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Cocktail History
The Peppermint Bark Eggnog is a Christmas cocktail that was created by Tom Maey at Clover Club in New York City, New York and was first published in the book Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails. The recipe is described as “the drink version of mint chocolate chip ice cream,” which is pretty spot on because it combines egg white and egg yolk with spiced rum, cream, mint, and chocolate to create a thick, dessert-inspired concoction. Our version also adds in simple syrup for more sweetness and has a fun candy cane rim.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and water that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. We used Appleton Estate Special Gold Rum because it has a delicious rum flavor with notes of vanilla and baking spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum.
Cognac: This is a type of brandy made in Cognac, France with distilled white wine. We used Courvoisier VSOP Cognac because it has a rich mouthfeel and a delightful brandy spice with notes of peach, almond, and cinnamon. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy.
Heavy Cream: This is a thick, high-fat milk product. We used use half & half instead of heavy cream because it’s lower in calories. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try Silk Dairy-Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative in place of the cream.
White Crème De Menthe: This is a liqueur made with mint, sugar, and alcohol. We used DeKuyper Crème De Menthe White Liqueur because it has a cool and refreshing taste. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Peppermint Syrup in place of the mint liqueur.
White Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with white chocolate, vanilla, sugar, and alcohol. We used DeKuyper Crème De Cacao White because it has a delightful white chocolate flavor and is affordable. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium White Chocolate Syrup in place of the white chocolate liqueur.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Egg White & Yolk: This is both the clear liquid and yellow portion in an egg. We used fresh egg white and yolk because they add a rich, silky smooth texture.
Candy Cane: This is a cane-shaped peppermint candy. We used YumEarth Organic Mini Candy Canes.
Grated Peppermint Bark Dust: This is a candy made with peppermint candy pieces in white chocolate on top of dark chocolate
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Mortar & Pestle Set: This is used to crush ingredients. We used the Gorilla Grip Heavy Duty Granite Mortar & Pestle Set.
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Grater: This is used to grate spices or citrus peel. We used the OXO Good Grips Grater.
Tasting Notes
The Peppermint Bark Eggnog features aromas of nutmeg and peppermint, and it has the immediate taste of the peppermint rim followed by a creamy blend of smooth Cognac and rum. These flavors are then followed by a hint of cocoa and peppermint that come forward further into the mouth, and it all goes down with a lingering spiciness from the spirits and a rich egg yolk flavor.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: After making our tweaks, we both thought this recipe was fantastic and almost too easy to drink. Definitely mix up a Peppermint Bark Eggnog if you’re craving the quintessential holiday beverage but want to add a tasty minty twist.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“This drink in its original form was tasty, but it was actually very dry, so I ended up adding a small amount of simple syrup to open up the sweetness of the other flavors. It definitely helped. The crème de cacao and crème de menthe are definitely present but far less forward than I expected, which made Kendall’s idea of a candy cane rim a good idea in hindsight, to help bring some more of the mint flavors. It’s a decent drink overall, but don’t expect an abundance of sweet flavors; instead, come prepared for a bit of a drier, more refined taste.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I didn’t grow up snacking on peppermint bark or drinking eggnog around the holidays, so I was very excited to try both in this cocktail. It did not disappoint! With Alex’s addition of a little simple syrup to sweeten up the other ingredients, it was just right for my palate. I don’t know that I’d request it again because drinking raw egg is off-putting to me, but this is a great one to batch for a holiday party. You just might want to skip the candy cane rim, although I personally think it’s essential to really enjoy this.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.
Crush candy cane in a mortar and pestle, pour crushed candy cane onto a plate, rub outer rim of a martini glass with ¼ oz simple syrup, and roll glass in candy cane until coated.
Add rum, brandy, heavy cream, white crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, ¼ oz simple syrup, egg white, egg yolk, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into candy cane-rimmed cocktail glass.
Garnish with grated peppermint bark dust.
Ingredients
Directions
Crush candy cane in a mortar and pestle, pour crushed candy cane onto a plate, rub outer rim of a martini glass with ¼ oz simple syrup, and roll glass in candy cane until coated.
Add rum, brandy, heavy cream, white crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, ¼ oz simple syrup, egg white, egg yolk, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into candy cane-rimmed cocktail glass.
Garnish with grated peppermint bark dust.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum, Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy, Monin Premium Peppermint Syrup in place of the mint liqueur, and Monin Premium White Chocolate Syrup in place of the white chocolate liqueur to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Christmas Cocktails
If you like this Christmas-inspired cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Sugar Cookie Cocktail: A vanilla vodka cocktail made with amaretto, Irish cream liqueur, heavy cream, simple syrup, and sprinkles
Kohler Mint Cocoa: A chocolate mint brandy cocktail made with milk, white peppermint schnapps, dark crème de cacao, cocoa powder, whipped cream, and grated chocolate
Chocolate-Covered Cherry: A brandy cocktail made with dark crème de cacao, cherry liqueur, and a cherry
Grand Galliano: A low-proof cocktail made with Liquore Galliano L’Autentico, Grand Marnier, heavy cream, an orange twist, and grated nutmeg
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