My Mom has never been a drinker. My Dad was always the drinker in our family - and he mostly just stuck to a beer with the guys every once in awhile or during a family barbeque.
But in the late 60s when my parents were newlyweds, my Mom and my Dad used to go to lots of house parties and also host their own, and she admitted to me that she did love a Grasshopper on occasion!
This cocktail uses only three ingredients and is super easy to make. It's such a great retro cocktail to serve during the holidays as an after-dinner sipper, along with its counterparts the Pink Squirrel and Golden Cadillac. Also check out my Violet Dream cocktail. Not a retro recipe, but it also shares the same ingredients, so serving all, or a combination, at your holiday parties is a no-brainer.
Fans of Palm Royale on Apple TV+ might also recognize the Grasshopper as Maxine Dellacorte's (Kristen Wigg) signature drink.
If you haven't been watching the series, you need to check it out. It's such a fun romp through Palm Beach in the 1960's. And Season Two just dropped.
The cast is amazing.
Also starring Allison Janney, Josh Lucas, Laura Dern, Carol Burnett, Leslie Bibb, Mindy Cohn, Julia Duffy. And Ricky Martin is perfect as the beach club waiter.
But back to the Grasshopper.
Grasshopper Ingredients
Heavy cream makes up the bulk of the Grasshopper. That gives the drink its creamy, thick consistency, almost like an ice cream float.
Added to that is White Creme de Cacao which is a clear chocolate and vanilla flavored liqueur.
The third and final ingredient is Creme de Menthe which is a bright green mint-flavored liqueur, making this cocktail taste just like mint chocolate chip ice cream!
And I love to garnish the Grasshopper with grated chocolate for an elegant presentation. Or you can pull out all the stops and garnish each glass with an Andes Thin Mint.
The Grasshopper is so festive, so it's the perfect holiday sipper!
(scroll down for the printable recipe)
Grasshopper Cocktail
Makes one cocktail.
2 ounces heavy cream
1 ounce White (or Clear) Creme de Cacao
1 ounce Creme de Menthe
Freshly grated chocolate or Andes Thin Mints, for garnish
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake the heavy cream, Creme de Cacao and Creme de Menthe. Strain into a chilled coupe glass or other fancy cocktail glass.
Grate some chocolate on top or garnish with a Andes Thin Mint.
