We live in a time where things that were considered old-fashioned are making a come-back. “Out with the new and in with the old!” That’s not how the old saying goes, but you know what I mean. You have most definitely walked into a modern home that has a retro furniture piece. Or you at least know someone that makes retro clothing look chic. Well that trend has rolled over into the food and drinks industry, especially in the case of this pink squirrel cocktail recipe. Many food and drinks items that were frowned upon a couple of years ago are now labelled “trendy” and “forward-thinking”.
Another trend that I have seen climb rapidly are cocktails. You have a whole new food category named “mixology” which is the art of making alcoholic beverages.
So I started looking on how to combine these two trends that I love; reviving old things and alcohol. I finally found a cocktail that looks, smells and tastes absolutely divine. Why it ever went off-trend, I don’t know.
The Pink Squirrel Cocktail was invented around the 1950s at Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge in Milwaukee. It is a creamy pink cocktail with a delicious blend of white chocolate and almond flavor. It’s like an alcoholic milkshake!
This cocktail is only made up of 3 ingredients; Crème de Noyaux, white Crème de Cacao and a cream base, such as cream or ice cream. Crème de Noyaux, although having an almond taste, is actually made of the pits of stone-fruits such as apricots or plums.
The only hard-to-find item (but not impossible) will be the traditionally used Crème de Noyaux. It is a pink almond flavored liqueur that has an alcohol percentage of around 24-30%. The production of this liqueur drastically declined as newer liqueurs were developed throughout the times. But do not fear, I have some great substitutes for it.
How to make a Pink Squirrel Cocktail
This cocktail is easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of effort. You need a cocktail shaker, but this is not essential.
Rim the glass by dipping the edge into the syrup and then the sugar.
To make the cocktail, simply combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake and strain into the glass. Serve with the garnishes at your next throwback themed party!
Pink Squirrel Cocktail Recipe
Course: DrinksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy2
servings5
minutes650
kcal5
minutesThis vintage pink squirrel cocktail is making a comeback because of its delicious flavor, simplicity to make and its fun playful color. It is a must-have in your recipe collection and your guests will love it!
Ingredients
1 cup 1 colored sugar
Syrup
1/3 cup 1/3 Crème de Almond (Crème de Noyaux)
1/3 cup 1/3 white Crème de Cacao
1/3 cup 1/3 cream
Maraschino cherries, for garnish
Whipped cream, for garnish
Directions
- Use a martini or champagne coupe for this cocktail. It allows for easy drinking and gives that retro cocktail feel.
- Place the syrup in a flat bowl or rimmed plate and the sugar into a separate bowl or plate. Working with one glass at a time, dip the edge of the glass first into the syrup then the sugar. This step is optional, but I like the flair it adds. You can also use a pink and white sprinkle mix.
- Place the Crème de Almond, Crème de Cacao and cream into a cocktail shaker with a few blocks of ice. Shake well and strain the mixture into your glass. Top with a Maraschino cherries and whipped cream. If you do not own a cocktail shaker, place all the ingredients in a bowl with some ice and whisk well. Strain into your glass and garnish to your liking.
- Other garnishes you can use are desiccated coconut, strawberries or mini marshmallows.
Notes
- You can substitute the cream with milk. Just note that by doing so you will change the consistency of the drink, but some people prefer a less-thick consistency.
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Nutrition Facts
2 servings per container
- Amount Per ServingCalories650
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 6.9g 11%
- Saturated Fat 4.2g 22%
- Cholesterol 19.4mg 7%
- Sodium 42.9mg 2%
- Potassium 320mg 10%
- Total Carbohydrate 133g 45%
- Dietary Fiber 5.6g 23%
- Sugars 124g
- Protein 4.4g 9%
- Vitamin C .4%
- Calcium 8%
- Iron 11%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Tips & Tricks
- If you cannot find Crème de Noyaux, there are two factors to consider; taste and color. If you want to replicate the taste, the best substitute to use is Amaretto. It has a light brown color that you can change to pink by using food coloring. If you only want to have a pink drink and do not care about the almond flavor, use Grenadine. It has a fruitier flavor as opposed the traditional nutty notes.
- To make a frozen version of this drink, use vanilla ice cream and blend everything together. This is how the cocktail was originally served.
- Do you want to make this non-alcoholic? You can easily substitute the Crème de Noyaux with non-alcoholic almond extract or a non-alcoholic almond liqueur. If you are using the almond extract as a substitution, use ½ teaspoon for every 2 tablespoons Crème de Noyaux.
- To substitute the Crème de Cacao with a non-alcoholic version, you can use chocolate syrup or a non-alcoholic white chocolate liqueur.
- The syrup used for rimming the glasses can be a sugar syrup (2 parts sugar and 1 part water that you dissolve) or you can use honey or golden syrup.
- This recipe is versatile and you can easily experiment and play around with the quantities of the components. You can change the intensity of the alcohol or the consistency of the cocktail.
Conclusion
This cocktail definitely deserves to be revived. It is delicious, versatile, easy to make and takes about a minute.
It is the perfect drink for 1950s themed parties or your next Valentine’s Day dinner. But I never needed an occasion to make cocktails!
You can change or substitute any of the ingredients to meet your needs. Even the fact that you can transform it into a delicious and fun kid’s milkshake is in and of itself amazing. The garnishes you choose can help reflect the type of occasion and mood you are going for. Use sprinkles and marshmallows for the kids, while adults can enjoy a classier looking option such as cherries or rose petals.
This Pink Squirrel cocktail should definitely go into the recipe file as it is a must-have!
