The Grasshopper Drink (Classic Cocktail!) – A Couple Cooks

Everyone loves this Grasshopper drink recipe! The classic mint chocolate dessert cocktail pairs crème de menthe and chocolate liqueur for a creamy, smooth sip.

It’s glowing green, rich and creamy, and delightfully mint chocolate. Yes, it’s everyone’s favorite: the Grasshopper drink! Turns out, this classic cocktail has more history than you’d expect, dating back to 1918. Shake up this classy, creamy after-dinner drink in a cocktail shaker and strain it into a martini glass. One creamy, mint chocolate sip and you’ll be sold.

What’s in a Grasshopper drink?

The Grasshopper cocktail is an after dinner drink starring creme de menthe and creme de cacao. It was invented in New Orleans in 1918 by the owner of the bar Tujague’s, or so the story goes. According to Tujague’s, Philip Guichet invented it for a cocktail competition in New York City, where it got second place. He brought it back to his bar and Tujague’s has been serving it ever since.

The Grasshopper became so popular that it made the list of the International Bartender Association’s  IBA official cocktails, meaning that it has an “official” definition. The ingredients in a Grasshopper cocktail are:

• Crème de menthe
• Crème de cacao
• Heavy cream

Think the Grasshopper should include ice cream? Well, you’re right: that’s a variation on the theme! But first, let’s talk about the special ingredients.

What’s crème de menthe?

There’s one thing that’s irreplaceable in a Grasshopper drink recipe, and that’s crème de menthe. It’s the liquor that gives the drink its signature color and flavor. Here’s what to know:

• Crème de menthe is a bright green, sweet mint-flavored liqueur. Despite its name, there’s no cream at all: it’s a grain alcohol infused with mint. There is also white creme de menthe that is colorless but has the same flavor. It’s used in the classic Stinger cocktail, but steer away from this in a Grasshopper since you’ll want the signature color. Crème de menthe was invented in 1885.
• What does creme de menthe taste like? It has a sweet flavor with very strong peppermint notes, similar to peppermint schnapps but smoother and more balanced.
• How much does creme de menthe cost? It costs about $15 to $20 for a 750 ml bottle. You can keep it for 5 years, so it makes quite a lot of Grasshoppers!
• Is it worth buying? Yes, if you love a good Grasshopper! It’s not used in many other cocktails, so it’s essentially a one-use bottle. You can also drizzle a splash over vanilla ice cream to make Creme de Menthe Parfaits.

What’s crème de cacao?

Crème de cacao is the other special liqueur you’ll need for this Grasshopper drink recipe: it’s what adds the chocolate nuance to the fresh mint. Here’s a little more about this liquor:

• Creme de cacao is a cocoa bean flavored liqueur, available in both white (clear) and dark varieties. It has a long history and is possibly one of the first alcoholic beverages, made in the 1600’s by monks after cocoa beans were brought back to Europe from America.
• What does creme de cacao taste like? Creme de cacao has a sweet, milk chocolate flavor, with notes of vanilla.
• How much does creme de cacao cost? It costs between $10 to $20 for a 750 ml bottle.
• Is it worth buying? Yes, if you like sweet cocktails! Use it to make creme de cacao cocktails like a Chocolate Martini, Brandy Alexander or Bushwacker.

Variation: make a frozen Grasshopper!

Were you looking for the boozy milkshake version of a Grasshopper? It’s called a Frozen Grasshopper. According to Eater, the Frozen Grasshopper was invented in Wisconsin and was often served at Wisconsin supper clubs. The Wisconsin style of drinking is also what brought us the Brandy Old Fashioned, Pink Squirrel, and Brandy Alexander: it’s all about fun, sweet drinks that are big on dairy.

Want to turn this Grasshopper drink recipe into its frozen counterpart? Here’s what to do:

• Substitute 2 scoops of ice cream for the heavy cream.
• Blend in a blender until combined!

You may want to double or quadruple this Grasshopper cocktail recipe for a crowd. To serve 4, use ¾ cup each of creme de cacao and creme de menthe, and 8 scoops ice cream.

More sweet cocktails

This green drink is a mint after-dinner drink that doubles as dessert! It’s also a great green drink for St. Patrick’s Day with its bright green color (though of course there’s nothing Irish about it). Here are a few more dessert drinks to try after this one: