bitters altogether if you prefer.
Variations and Substitutions
- Store-bought syrup - If you want to speed things up, you can use store-bought gingerbread syrup instead of homemade. I haven't tried this flavor specifically but Monin is usually my go-to brand for syrups. Torani is also very popular.
- Vodka - If you prefer, you can use vodka instead of rum in this cocktail for a neutral flavor that allows all the other flavors of the cocktail to stand out more.
- Non-alcoholic - This cocktail has very specific flavors that are hard to replicate in a mocktail but you can use a non-alcoholic rum or vodka and add some Irish cream syrup instead of Bailey's if you have it available. You can also turn it into a mocktail espresso martini by adding a shot of espresso and doubling the almond milk. You can also add some Chocolate Simple Syrup for added flavor!
Step-by-Step Instructions
You'll first make the syrup if you're using homemade syrup (this takes only about 10 minutes) and then you'll mix up your cocktail. I highly recommend making the syrup ahead of time to make making the cocktail easier.
Gingerbread Syrup
- Add dark brown sugar, water, and gingerbread spice to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Take the syrup off the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Gingerbread Martini
- Prepare your glass by coating the rim in crushed-up cookies if desired (see notes) and set aside.
- Add rum, Bailey’s, gingerbread syrup, almond milk, and chocolate bitters (if using) to a cocktail shaker.
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- Add a handful of ice and shake the cocktail for 5-10 seconds until very cool.
- Strain into your prepared martini or coupe glass.
- Garnish with whipped cream and a dusting of gingerbread spice if desired. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Adding crushed-up cookies to the rim of your glass makes the cocktail extra fancy but it's totally optional.
I recommend using agave syrup for the rim instead of lemon juice that's normally used for cocktail salt rims or maple syrup because agave is thicker.
For the cookies, I used two crushed-up biscoff cookies (crumbled up with my fingers) but you can use ginger snap cookies or gingerbread cookies. Any dry cookie that easily crumbles works here. Don't use any cookies that are too soft.
You can serve the gingerbread martini as it is or you can top it with a dollop of whipped cream, a dusting of gingerbread spice, and a small gingerbread cookie.
Storing
Fridge: The cocktail is best made right before serving but the gingerbread syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Keep it in an airtight container and make sure to always use a clean spoon.
Freezer: If you don't think you'll be able to use up all the syrup in time you can also freeze it. Just pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Since a lot of the flavor in this cocktail is based on the alcohol you use, it's hard to make it into a mocktail with a similar taste. You can use a non-alcoholic dark rum and Irish cream syrup instead of Bailey's to get a similar flavor. You can also make it into an espresso martini by adding a shot of espresso and doubling the almond milk instead of Bailey's and rum.
Yes! Bailey's has an almond milk version of their Irish cream liqueur that's vegan and slightly lower in sugar. If you can't find it where you live, you can skip it and substitute it with Irish cream syrup. Monin is usually my go-to syrup brand.
Similar Cocktail Recipes
If you're looking for more creamy cocktails or cocktails you could make during the holidays, check out the four that are linked below! The raspberry chocolate one is especially my favorite! Head to Cocktails to see all the latest ones!
- Creamy Espresso Martini
- Raspberry Chocolate Espresso Martini
- Rum Espresso Martini
- Chai White Russian
📖 Recipe
Gingerbread Martini
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Gingerbread Martini is the best Christmas cocktail to serve on Christmas Eve or any holiday party! Made with rum and sweetened with homemade gingerbread syrup!
Ingredients
Gingerbread Syrup
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp gingerbread spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Gingerbread Martini
- 1 oz gold or dark rum
- 2 oz Bailey’s
- 1 oz gingerbread syrup
- 1 oz almond milk or heavy cream
- 1-2 dashes chocolate bitters (optional)
- Ice
- Toppings: gingerbread cookie rim*, whipped cream, gingerbread spice (optional)
Instructions
Gingerbread Syrup
- Add dark brown sugar, water, and gingerbread spice to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Take the syrup off the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Gingerbread Martini
- Prepare your glass by coating the rim in crushed-up cookies if desired (see notes) and set aside.
- Add rum, Bailey’s, gingerbread syrup, almond milk, and chocolate bitters (if using) to a cocktail shaker.
- Add a handful of ice and shake the cocktail for 5-10 seconds until very cool.
- Strain into your prepared martini or coupe glass.
- Garnish with whipped cream and a dusting of gingerbread spice if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
*Cookie rim: To rim your glass with cookies, crush up any 1-2 crunchy cookies and add them to a plate (I used Biscoff cookies but gingerbread or ginger snap cookies all work). Add a tablespoon of agave syrup to another plate. Dip the rim of your glass into the agave syrup and then into the crushed cookies. Set aside while you make the cocktail.
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Natalie says
Made this over Christmas and it was so good I had to make it again for friends the other day. It's my new favorite martini, even when it's not Christmas!