November 2025 – Gingerbread Martini

I was once asked how to make a gingerbread martini and I confessed I had no idea but would try some versions out that included store bought syrups, flavored creams, different liquors (both flavored and not) until I got it just right and then share the recipe.  Each year around Thanksgiving I would try again and again and fail time after time (four years) since each version just did not have enough gingerbread taste to make me happy.  So, this year as Thanksgiving approached, I decided to never give up, never surrender, and gave it another try with a new approach.  I like to bake and I decided to make my own gingerbread syrup with the ingredients needed to make the cookie and ensure the syrup was concentrated with flavor so the other ingredient in the martini would not dilute the flavor, which is what happened in past years.  I am now delivering my promised and extremely late gingerbread martini recipe which I finally believe fits the flavor profile and is a delight to drink during the holidays.  Happy Holidays and enjoy!!!!!

Ingredients:

• Absolute (or Stoli) Vanilla Vodka
• Baileys Irish Cream
• Cointreau
• Half & Half
• Homemade Gingerbread Syrup
  • Orange
  • Ginger root
  • Molasses
  • Brown Sugar (or demerara sugar)
  • Cinnamon Sticks
  • Whole Cloves
  • Whole Allspice
  • Vanilla Extract
• Whipped Cream (for garnish)
• Small Gingerbread cookies (e.g., Pepperidge Farm Gingerman Cookies) (for garnish)

Tools:

• Oxo two-sided shot glass/jigger
• Cocktail Shaker
• Martini Glass
• Microplane zester tool
• Saucepan
• Strainer
• Funnel
• Plastic Squeeze bottle for simple syrup

Directions:

1. Make your Gingerbread syrup mixture (makes about 4 drinks)
   • Heat 2/3 cup water, ¼ cup molasses. ¼ cup brown sugar (or demerara sugar) in saucepan and bring to boil. Add three cinnamon sticks. Add ginger (one whole ginger root peeled and diced fine into pieces). 1 tablespoon whole cloves. 1 tablespoon whole allspice.
   • 1 tablespoon orange zest. Lower heat and let simmer for 25 minutes
   • Add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, stir and let cool then strain simple syrup into bottle
2. Make sure the night before you place martini glasses in freezer to chill.
3. Fill Cocktail Shaker with ice and add the following ingredients for one cocktail.
   • Absolute Vanilla Vodka – 2oz
   • Homemade Gingerbread syrup – 1 ¼ oz
   • Cointreau – ½ oz
   • Bailey’s Irish Cream – 1 oz
   • Half and Half – ½ oz
   • 3 dashes of Orange Bitters
4. Once all ingredients added shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds. 
5. Pour liquid contents of shaker into frozen martini glass.
6. Garnish options (can use combinations of the below suggestions):
   • I prefer the simple dollop of whipped cream with a small gingerbread cookie on top
   • Dip the rim of glass in orange juice before filling and add smashed cookie crumbs around the rim (ginger snaps or gingerbread cookies)

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The items shown above are just suggestions/examples and each consumer should do their own research and choose the proper product that suits their needs the best.