This white chocolate martini is ultra-creamy and perfectly chilled, balancing vanilla-cocoa notes with a candy-cane sparkle for instant holiday vibes. With just four ingredients and a frosty 30-second shake, it pours silky every time.
Why You’ll Love It
Creamy but balanced – We use half-and-half, not heavy cream, so it’s not overly thick and heavy.
5-minute cocktail – With easy garnishes and a quick shake, these martinis are fast to whip up for a party.
Easy to make large batches – Just want one for yourself? No prob. But they’re also easy to whip up a big batch for parties.
What You’ll Need
Grab your list and head to the liquor store! You’ll want to make these white chocolate martinis all season long. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Vodka– we’re using plain vodka in this decadent cocktail, though vanilla vodka would add wonderful flavor if you want to add that to yours.
- White chocolate liqueur– this is the base of our martini, and it’s well-worth going to look for since it’s a little different than white crème de cocoa. It has a low alcohol content, but it provides a ton of white chocolate flavor with a hint of vanilla, too.
- White crème de cocoa– this is the other layer of our martini, and it adds to the chocolate flavor and aroma of this sweet cocktail.
- Half-and-half– this is adding the extra creaminess to our cocktail. Do not replace it with milk, as it won’t be thick enough for the drink to really sing. However, for a super creamy cocktail, you can use heavy cream.
- White chocolate or white chocolate melts– we’ll use this to rim our glasses! Plan to melt about ¼ cup of chips or melts to dip your glass(es) in. You can also use a thick white chocolate syrup if it’s easy to find at your grocery store.
- Peppermint or candy canes– if you’re making a White Christmas Martini, you’ve GOT to use crushed candy canes on the rim of the glass for the most festive cocktail ever!
How to Make a White Chocolate Cocktail
Making this martini is as easy as one, two, three!
- Rim your glasses. Melt white chocolate (or white chocolate melts) and dip the rim(s) of your glass(es) into it. There doesn’t need to be a ton on this, so don’t feel like you need to melt a ton of chocolate! Dip the martini glass(es) into the crushed candy canes for a festive White Christmas Martini rim.
- Combine the ingredients in a shaker. Add a handful of ice to the shaker before adding the vodka, white chocolate liqueur, white crème de cocoa, and half-and-half.
- Shake vigorously for 30 seconds, until the cocktail shaker is incredibly cold.
- Pour into your prepared glass, and serve with your favorite garnish!
Pro tip: Use a cocktail strainer to keep ice from falling into your prepared martini glasses! It’ll make for better presentation and less mess.
Garnishes
Depending on the time of year, you can change up the garnishes for your white chocolate martini! Here are some fun options.
- Cocoa powder
- White chocolate shavings — or use dark chocolate shavings for a color contrast that makes for a beautiful presentation
- Crushed candy canes (for a White Christmas Martini)
- Fresh fruit, like strawberries or raspberries
- Edible glitter
Make It Your Own!
There are lots of fun ways to make this white chocolate martini. Here are some suggestions.
- Peppermint White Chocolate: Add a splash of peppermint extract in the shaker.
- Mocha Twist: Adding an ounce of cooled espresso or coffee liqueur gives it a fun twist.
- Lighter: Swap whole milk for half-and-half for a thinner texture.
- No-rim option: Put superfine sugar or cocoa on the rim- or serve clean.
More Festive Holiday Drink and Cocktail Recipes
Whether you are decorating the tree or hosting a holiday gathering, here are more festive holiday cocktails and mocktails to bring spirit to your crew.
White Chocolate Martini Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 2 ounces white chocolate liqueur
- 1 ounces white crème de cacao
- 1 ounces half-and-half
Garnishes
- white chocolate or candy melts , melted, for the rim (about ¼ cup, unless you’re making several)
- candy canes , crushed
- fruit—like fresh strawberries and raspberries
- chocolate shavings
- cocoa powder
Instructions
- Prepare the martini glasses by dipping the rims in the melted white chocolate, then into the crushed candy canes. (Alternately, you could leave the rim clear or just use sugar in the rim if you’re not making a White Christmas Martini.)
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the vodka, white chocolate liqueur, white crème de cocoa and half-and-half.
- Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Strain as you pour into the prepared glasses, and enjoy immediately.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings!
Notes
Nutrition
Sign me up! This is my kind of martini!
What a festive looking drink. This is something so different. And I love all the helpful pictures and tips.
Such a perfect drink!! And I love how easy it is to make!
Perfect adult way to treat that sweet tooth
the white chocolate and peppermint rim really puts this drink over the edge! so delicious!!!