By: Jill Mills Posted: Dec 17, 2024

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Made with crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and vanilla ice cream, this Grasshopper Drink is like a boozy mint chocolate milkshake. Serve in a chocolate-rimmed glass with whipped cream and chocolate syrup for the ultimate dessert cocktail.

I love a good dessert cocktail, whether it’s a boozy frozen hot chocolate or this frozen grasshopper cocktail. It’s the perfect way to round out a night of laughter and dinner with friends. This grasshopper drink has been a big hit this holiday season and I already know I’ll be making it again for St. Patrick’s Day.

Why You’ll Love This Grasshopper Cocktail

This grasshopper cocktail with ice cream has quickly become one of our favorite dessert cocktails. Here’s why!

Boozy adult milkshake. This grasshopper drink with ice cream really tastes and feels like drinking a milkshake. It has a thick and creamy texture, thanks to the ice cream, and is even topped with whipped cream and chocolate.
Mint chocolate flavor. If you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream, you’ll love this drink! The liqueurs used add mint chocolate flavor and there’s even some Andes mints blended right into it as well.
Great for the holidays. The green color makes this grasshopper drink perfect for Christmas parties. I’ve also served it as a St. Patrick’s Day drink. (Though admittedly, it’s a good one to enjoy year-round!)

Close up of a frozen grasshopper cocktail to show the layers

What Is A Grasshopper Drink?

A grasshopper cocktail is a drink said to have originated from New Orleans in 1919. It became very popular in the 1950s. The original recipe was made with just 3 ingredients – creme de menthe, creme de cocoa, and heavy cream.

This frozen grasshopper drink is a spin on that classic cocktail, adding ice cream and ice cubes to turn it into a milkshake-esque drink, along with toppings like whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make a frozen grasshopper drink

What You’ll Need

This dessert cocktail is made with ice cream, liqueur, and lots of chocolate. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Vanilla ice cream – Makes this frozen grasshopper drink thick, smooth, and creamy.
Crème de menthe – Crème de menthe is a green liqueur made from mint leaves and clear liquor. It adds the green color to this cocktail as well as the mint flavor. It is available in a white version but this won’t add color to the cocktail.
Crème de cocoa – Crème de cocoa adds the chocolate flavor to this cocktail. Opt for the white version so that it doesn’t add color to the cocktail.
Ice cubes
Andes mints – Adds more mint chocolate flavor to the cocktail.
Bar chocolate – Use a good quality melting bar. I like Ghiradelli for the best flavor. You can also use 4 ounces of chocolate chips.
Whipped cream – Homemade whipped cream or from the can to garnish the cocktail.
Chocolate syrup – Adds a final chocolate-y touch to the frozen dessert cocktail. I love using my homemade chocolate syrup!

How To Make a Grasshopper Drink

This frozen grasshopper drink with ice cream is so quick and easy to make. The part that takes the longest is waiting for the chocolate rim garnish to set. You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.

Pieces of chocolate in a bowl with melted ice cream

Dipping a wine glass rim into melted chocolate

Make the chocolate ganache. Break the chocolate bar into small pieces in a bowl. Melt 1/2 cup of the ice cream in a separate bowl until melted and bubbling. Pour over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute or two until the chocolate melts. Stir until smooth.
Decorate the rims. Dip the rims of the wine glasses into the chocolate. Let the excess drip off then flip the glass over. Set aside for 15 minutes, until the chocolate sets.

Made with crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and vanilla ice cream, this Grasshopper Drink is like a boozy mint chocolate milkshake.

Pouring grasshopper drink mix into a chocolate-rimmed wine glass

Blend the mixture. Add the ice cream, liqueurs, Andes mints, and ice cubes to a blender. Blend on high until smooth and frothy. If it’s too runny, add more ice cubes to thicken.
Serve. Pour the mixture into the prepared glasses. Top with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and shavings from an Andes mint.

Cocktail Variations

Here are a few ways to customize your grasshopper drink, including how to make a kid-friendly version!

Make regular ganache. If you prefer, you can make the chocolate ganache with regular cream. Substitute ½ cup of hot cream to the chocolate instead of melting ½ cup of vanilla ice cream.
Turn it into a Flying Grasshopper. What’s a flying grasshopper cocktail, you ask? It’s simply a boozier version of this frozen grasshopper drink. Just add a shot of vodka to your grasshopper drink before adding the whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Vanilla vodka or whipped vodka are great, though regular vodka is fine too.
Make a kid-friendly grasshopper drink. To make a grasshopper mocktail for the kids to enjoy, omit the creme de cocoa and creme de menthe. You can replace them with whole milk then add a few drops of green food coloring and some mint extract.
Add some food coloring. If the cocktails don’t end up as green as you’d like or you had the clear creme de menthe on hand instead of the green one, you can add a few drops of green food coloring to the blender as well.

Hand stirring Grasshopper Cocktail Drink

Serving Suggestions

As you can see in the recipe, I love serving my frozen grasshopper drink in a wine glass with a chocolate rim. I add whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and mint shavings to really turn it into a dessert. The toppings are optional, of course, but worth the extra step or two. If you don’t add the toppings, you’ll want to pour it into a smaller glass. A straw makes it easier (and less messy) to drink.

This makes a great after-dinner cocktail in lieu of dessert and it’s great for holiday parties and gatherings too. The green color also makes it excellent for St. Patrick’s Day!

Can I Make This In Advance?

While you cannot assemble the grasshopper drinks in advance, you do have a few options:

Prep the glasses in advance. You can add the chocolate rim to the glasses a few hours in advance. This is the most time-consuming part anyway, so it’s great to get it out of the way!
Freeze the drink mixture. Once blended, you can pour the grasshopper mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze it until you’re ready to enjoy the drinks. The consistency will be similar to ice cream but a bit softer from the liqueur. Then you can scoop and serve into glasses later. It won’t be drinkable right away so you might want to serve it with a small spoon.

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