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Cocktail History
The Peppermint Bark Eggnog is a Christmas cocktail that was created by Tom Maey at Clover Club in New York City, New York and was first published in the book Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails. Likened to “mint chocolate chip ice cream in a glass,” the recipe combines classic eggnog ingredients—egg white, egg yolk, cream, and spiced rum—with mint and chocolate, creating a thick and indulgent dessert drink. For added sweetness, this version also includes simple syrup and features a festive candy cane rim, making it as visually charming as it is delicious. It’s a delightful holiday treat for those who love a dessert-inspired cocktail with a refreshing minty twist.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and water that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. I used Appleton Estate Special Gold Rum.
Cognac: This is a type of brandy made in Cognac, France with distilled white wine. I used Courvoisier VSOP Cognac.
Heavy Cream: This is a thick, high-fat milk product. I used Prairie Farms Dairy Heavy Whipping Cream.
White Crème De Menthe: This is a liqueur made with mint, sugar, alcohol, and water. I used Bols Crème De Menthe White Liqueur.
White Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with white chocolate, vanilla, sugar, alcohol, and water. I used Bols Crème De Cacao White.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I used this stovetop recipe.
Egg White & Yolk: This is both the clear liquid and yellow portion in an egg. I used fresh egg white and yolk.
Candy Cane: This is a cane-shaped peppermint candy. I used YumEarth Organic Mini Candy Canes.
Grated Peppermint Bark Dust: This is a candy made with peppermint candy pieces in white chocolate on top of dark chocolate.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface to catch spills, provide grip for glasses and tools, and keep the workspace clean and organized. I used the Highball & Chaser 18×12 Bar Mat.
Jigger: This is a small, double-sided measuring tool that’s used to accurately portion spirits and mixers, typically with one side measuring 1 oz and the other 1.5 or 2 oz. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece cocktail shaker consisting of a metal tin and a glass or metal mixing glass that’s used for shaking and blending ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is a metal strainer with a spring around its edge that’s used to filter out ice and solids when pouring the cocktail into a glass. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Mortar & Pestle Set: This is a kitchen tool consisting of a bowl and a heavy club-shaped implement that’s used for crushing, grinding, and blending ingredients into fine powders or pastes. I used the Gorilla Grip Heavy Duty Granite Mortar & Pestle Set.
Grater: This is a tool that’s used to finely shred or zest ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips Grater.
Coupe Glass: This is a stemmed, shallow, wide-bowled glass that’s designed to enhance aroma and presentation. I used a thrifted coupe glass.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Light yellow color
• Aroma: Nutmeg and peppermint
• Taste: Peppermint flavor followed by a creamy blend of brandy, rum, cocoa, and mint
• Finish: Lingering spiciness and rich egg
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I didn’t grow up snacking on peppermint bark or drinking eggnog around the holidays, so I was very excited to try both in this cocktail. It did not disappoint! With the addition of a little simple syrup to sweeten up the other ingredients, it was just right for my palate. I don’t know that I’d make it again because drinking raw egg is off-putting to me, but Peppermint Bark Eggnog is a great one to batch for a holiday party. You just might want to skip the candy cane rim, although I personally think it’s essential to really enjoy this.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.
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 2025-04-17.
Peppermint Bark Eggnog
The Peppermint Bark Eggnog is a Christmas cocktail that was created by Tom Maey at Clover Club in New York City, New York and was first published in the book Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails. The recipe is described as "the drink version of mint chocolate chip ice cream," which is pretty spot on because it combines egg white and egg yolk with spiced rum, cream, mint, and chocolate to create a thick, dessert-inspired concoction. This version also adds in simple syrup for more sweetness and has a fun candy cane rim.
Ingredients
Method
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Crush candy cane in a mortar and pestle, pour crushed candy cane onto a plate, rub outer rim of a martini glass with ¼ oz simple syrup, and roll glass in candy cane until coated.
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Add rum, brandy, heavy cream, white crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, ¼ oz simple syrup, egg white, egg yolk, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into candy cane-rimmed cocktail glass.
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Garnish with grated peppermint bark dust.
