The Santa Shot is a gorgeous little red and green layered shot that tastes like a candy cane. It’s Christmas aesthetics combined with Christmas flavors, and it packs plenty of Christmas spirit.

You might even want to leave one out for Santa with his cookies. Poor guy could probably use a little something to get him through the night.

This is a great treat for parties, especially as an aperitif. 

Flavor Profile

The flavors in this drink are mint and berry, which are tricky to pair with foods. But it’s so tasty. It reminds me of candy canes that have a little berry flavor mixed in with the peppermint flavor.

Serving Tips

That’s why I recommend serving this before dinner, to get your appetite going. After dinner also works well – like a little after-dinner candy.

Pairing Suggestions

It does pair well with traditional bar snacks, though. You want salty treats that are designed not to compete with the flavor of the drink, like pretzels and nuts.

I get a lot of questions about where to buy these shot glasses. Unfortunately, they’re no longer being made, but you can get similar ones on Ebay. Or this set on Amazon.

If you still don’t trust your layering skills under pressure (totally understandable), you can pour these in advance. Just put them on a serving tray and leave them in the fridge to stay nice and chilled.

When the times comes, pull the serving tray out carefully and carry it in to deliver the drinks to your guests. Be careful not to jiggle the glasses too much, or you can upset the layers.

But layering is easier than you think – check out my layering tutorial. You don’t need any fancy equipment, but you should practice in advance.

Now, if you’re wondering why this has three ingredients but only two visible layers, that’s because my creme de menthe and peppermint schnapps blended together.

Different brands of the very same spirit can have different “specific gravity“, and that’s what determines which ingredient will float on top of another ingredient.

Your schnapps may float on your creme de menthe, and if it does, you’ll have a clear layer on top of the green layer. But it’s all good because it’s a beautiful cocktail either way.

If you love the taste of this drink, you should also try the Candy Cane, which blends peppermint schnapps with berry vodka and creme de cacao to make a drink that truly passes for dessert.

The Candy Cane Martini is also great, featuring cake vodka, Chambord, creme de cacao and more. It’s a rich, delicious drink.

You may also want to check out our Christmas cocktails, which include many different types of Christmas-themed cocktails.

Santa Shot Drink Recipe