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Sugar Cookie Martini Christmas Cocktail

By: Cassie Johnston / Updated: August 4, 2025 / Posted: November 30, 2020

A Christmas martini stands on a kitchen linen surrounded by holiday decor.

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Five yellow stars in a row

“Do not sleep on this one! It was incredibly big hit with our family last holiday season.”

– VICKIE –

I’d like to introduce you to my new favorite holiday cocktail—the Sugar Cookie Martini. This is a Christmas martini for those of us who have a sweet tooth and a deep appreciation for all things Christmas cookies!

It’s sweet, creamy, rich, and has the delicate vanilla flavor of your favorite frosted sugar cookie (with sprinkles!). And while it tastes like an innocent sugar cookie, it definitely has a boozy kick that will add a little holly jolly to your holidays!

Overhead of sprinkles floating on top of a sugar cookie martini.

I love this Christmas martini because not only does it taste incredible, but it’s also supremely adorable and festive. I mean, friends, we rim the martini glass with frosting and sprinkles! This cocktail will be the talk of your holiday party.

The flavor key here is vanilla-flavored vodka, which is an easy find at any major supermarket or liquor store. Let’s make this martini!

Step-by-Step how to MAKE A SUGAR COOKIE MARTINI

1

Rim glass with frosting

Spread vanilla frosting in a small saucer and dip the rim of a martini glass in. You can also spread the frosting directly on the rim of the glass, if you prefer.

2

Dip rim in sprinkles

Fill another small saucer with some festive holiday sprinkles. Dip the frosting-covered glass in the sprinkles. Then set the glass aside.

3

Add ingredients in a cocktail shaker

Combine vanilla vodka, Irish cream, whole milk, amaretto, and powdered sugar with ice in a cocktail shaker.

4

Shake

Close lid on the shaker and shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds to mix and chill the cocktail.

5

Pour

Strain the cocktail into the prepared martini glass.

6

Garnish with additional sprinkles

Add a few sprinkles floating in the drink to give it extra holiday flair.

What does this Christmas martini taste like?

It tastes exactly how you’d expect from the name—like a really great sugar cookie! It is sweet, buttery, rich, and packed with vanilla flavor. It’s basically a drinkable, boozy cookie.

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Wholefully Protip

If you want to skip rimming the glass, add an extra teaspoon of powdered sugar to the martini to substitute for the frosting’s sweetness.

What kind of alcohol is in it?

The vanilla vodka is an absolute must here—it has a less aggressive flavor than plain vodka, and has just a touch of sweetness. It’s what makes your sugar cookie martini taste like a sugar cookie! You’ll also want to pick up some amaretto and a bottle of Irish cream.

Most liquor stores or supermarkets (if you live in a state where you can get alcohol at the grocery store!) will sell all three.

Can I make a sugar cookie martini in advance for a crowd?

Sure can! Multiply the recipe by how many servings you like, and then mix it up and stash it in the fridge for easy cocktails during your holiday gathering. It should last in the fridge for up to a week.

A Christmas martini stands on a kitchen linen surrounded by holiday decor.

Sugar Cookie Martini Recipe

A Sugar Cookie Martini is a festive Christmas cocktail that tastes like a delicious Christmas cookie with a kick! Serve these at your next holiday party.
4.51 from 658 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Calories: 366kcal
Author: Cassie Johnston

Ingredients

  • Vanilla frosting and sprinkles for rimming the glass
  • 1 ½ ounce vanilla vodka
  • 1 ½ ounces Irish cream
  • 2 ounces whole milk
  • 1 ounce amaretto
  • 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
  • Ice

Instructions

  • Spread the frosting along the rim of a martini glass (you can also dip it into the frosting, if you prefer). Pour the sprinkles into a shallow dish or saucer, and dip the frosting-covered glass into the sprinkles. Set glass aside.
  • In a cocktail shaker, combine the vanilla vodka, Irish cream, milk, amaretto, powdered sugar, and ice. Close lid and shake for at least 15 seconds to mix and chill.
  • Pour into the prepared glass. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

If you choose not to rim the martini glass with frosting, add an extra teaspoon of powdered sugar to the cocktail. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktail | Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 94mg | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 0.02mg
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Cassie Johnston

Cassie is a holistic nutritionist, cookbook author, and all-around food lover. She grew up cooking dinner with her parents every evening, and her passion for home cooking has been strong ever since. Cassie is the author of two published cookbooks (Cooking with Greek Yogurt and Chia, Quinoa, Kale, Oh My!) and dozens of recipes published in major magazines and newspapers. Cassie has been sharing her award-winning recipes on Wholefully since 2010. She loves dark chocolate, homegrown tomatoes, motorsports, and anything that sparkles. She lives in Indiana with her family on a small homestead.

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4.51 from 658 votes (658 ratings without comment)

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20 Comments

  1. I tried this recipe exactly as described and for me it was too strong. Kinda like a sugar cookie dunked in vodka. Haha Everyone’s taste is different and I only drink occasionally, so someone that drinks a little more often or really loves vodka might like it more. I did try to tweak it to my own taste and I omitted the vodka altogether, used an ounce of the Irish cream, an ounce of amaretto, the tsp of powdered sugar, and upped to three ounces of milk (along with the frosting and sprinkled rum) and that very much tasted like a sugar cookie to me. So without trying this recipe initially, I never would have thought to put the second concoction together. So thank you! 😀

    Reply

  2. This is delicious. I made with smirnoff vanilla vodka,baileys irish cream and Disarinno. Topped with pink vanilla frosting and sprinkles

    Reply

    1. Hi Kobe! We’ve never added espresso to this, so we have no idea how that would affect the flavor of the drink. It would definitely muddle the color, though, so it may not look as appetizing! If you’re up for experimenting to see how you like it, please let us know how it goes!

      Reply

  4. this is not good, do not make. no offense to the person who made the recipe, it just doesn’t taste like a sugar cookie at all. more like super alcoholic milk. i spent $42 on ingredients and was very disappointed. try another christmas drink recipe instead :))

    Reply

    1. We’re so sorry this didn’t turn out to your liking, Margaret! Did you use vanilla vodka or regular (unflavored) vodka? Did you use the frosting rim? If not, did you add the extra powdered sugar? The drink definitely has a boozy kick, but it should be creamy and sweet. If this one isn’t to your taste, we hope you’ll give some of our other Christmas cocktails a go. You can find them collected here: https://wholefully.com/christmas-cocktails/ We have eggnog cocktails, warm drinks, and chilled ones. Hopefully, you’ll find something you love!

      Reply

    2. Do not sleep in this one! It was incredibly big hit with our family last holiday season. Came to get the ingredients In preparation for this year. I’ve master making this in a big batch. I’m so happy it the holidays for this comeback cocktail! Enjoy! 🍸

      Reply

    1. Hi Mandy! If you’d like to make a big batch, just mix it all up and stash it in the fridge. Shaking with ice does dilute the drink a bit—so you can either add a little cold water if you find it’s too sweet or strong, or you can shake each drink individually when you serve them. When we batch this cocktail, we usually taste and add a splash of water as needed!

      Reply

    1. Hi Ashleigh! For sweet mixed drinks like this one, you can use whatever brand you like, can readily find, and fits into your budget. You don’t need top shelf liquor for this! We usually reach for Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka and Amaretto di Amore, which is a great budget brand. Disaronno is another popular brand of Amaretto that should be easy to find!

      Reply

    1. Hi Krystal! Yes, you can definitely swap almond milk in for the whole milk. If you’d like to make the entire cocktail dairy-free, you’ll also need to swap the Irish cream liqueur for one that’s dairy-free. Bailey’s is a very popular and easy to find brand that makes an almond milk version called Bailey’s Almande. It’s gluten-free and dairy-free and should be easy to find! It’s likely available in your regular liquor store or supermarket (if your supermarket sells booze). If you give the almond milk version a go, let us know how it turns out! =)

      Reply

    1. Hi Sara! You can get Irish cream liqueur right at the liquor store or the supermarket (if you’re in a state where you can get alcohol at the supermarket). Bailey’s is a well-known brand, but there are others. It should be pretty easy to find! Good luck, and let us know how you like it!

      Reply

  9. Wanted to clarify plain Irish cream or Irish cream liquor ? Can’t wait to make them this weekend for my “making spirits bright” pj party

    Reply

    1. Hi Mae! We’re referring to cream liqueur, typically called Irish cream or Irish cream liqueur. The most commonly known is Bailey’s, but there are lots. Use whichever one is your favorite! Your “making spirits bright” PJ party sounds amazing—what a fun idea! These martinis are perfect for festive holiday parties like that. Let us know how everyone likes them! =)

      Reply

  10. I wish vanilla vodka (or other flavored vodka, for that matter) existed in my corner of the world. (Europe is great and all, but it sorely lacks in creative booze.)
    Do you have thoughts on how to make up for that? I suppose I could make my own (infusing vodka with a vanilla bean), do you happen to know how I could sub for it within-recipe? Like, just adding vanilla (sugar/aroma/paste) in the shaker?

    Reply

    1. Hi, Jana! Infusing your own vodka with vanilla beans would be your best bet because the infused vodka will be slightly sweeter and less aggressive than plain vodka, which is what we’re going for. The vanilla flavor will also be stronger that way. If you want to try mixing something into the shaker, it’s going to take some experimentation!

      I don’t think vanilla sugar will have a strong enough vanilla flavor, and it might make the drink too sweet. Vanilla paste has the most concentrated flavor, but it might take some vigorous shaking to get it to incorporate completely. You could try shaking just the vodka and paste together first and then add everything else and shake again. I’m not familiar with vanilla aroma, but if it’s like vanilla essence or extract in the States, it would just need to be added in with everything else and shaken per the recipe. Which one you use and the exact amounts needed are where you’ll need to play around a bit!

      If you tinker with it, please let us know how it works out! We hope you settle on something that you love. Good luck!

      Reply