Why choose between drinks and dessert? From retro favorites like Grasshoppers and Brandy Alexanders to boozy liquid chocolate, these sweet and creamy cocktails pull double duty. Many call for rich ingredients like cream liqueurs, and all of them make a fitting finale to a special meal—or any time you want to satisfy your sweet tooth.
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Chocolate Martini
This rich drink might be a Martini in name only, but thanks to a combination of chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao, and vodka, it’s decadence in a glass.
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Grasshopper
You might’ve seen this old-school mint-flavored recipe in the form of a milkshake. But the original combination of creme de menthe, white creme de cacao, and heavy cream is pretty perfect as it is.
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White Russian
The Dude’s drink of choice might just become your’s, too. This comforting cocktail is easy to love, thanks to a simple mix of vodka, Kahlúa, and heavy cream.
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Italian Cookie
Turn your holiday cookie platter into a drinkable dessert by combining spiced rum, heavy whipping cream, anise-flavored Herbsaint liqueur, creme de noyaux, lemon juice, and fig preserves. Don’t skip the sprinkles.
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Irish Affogato
An Irish Coffee is a classic after-dinner drink, and this twist doubles as dessert. Just add a scoop of coffee ice cream (or whatever flavor you please) to a combination of Irish whiskey, Irish cream liqueur, and cold-brew coffee.
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Mudslide
Modern Mudslides often go for a whirl in the blender, but you can easily create the original recipe at home by combining vodka, Irish cream and coffee liqueurs, and heavy cream.
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Sgroppino
This palate-cleansing cocktail tops a scoop of lemon sorbet with vodka and prosecco. One sip (or spoonful) will transport you straight to Italy’s Amalfi Coast.
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Golden Cadillac
This mid-century drink gets its hue from Galliano, an herbaceous Italian liqueur. Combine with white creme de cacao and heavy cream for a drink that’s both rich and complex.
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Espresso Martini
This popular drink has kick-started plenty of evenings since it debuted in the 1980s, but it’s equally appropriate as a nightcap. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can substitute cold brew concentrate for espresso alongside vodka, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup.
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Bushwacker
This rich tropical-inspired drink falls somewhere in between a Mudslide and a Piña Colada. Blend one up with dark rum, coffee liqueur, dark creme de cacao, whole milk, and cream of coconut.
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Brandy Alexander
This indulgent mix of cognac, dark creme de cacao, and cream was a popular bar order in the 1970s. Legendary bartender Gary Regan’s recipe leans heavier on the cognac than the liqueur for a not-too-sweet take on the classic.
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Peanut Butter Cup
Like its namesake candy, this cocktail is nutty, creamy, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Just shake up a mixture of chocolate vodka, peanut rum, chocolate liqueur, and cream.
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Spiced Chocolate
If you love spicy-sweet flavors, you’ll be hot on this mixture of reposado tequila, Patrón coffee liqueur, and dark chocolate liqueur. Top with whipped cream and red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
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Lemon Drop
If you’ve only tried a Lemon Drop in the form of a shooter, try this cocktail that employs freshly-squeezed lemon juice alongside vodka, triple sec, and simple syrup. The results are irresistible.
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Parisian Blonde
This classic combination of Jamaican rum, orange curaçao, and heavy cream first appeared in Harry Craddock’s seminal Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. In its modern incarnation, it’s often served with a fresh dusting of nutmeg.
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Cocoa À Trois
For this elegant nightcap and Chocolate Martini riff, Las Vegas bartender Tony Abou-Gamin combines vodka, chocolate liqueur, simple syrup, and sweetened cocoa powder. An egg white gives the drink an extra-silky texture.
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Snickertini
You’re not you when you’re hungry—or thirsty. Make this liquid version of the beloved candy by combining caramel vodka, amaretto, Irish cream and coffee liqueurs, and heavy cream.
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Pink Squirrel
It might be less well-known than the Brandy Alexander or the Golden Cadillac, but this retro pink drink deserves a spot on your dessert table. First created in the 1940s in Milwaukee, the richly-flavored cocktail is chocolate-y and nutty, thanks to creme de noyaux, white creme de cacao, and heavy cream.
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Rumplesnuggler
You can’t go wrong with boozy hot chocolate. Bartender Grace Rainwater adds Baileys and Rumple Minze peppermint schnapps for ultimate après-ski vibes.
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Tootsie Roll
It might be named for a sugary candy, but this isn’t your typical dessert cocktail. Bar pro Aisha Sharpe combines rye whiskey, pedro ximénez sherry, and chocolate bitters to produce an elegant Manhattan twist.
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Bourbon, Vanilla & Chocolate Milkshake
You can make a drink that’s essentially a boozy milkshake, like a Bushwacker or White Russian. Or you can make an actual boozy milkshake by spiking a mixture of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, and milk with your bourbon of choice.
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The Dead Rabbit Coffee Cocktail
There’s no coffee in this Coffee Cocktail riff from New York City bartender Jack McGarry. But you’ll still perk up for the rich combination of Irish cream liqueur, Irish whiskey, port, a whole egg, simple syrup, and bitters.
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Strawberries & Cream
This pretty-in-pink drink tastes like white chocolate-covered strawberries. Mix one up with London dry gin, strawberry liqueur, white creme de cacao, and half-and-half.
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Toblerone
Re-create the honey and almond flavors of the duty-free favorite with Irish cream liqueur, Frangelico, Kahlúa, heavy cream, and honey syrup. No jetsetting required.
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Hot Apple Pie
Enjoy the flavors of a slice of apple pie, no baking required. This warming drink combines Calvados, mead, apple and lemon juices, and a cinnamon-infused honey—all heated in a saucepan.
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Tom & Jerry
A rich egg batter forms the base of this holiday classic. Combine with boiling water, dark rum, cognac, and whole milk, and you might even forget about Eggnog.
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Mint Chocolate Chip Shot
If an entire dessert cocktail is too rich, make this fun shooter that channels all the best parts of your favorite ice cream flavor. Pre-batch the mix of Baileys, creme de menthe, and Frangelico for up to eight guests.
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Dirty Banana
When life gives you leftover bananas, put them to use in this decadent frozen drink. The beach bar favorite combines rum, banana and coffee liqueurs, half-and-half, and a whole banana in the blender.
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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
No time in the oven is required for this fruity drink. Just combine vanilla vodka and pineapple juice, then add a dash of grenadine to the glass.
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She’s No Gentleman
Re-create the flavors of raspberry and cream in the shaker with blended scotch, Chambord liqueur, and cream. Bar pro Julia Ebell adds a homemade Earl Grey tea syrup for extra complexity.