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Cocktail History
The Blitzen is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created as a Christmas-inspired twist on hot chocolate. Like many cocoa recipes, this one starts with indulgent hot cocoa mix and milk, and it adds a unique flavor combination of blueberry, minty amaro, and dark chocolate liqueur.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Milk: This is a liquid rich in calcium and protein that is produced by mammals. We used Prairie Farm Vitamin D Whole Milk. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try oat milk in place of the milk.
Blueberry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with blueberries, sugar, and alcohol. We used Tattersall Distilling Blueberry Liqueur because it’s high quality and has a delicious tart berry flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Blueberry Syrup in place of the blueberry liqueur.
Fernet-Branca Menta: This is an amaro made in Italy with peppermint, gentian root, aloe, herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Harmony Alpine Digestif and Monin Premium Peppermint Syrup in place of the amaro.
Dark Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with dark chocolate, spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used DeKuyper Crème De Cacao Dark Liqueur because it’s flavorful and affordable. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Dark Chocolate Syrup in place of the dark chocolate liqueur.
Hot Cocoa Mix: This is a sweetened chocolate product made with ground cocoa beans and sugar. We used Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Hot Cocoa Mix because it’s rich and chocolatey.
Whipped Cream: This is heavy cream that has been whipped and beaten until it is light and fluffy. We used Reddi-Wip Original Dairy Whipped Topping because it offers easier application than making whipped cream at home using an iSi Cream Whipper. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try Reddi-Wip Non-Dairy Coconut Milk Whipped Topping in place of the whipped cream.
Cocoa Powder: This is cocoa bean that has been ground into a fine powder. We used Ghirardelli Majestic Premium Cocoa Powder.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Saucepan: This is used to warm the ingredients. We used the Cuisinart 3-Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan with Cover.
Spoon: This is used to stir the ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips Silicone Spoon.
Ladle: This is used to transfer the drink to cups. We used the OXO Good Grips Silicone Everyday Ladle.
Tasting Notes
The Blitzen has flavors of sweet blueberry mixed with pleasant, bright chocolate and finishes with an accenting note of slightly herbal and menthol-laced Fernet.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: How we ended up pairing blueberry and Fernet-Branca Menta is a mystery at this point, but what we made has some fascinating flavor combinations that work much better than expected. If you’re looking for a unique dessert drink that wows your friends this winter, look no further than The Blitzen.
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: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“What started as a rum and Irish cream-laced hot cocoa ended up as… this. I don’t even know how we landed on blueberry and Fernet-Branca’s mint version, but the name ‘Blitzen’ still rings true. The drink is uniquely tasty in a ‘why does this work’ kind of way. The blueberry mixes with the coca perfectly, and the Fernet finishes the whole thing off with a slightly bitter menthol note. If you’re feeling experimental this holiday season, don’t shy away from this tasty treat.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I lovingly dubbed this recipe our ‘Christmas Frankenstein’ because we quite literally flung a bunch of ingredients into an otherwise simple drink to see what happened. I really wasn’t sure what to expect of the blueberry and Fernet Branca-Menta additions; you don’t see blueberry paired that often with chocolate in general, for example. But I thought both made for an incredibly unique and much more complex hot cocoa.”
Recipe
Whisk hot cocoa mix into milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
When warm, pour hot cocoa, blueberry liqueur, Fernet-Branca Menta, and dark crème de cacao into a mug.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with whipped cream and cocoa powder.
Ingredients
Directions
Whisk hot cocoa mix into milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
When warm, pour hot cocoa, blueberry liqueur, Fernet-Branca Menta, and dark crème de cacao into a mug.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with whipped cream and cocoa powder.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Monin Premium Blueberry Syrup in place of the blueberry liqueur, Harmony Alpine Digestif and Monin Premium Peppermint Syrup in place of the amaro, and Monin Premium Dark Chocolate Syrup in place of the dark 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:
Chestnut Hot Chocolate: A brandy cocktail made with milk, frangelico liqueur, chestnut spread, saline solution, cocoa powder, cinnamon, whipped cream, and a chestnut
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
Jalisco Hot Chocolate: A tequila cocktail made with milk, vanilla extract, hot cocoa mix, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, ancho chile powder, and a dried pepper
Hot Peppermint Patty: A low-proof cocktail made with milk, white peppermint schnapps, dark crème de cacao, white crème de menthe, cocoa powder, whipped cream, and grated chocolate
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