Gingerbread is a popular Christmas treat enjoyed around the world. It first appeared in central Europe in the Middle Ages, made with sugars and spices from the Middle East. The earliest gingerbread was made by monks. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, specialized bakers were given the exclusive right to make gingerbread. Due to the high price of the exotic spices used in making it, it was reserved as a treat on special occasions for most people. Gingerbread continued to flourish and spread throughout Europe, especially in Germany. The tradition of gingerbread came to colonial America from Europe with German settlers in the mid-nineteenth century. It was at this time that gingerbread cookies became associated primarily with Christmas.
Naturally, gingerbread has gone beyond just cookies. The classic blended flavor of molasses & spices is added to 3 spirits for this Christmas martini. Amaretto, Irish cream, and vodka are the spirits that elevate molasses, allspice, and pumpkin pie spice from cookie ingredients to cocktail mix-ins for this drink. Here’s to Gingerbread!
Gingerbread Martini
Time Required: 10 minutes, Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces amaretto liqueur
- 1/2 teaspoon molasses
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 ounces vodka
- 2 ounces Irish cream liqueur
- red or green colored sugar for rimming glasses, if desired
Directions:
In a small container, combine the amaretto, molasses, allspice, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir it together until the molasses is dissolved.
Combine the molasses & spices with the amaretto
Rim 2 martini glasses with red or green colored sugar, if desired. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the vodka, Irish cream liqueur, and amaretto mixture to it. Shake well to blend it and strain the drink into two cocktail glasses.
Serve in rimmed martini glasses.
Gingerbread is now a Christmas cocktail tradition! ~Linda
Gingerbread Martini (adapted from allrecipes.com) Time Required: 10 minutes, Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces amaretto liqueur
- 1/2 teaspoon molasses
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 ounces vodka
- 2 ounces Irish cream liqueur
- red or green colored sugar for rimming glasses, if desired
Directions:
In a small container, combine the amaretto, molasses, allspice, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir it together until the molasses is dissolved.
Rim 2 martini glasses with red or green colored sugar, if desired. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the vodka, Irish cream liqueur, and amaretto mixture to it. Shake well to blend it and strain the drink into two cocktail glasses.