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Cocktail History
The It’s a Wonderful Life is a Christmas cocktail that was created by food writer and author Jessica Strand and was first published in her book Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season. As a nod to the character George Bailey, the recipe calls for Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur and mixes it with half & half and the bright flavor of green crème de menthe, which also gives the drink a faint yet festive color.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Half & Half: This is a dairy product made with equal parts milk and cream. We used Prairie Farm Half & Half.
Irish Cream Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with cream, whiskey, sugar, and spices. We used Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur because it’s exceptionally creamy and flavorful. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Bailey’s Non-Alcoholic Irish Cream Coffee Creamer in place of the Irish cream liqueur.
Green Crème De Menthe: This is a liqueur made with mint, sugar, green food coloring, and alcohol. We used Drillaud Green Crème De Menthe because it has a refreshing mint flavor and bright color. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Green Mint Syrup in place of the mint liqueur.
Ground Cinnamon: This is a spice. We used Simply Organic Ground Cinnamon.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
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Tasting Notes
The It’s a Wonderful Life features aromas of fresh cinnamon and mint, has a menthol-packed sweet cream taste that features a hint of Irish cream’s whiskey note, and finishes with the lingering flavors of Irish cream and mint in the aftertaste.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: You can’t really go wrong with a combination of tasty ingredients! The It’s a Wonderful Life isn’t all that revolutionary, but we have to admit we struck gold with the altered specs. The heavy dose of mint plays well with the rest of the ingredients and makes for a simple drink that is as delicious as it is festive.
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“As Alex said, to achieve the drink’s green-ish color that was shown in the book, we had to alter the recipe by using quite a bit more crème de menthe. Increasing an ingredient like that can be risky, but it turned out we both enjoyed the second version quite a bit more. The first wasn’t quite balanced—too heavy on the Irish cream with a hint a mint; meanwhile, the second, which is the recipe we’re sharing, puts the delightful minty flavor front and center. I enjoyed this cocktail quite a bit and can definitely see myself making it again.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season by Jessica Strand.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-14.
It’s a Wonderful Life
The It’s a Wonderful Life is a Christmas cocktail that was created by food writer and author Jessica Strand and was first published in her book Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season. As a nod to the character George Bailey, the recipe calls for Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur and mixes it with half & half and the bright flavor of green crème de menthe, which also gives the drink a faint yet festive color.
Ingredients
Method
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Add half & half, Irish cream liqueur, green crème de menthe, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a lowball glass over fresh cracked ice.
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Garnish with ground cinnamon.
