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    Home » Recipes » Drinks » Grasshopper Cocktail - 2 Ways! Classic and Blended with Ice Cream

    October 7, 2022 · Updated October 7, 2022

    Grasshopper Cocktail - 2 Ways! Classic and Blended with Ice Cream

    5 from 1 vote
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    · by Amanda Gajdosik

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. This blog generates income via ads.

    A Grasshopper cocktail is a classic drink recipe that is known for its bright green hue and delicious mint-chocolate flavor. Made with crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and dairy it’s a common after-dinner drink in Midwestern Supper Clubs.

    A grasshopper cocktail sits on a silver tray garnished with chocolate shavings and whipped cream.

    Enjoying a grasshopper is like drinking a liquid Andes mint. It’s so smooth, just sweet enough, and full of delicious mint-chocolate taste. For an extra special treat, try a blended variation made with ice cream!

    Ingredients for this recipe

    • Crème de Menthe – a mint liqueur available at most liquor stores, you’ll recognize it for its bright green color
    • Crème de Cacao – a chocolate-scented liqueur made from cocoa beans that’s just delightful
    • Heavy Cream – full-fat dairy is a signature of this digestif
    • Whipped Cream and Chocolate Shavings – to garnish, if you feel so inclined
    All the ingredients for a grasshopper cocktail are in small white bowls on a white marble backdrop.

    How to make a grasshopper cocktail

    1. Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker. That’s filled with ice.
    2. Shake it up. Until well chilled, about ten seconds.
    3. Strain into a glass. Traditionally, the grasshopper is served up in a coupe or martini glass.
    A hand pours creme de menthe into a glass cocktail shaker filled with ice.
    Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.
    A hand pours a grasshopper into a coupe glass garnished with chocolate shavings along the rim.
    Strain into a coupe glass, garnish, and enjoy!

    It’s really that easy to enjoy this cocktail! I’m guessing that’s why it’s such a popular after dinner drink. It will freshen your breath, satisfy your sweet tooth, and doesn’t require too much effort after a big meal.

    A coupe glass on a silver tray filled with a grasshopper drink and garnished with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and a mint sprig.

    What is a grasshopper cocktail?

    Developed by New Orleans bartender Philibert Guichet in 1918, the grasshopper is a classic digestif (that means “after dinner drink”) that’s been popular on restaurant menus for over a century.

    Philibert developed the cocktail for a competition in NYC in 1918 and won second place. He took the drink back to the bar he worked at in NOLA, Tujague, that still serves his recipe to this day. What a legacy!

    A hand pours a green grasshopper cocktail into a coupe glass garnished with chocolate shavings.

    Making a blended grasshopper drink

    While the original grasshopper cocktail was developed in the South, we Midwesterners got ahold of it decades ago and, of course, added more dairy.

    The most common way I see grasshoppers offered in restaurants in Wisconsin is as a boozy milkshake made with vanilla ice cream.

    To make an ice cream grasshopper add 2 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream to a blender, followed by crème de menthe and crème de cacao and blend until smooth. Serve with whipped cream and a cherry to garnish, if desired.

    A blended ice cream grasshopper garnished with whipped cream and a cherry sits on a silver tray.

    Big Batch Blended Grasshoppers

    Every New Year’s Eve our family toasts to the new year with a big, blended batch of grasshoppers. Here’s how to make enough ice cream grasshoppers for a group of four:

    • Add 8 scoops (about 4 cups) of vanilla ice cream to a blender.
    • Add ¾ cup of crème de menthe and ¾ cup of crème de cacao.
    • Blend until smooth.
    • If necessary, add a splash of heavy cream to make it blend easier.
    • Serve in tall glasses garnished with whipped cream and maraschino cherries.

    Ingredient Substitutions

    • Crème de Menthe – Crème de menthe is a liqueur made from grain alcohol infused with mint, not unlike peppermint schnapps. You need the green version to get the classic bright green color in this drink, but they also make a clear, uncolored version that will add the same flavor if it’s all you can find.
    • Crème de Cacao – also a grain alcohol that’s been infused, this time with cocoa beans that has a light, sweet chocolate flavor. This liqueur also comes in a clear version! I use brown, but you can use clear if that’s what you have.
    • Heavy Cream – if you don’t have heavy cream on hand, you can use half & half or whole milk if you’re desperate. I don’t recommend using 2% or skim milk, as they will be too watery for this drink.
    • Grasshopper Ice Cream – if you want to have a one-step drink recipe, you can blend up a few scoops of my no-church grasshopper ice cream for a super quick and fun cocktail!
    A glass cocktail shaker filled with a green grasshopper cocktail and ice.
    A grasshopper cocktail sits on a silver tray garnished with chocolate shavings and whipped cream.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Grasshopper Cocktail

    Made with crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and heavy cream, this grasshopper cocktail is a creamy, mint chocolate after-dinner drink recipe that’s been enjoyed for over a century!
    Prep Time2 mins
    Total Time2 mins
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: digestif recipe, grasshopper cocktail, grasshopper ice cream
    Servings: 1 serving
    Calories: 498kcal
    Author: Amanda Gajdosik

    Equipment

    • Cocktail Shaker
    • Coupe or martini glasses
    • Cocktail Jigger

    Ingredients

    For a classic grasshopper cocktail:

    • 1 ½ oz crème de menthe
    • 1 ½ oz crème de cacao
    • 2 oz heavy cream
    • Chocolate shavings to garnish
    • Whipped cream to garnish

    For a blended grasshopper:

    • 2 scoops vanilla bean ice cream

    Instructions

    For a classic grasshopper cocktail:

    • In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 ½ oz crème de menthe, 1 ½ oz crème de cacao, and 2 oz heavy cream. Cover and shake until well chilled, about 10 seconds.
    • Serve the drink up in a coupe glass with whipped cream and chocolate shavings to garnish, if desired.

    For a blended grasshopper:

    • Add 2 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream to a blender, followed by 1 ½ oz crème de menthe and 1 ½ oz crème de cacao and blend until smooth. If necessary, add a splash of heavy cream to make the shake thinner.
    • Pour into a large glass, garnish with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • For a fun serving idea - rim the edge of the cocktail glass with chocolate syrup and coat in chocolate shavings. Yum!
    • No cocktail shaker? Use a mason jar with a lid and a small strainer to shake your grasshopper.
    • If you don't have a cocktail jigger, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons
    • Refer to post for ingredient substitutions.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cocktail | Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 54mg | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 833IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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