What do you do if your Secret Santa recipient says they like peppermint bark candy and Grey Goose Vodka? You make peppermint bark liqueur!
The flavor of this liqueur is very pepperminty! The chocolate flavor is more subtle, but to remedy that, I’ve increased the cacao nibs in the recipe. (Plus, I had to gift this to my co-worker before it had a lot of time to infuse. A longer infusion time will definitely help!)
Peppermint Bark Vodka
1.5 ounces Candy Canes (about 10 mini candy canes) or Peppermint Candies
1/3-1/2 cup Cacao Nibs
1 1/2 cups Vodka
4 Tablespoons Simple Syrup (or to taste)
Crush the candy canes. Combine first three ingredients in a jar, and close tightly. Shake well to combine. The candy canes will dissolve quickly, but it will take a while for the cacao nibs to infuse properly into the vodka. Ideally, you would wait about 4 weeks for full infusion. I only had 10 days for mine. I tried filtering the liqueur, but I wanted the cacao nibs to infuse further. So I added the simple syrup to taste, and then put some of the nibs back into the gift bottle. Normally I am not a proponent of gifting without filtering, but what I liked about this infusion is that the cacao nibs in the liqueur give it a bit of a “snow globe” look. The presentation is actually lovely.
If you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own peppermint bark liqueur, or if you like it much heavier on the chocolate, I would recommend the Peppermint Bark Liqueur from Eastside Distilling. It is very chocolatey and very delicious.
I hope your holidays are filled with cheer!
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Holiday Liqueurs – Eastside Distilling
Boozed + Infused 
December 16, 2013 at 7:47 pm
I am so making this! Tried my hand at candy corn vodka last Oct, so it’s definitely time for another seasonal homemade hooch 🙂 Thanks for the great idea. Loving your photos, too.
January 4, 2014 at 10:49 am
Thanks Liz – did you end up trying this one? Hope you had a great holiday season! cheers~
December 17, 2013 at 4:13 am
There’s a new peppermint bark vodka (Pinnacle I think). It’s almost instinctual, I take one look at your gorgeous infusion, not even needing hear the ingredients…there’s no thinking…I would buy your infusion a hundred times before that industrial vodka. I think I might agree with you about straining, at least trying it once to see how I would compare. Looking forward to tasting this. Merry Christmas!
January 4, 2014 at 10:51 am
Hi Jack – Happy belated holidays to you! Most of the infused vodkas from the store aren’t all that exciting. I’m guessing the peppermint bark by Pinnacle would be similar. There are a few smaller distilleries that are doing some nice liqueurs or flavored vodkas (like the one that I listed from Eastside Distilling) but they can be a lot harder to come by. Happy New Year!
cheers~
December 17, 2013 at 5:12 am
Looks pretty, sounds delicious.
January 4, 2014 at 10:52 am
Thanks Laurie – Happy New Year! cheers~
December 17, 2013 at 5:32 am
I love you Alicia! Thank you for keeping me boozespd and infused!
January 4, 2014 at 10:52 am
Haha – thanks Mimi! Hope you had a great holiday season. And thanks for trying some of our infusions! Cheers~
December 17, 2013 at 10:10 am
Yay! You know I am all about a good holiday liqueur, and this one looks fantastic. Who can argue with chocolate and mint? 🙂
January 4, 2014 at 10:53 am
Hi Eileen, I’m guessing (and hoping) you had a deliciously wonderful and festive holiday season! Cheers~
December 17, 2013 at 11:08 am
What a cool color!
January 4, 2014 at 10:22 am
Thank you! Hope you had a great holiday season!
cheers~
December 17, 2013 at 7:15 pm
Very cool idea and nice presentation. Did you tell the person to filter it at a certain date after the cacao nibs had more time to infuse?
January 4, 2014 at 10:21 am
Hi there,
No, I didn’t actually tell the recipient to filter this at a certain time… although I probably should have. She told me recently that she had been just using it as is and really enjoying it.
If I had told the person to filter, I would have told her to wait about another 2-3 weeks and then filter. (I think a total infusion time of about 4-5 weeks would be great.)
Thanks for the comment and sorry for the delay! It was busy around here over the holidays.
Cheers~
December 19, 2013 at 8:01 am
YUM!! What a great holiday liqueur – you always come up with the greatest concoctions – I don’t know how you do it! Merry Christmas my friend.
December 21, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Merry Christmas to YOU too Kelli! I hope you, Mr. Picky Eater, Top Girl, and all the rest of the family a happy holiday season!
December 22, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Hey, Alicia, glad you’re back. Amongst other projects I’m starting something new every month this year. Watch close, and I’ll do the same. Best!
January 4, 2014 at 10:55 am
Thanks! I’m always excited to see what you come up with… looking forward to a spectacular 2014! cheers~
January 12, 2014 at 1:55 pm
Oh my! I am sooo impressed with your blog! I’ll try not to drool as I read back 🙂
January 18, 2014 at 10:32 am
Thanks! I hope you try some of the recipes!
February 9, 2014 at 7:46 am
I’m still hooked on peppermint bark. Apparently I bought it by the truck-load this year for the holidays. I’m not complaining. It goes great sprinkled over my morning granola. But this recipe looks like a total keeper. Can’t wait to try it. Cheers!
February 11, 2014 at 8:16 pm
If you’re still hooked on peppermint bark, I guess that means you did a great job of not scarfing it all down over the holidays! Well… except that I just read that you bought it by the truck-load. That’s a lot… what kind of truck exactly? I made several (ok MANY) batches of espresso bark this year (sprinkled with crushed candy canes) and that was a fun deviation.
cheers~
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November 10, 2016 at 12:57 pm
Reblogged this on Obedient Ingredients and commented:
Just found a great resource of amazing ideas and beautiful photos!