A festive Christmas cocktail like this Eggnog Vodka Martini is a great way to spread holiday cheer. For an easy mixed drink that tastes and smells like Christmas, this recipe is a delight.
Why this Eggnog Martini Recipe is the BEST: My recipe is better than the others - the delicious caramel cinnamon rim sets this over the top and is all you and Santa need for a cheerful Christmas.
It is creamy, rich, spiced, and not your traditional eggnog alcoholic drink. With flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, eggnog is a great beverage to mix with vodka to make the best holiday martini.
And if you want to stay up late to try and sneak a peak of Santa, caffeine up your cocktail with a Salted Caramel Espresso Martini. Ok, now we get shaking!
Jump to:
What is Eggnog?
Eggnog is a sweet seasonal non-alcoholic drink made of milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and spices. Since eggnog homemade or store-bought is a drink enjoyed so much at parties, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and other holidays, it is a great mixer for the winter season.
Ingredients for Eggnog Martini
All you need is 4 ingredients for to shake up this martini. If you love the bottled Kirkland eggnog liqueur from Costco, this is the homemade recipe for you.
There is no brandy or whisky in this eggnog cocktail which makes it a great twist for your holiday party. Regular, vanilla, or whipped cream vodka makes for my favorite spiked eggnog recipe.
Here are the ingredients needed to make this holiday cocktail recipe:
- Vodka - I use plain Kirkland but your favorite brand will work too such as Tito's, Grey Goose, Absolut, etc.
- Eggnog - homemade or store-bought brands such as Crystal, Trader Joe's, Lucerne, Borden, Walmart, or Darigold. Vegan, lactose-free or dairy-free can also be substituted.
- Caramel Sauce - to drizzle in the glass & for the sweet spiced rim.
- Cinnamon - for the martini glass rim.
See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make an Eggnog Martini with Vodka
Begin gathering all the equipment you will need to make this recipe. For this quick vodka martini, you will need a martini shaker, shot glass, and 2 martini glasses.
You will also need a small plate that has a diameter wider than your martini glasses. The plate is where you will be pouring some caramel and sprinkling on the cinnamon that will be for the rim of your glasses.
Here are the easy steps for making a Cinnamon Caramel Eggnog Cocktail:
- Prepare the Martini Glass Rim
- Shake Up the Eggnog Vodka
- step 3 (then use these as H3 headers for steps below)
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Prepare the Martini Glass Rim
To make a gooey sweet rim for your martini glasses. To your plate, add some of the caramel sauce. Next, sprinkle some cinnamon on top of that caramel.
Turn your martini glasses upside and dip them into the circle of caramel and cinnamon that is on the plate. Roll them around in the sweet goodness so that all edges of the martini glasses are coated with caramel.
Once you turn the glasses right side up, the caramel and cinnamon will begin to drip a bit down the sides of the glasses. OMG, look at that sweetness.
2 - Shake up the Eggnog Vodka
To mix up a few drinks, begin with filling a martini shaker halfway with ice cubes. Next pour in the eggnog. Now follow with the vodka, either regular or whipped cream flavored.
Shake up the ingredients in your martini shaker for 10 seconds. The eggnog martini ingredients will now be mixed and chilled.
Remove the small top of the shaker. Using the strainer on top, pour half of the vodka eggnog cocktail into each of the prepared martini glasses.
Serving Suggestions
For the ultimate dessert cocktail, top it with some fresh whipped cream & a dusting of nutmeg. Other ideas include adding a cinnamon stick to the drink or dip the glasses into chocolate syrup instead of caramel.
For a non-alcoholic beverage for kids & adults, offer this with a glass of my Homemade Hot Chocolate from Chocolate Chips.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 Tip - use fresh eggnog.
- Stemless martini glasses work great for this recipe & perfect for parties/crowds when you want to make sure there is less chance one gets knocked over/spills.
- For the caramel sauce, instead of cinnamon, sprinkle on some homemade fun colored sugar
- Serve any time of day for your holiday; brunch, lunch, dinner, parties, or after midnight mass.
- Eggnog is an American tradition that goes back as far as our first President, Washington.
- Be warned, if you enjoy too many of these you may want to go out caroling & spread some jolly cheer.
FAQ:
The creamy texture is rich, thick, and a bit spicy thanks to the cinnamon & nutmeg. With hints of vanilla too, eggnog tastes like a warm comforting creamy drink that is spiced & tasty.
The flavor is great in many desserts. It is the star in my No-Bake Eggnog Pie.
Eggnog Vodka Martini
Equipment
- Martini Shaker
- Martini Glasses
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Eggnog
- 3 ounces vodka regular, vanilla, or whipped cream
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ice cubes
Instructions
- To a plate that is wider than your martini glass rims, add the caramel sauce. Next, sprinkle the cinnamon on top of that caramel.
- Turn your martini glasses upside and dip them into the circle of caramel and cinnamon that is on the plate. Roll them around in the sweet goodness so that all edges of the martini glasses are coated with caramel.
- To a martini shaker, fill it ½ way with ice cubes. Pour in the eggnog and vodka.
- Put the lid on the martini shaker and make sure it is on tight. Shake for 10-15 seconds to combine together and help chill all the ingredients.
- Remove the small top strainer lid from the martini shaker. Using the strainer top, pour half of the mixture into each martini glass.
- Cheers - enjoy!
Notes
More Christmas Cocktails
Here are some similar recipes:
Caroline Parrott says
This is the merriest drink I've ever seen! Egg Nog is life.