Gingerbread Martini Recipe

by | Nov 15, 2025 | Cocktail Recipes, Holiday Cocktails, Seasonal Cocktails

Gingerbread Martini in a martini glass with a graham cracker rim and gingerbread man cookie garnish, set on a marble surface with cinnamon sticks, evergreen sprigs, and warm golden holiday lights in the background, with the Bartend Long Island logo watermark.
Get Recipe Ingredients

This Gingerbread Martini is a creamy, dessert-style Christmas cocktail made with vodka, Irish cream, coffee liqueur, and gingerbread syrup, shaken until frothy and topped with whipped cream and cookie crumbs. It tastes like a boozy gingerbread cookie in a martini glass.

If you love holiday coffee drinks and gingerbread cookies, this gingerbread martini recipe is the perfect after-dinner cocktail. Serve it at Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, or as a sweet nightcap after a big holiday meal.

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Total time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cocktail
  • Difficulty: Easy

Gingerbread Martini Ingredients

For One Gingerbread Martini

  • 1.5 oz vodka (vanilla or plain)
  • 1 oz Irish cream liqueur (such as Baileys)
  • 0.5 oz coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa)
  • 1 oz half-and-half or heavy cream
  • 0.75 oz gingerbread syrup (homemade or store-bought)

Garnish

  • Whipped cream
  • Crushed gingerbread cookies or gingersnaps
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Tools

  • Cocktail shaker
  • Hawthorne or fine-mesh strainer
  • Martini or coupe glass
  • Ice

How to Make a Gingerbread Martini

  1. Chill and rim the glass.
    Chill a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for a few minutes. If you’d like a cookie rim, spread a thin layer of frosting, caramel, or simple syrup on a small plate and dip the rim in crushed gingerbread cookies or gingersnaps.
  2. Add the ingredients to a shaker.
    Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, Irish cream, coffee liqueur, half-and-half or cream, and gingerbread syrup.
  3. Shake until frothy and cold.
    Seal the shaker and shake hard for 15–20 seconds, until the outside is very cold and the mixture looks thick and frothy.
  4. Strain and garnish.
    Double strain the gingerbread martini into the chilled glass to remove any ice chips. Top with whipped cream, a sprinkle of cookie crumbs, and a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg if you like. Serve immediately.

Bartender Notes

  • Vanilla vodka makes the martini taste more like a sugar cookie; plain vodka keeps the gingerbread flavors front and center.
  • Use half-and-half for a lighter texture, or heavy cream for an ultra-rich dessert cocktail.
  • Adjust the gingerbread syrup to taste. Add a little more if you want extra spice and sweetness.
  • For the smoothest texture, double strain the cocktail through a fine-mesh strainer to catch ice shards.

Gingerbread Martini Variations

  • Frozen Gingerbread Martini: Blend the ingredients with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a handful of ice for a boozy gingerbread milkshake.
  • Spiced Rum Gingerbread Martini: Swap half of the vodka for spiced rum for even more holiday spice.
  • Gingerbread Espresso Martini: Add 0.5–1 oz cooled espresso and reduce the coffee liqueur slightly for a gingerbread coffee twist.
  • Lighter Gingerbread Martini: Use milk or a barista-style oat milk instead of cream, and reduce the gingerbread syrup for a less decadent sip.
  • Gingerbread Cookie Shot: Strain the mixture into shot glasses and top each with whipped cream and cookie crumbs for mini dessert shots.

Gingerbread Martini FAQs

What is a gingerbread martini?

A gingerbread martini is a creamy holiday cocktail that tastes like a gingerbread cookie in liquid form. It’s typically made with vodka, Irish cream or another cream liqueur, coffee liqueur, and gingerbread syrup, then shaken with cream and topped with whipped cream and cookie crumbs.

What’s in the Outback-style gingerbread martini?

Copycat Outback gingerbread martinis usually include vodka, Baileys or another Irish cream, Kahlúa, milk or cream, and gingerbread syrup, shaken with ice and served in a martini glass with whipped cream and a gingerbread cookie. This recipe follows the same creamy, dessert-style format with a balanced gingerbread flavor.

What liquor tastes like gingerbread?

You can find specialty gingerbread liqueurs and cream liqueurs that taste like gingerbread cookies, but most home bartenders create that flavor by combining a neutral spirit like vodka with gingerbread syrup plus warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and molasses.

What can you mix with gingerbread vodka?

Gingerbread vodka pairs well with cream, coffee liqueur, and ginger beer. Try it in a gingerbread mule with ginger beer and lime, in a white Russian-style drink with cream and coffee liqueur, or in this gingerbread martini for a holiday dessert cocktail.

Can I make a gingerbread martini without cream?

Yes. For a lighter version, skip the Irish cream and heavy cream and use gingerbread vodka or gingerbread syrup with vodka and coffee liqueur, plus a splash of milk or oat milk. It won’t be as rich, but you’ll still get the cozy gingerbread flavor with less heaviness.

More Gingerbread & Christmas Cocktails

Planning a bigger holiday party? Use our Alcohol Shopping List Calculator to estimate how many bottles of vodka, cream liqueur, and mixers you’ll need.

Gingerbread Martini Video

A step-by-step video tutorial will be added here once it’s filmed and uploaded.

Nutrition (Estimated per cocktail)

  • Calories: 290
  • Carbs: 23 g
  • Sugar: 20 g
  • Fat: 9 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Sodium: 55 mg