PREP TIME 5 min
The Grasshopper drink recipe was invented by Philibert Guichet for a cocktail competition in New York City in 1918. Later on, it became a popular drink at Tujague’s Restaurant in New Orleans. Today, the Grasshopper is as popular as it was way back then, proving that age really is just a number.
Grasshopper cocktail ingredients include crème de cacao, crème de Menthe, and heavy cream. If you’ve ever tasted one, you know that this is the only after-dinner chocolate mint you’ll ever need.
Prepare a frosted martini glass by chilling it in the freezer for about an hour
Add a dash of either crème de cacao or crème de menthe to one plate, and chocolate shavings to another
Dip the rim of the martini glass into the liqueur and then into the chocolate and set aside
Add cracked ice to a cocktail shaker, followed by crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream
Shake it up (until you feel you might get frostbite on your hands)
Strain into the frosted chocolate rimmed martini glass and serve
Known as one of the best after-dinner cocktails, the Grasshopper gets its name for its electric green color. In fact, it’s so popular that the Grasshopper drink recipe has a special place on IBA’s list of official cocktails. Crème de menthe and crème de cacao are the hero flavors in this drink, so if you love a scoop of mint choc chip ice cream, you will love this iconic drink.
The Grasshopper alcoholic drink is a real crowd-pleaser for any Christmas cocktail party, St Paddy’s celebrations, and any occasion you can think of to be a little decadent and naughty. The best part is that it’s effortless to shake up. Still, we have one non-negotiable: serve your Grasshopper in a frosted martini glass—the extra chill factor adds to the velvety smoothness of the drinking experience and is totally worth that little bit of effort.
Chocolate and mint naturally love each other, and when you add cream to the mix, it becomes completely indulgent. It’s naturally sweet, and there’s a lot of room to play when learning how to make a Grasshopper.
The original recipe calls for equal parts crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and heavy cream, so if you want it more chocolatey, add more crème de cacao. Prefer a more robust mint taste? Add more crème de menthe. Want something lighter and creamier? Add more cream. How it turns out is entirely up to your own taste.
Don’t let the name fool you, this liqueur doesn’t actually contain any cream at all. Crème de menthe is a grain alcohol that’s been infused with mint. It’s bright green in color, and taste-wise, you can expect it to be sweet and minty—and quite similar to peppermint schnapps. You get different types of this mint liqueur, and we suggest you reach for the green kind to keep the green color of your Grasshopper.
Crème de cacao is as rich in history as it is in taste. First created by French monks for medicinal purposes in the 1600s when the cocoa bean hit European shores, it soared in popularity and became an essential ingredient for many cocktails, drinks, and desserts. Made with cocoa beans and vodka, it comes in two varieties (dark and white). While normal chocolate liqueur is often overly sweet, crème de cacao is richer in taste with notes of vanilla.
The Grasshopper drink recipe is easy to tweak to your taste and comes with loads of variations that you can play around with.
