The Saint Nick Special cocktail is here just in time for tonight — and for the whole holiday season. It’s a cozy treat for wrapping presents, watching holiday movies, or sitting under your twinkling tree.
As a kid, Saint Nicholas Day was one of those little surprises I’d forget about until I found gold chocolate coins in my shoes the next morning. My dad never forgot. Now that I remember it as an adult, it’s become one of my favorite small traditions — and one we’ve started with Max. He loved it last year; I can’t wait to see his face tomorrow morning.
To get into the spirit, I made the Saint Nick Special. It’s essentially a grown-up Santa latte: freshly brewed coffee, a splash of whiskey, and a generous pour of Irish cream, finished with homemade hot fudge and plenty of whipped cream.
I’m a total Irish cream devotee — remember when I made homemade Baileys? If you whisk that up now, it’ll be perfect for holiday-present-wrapping sessions. I’ll never turn down a glass of this if someone hands one over.
This drink is wonderful served hot, especially in the evening with decaf. If you prefer iced coffee, make it cold with cold brew poured over ice — you can skip or lightly rim the glass with hot fudge when serving cold. Top with whipped cream, crushed peppermints, shaved chocolate, a big marshmallow, and a sprinkle of flaky salt if you like.
It’s festive, easy, and makes a pretty presentation — perfect for sharing with friends or enjoying quietly by yourself.
This is like a grown-up Santa latte.
There’s homemade hot fudge, hot coffee, a touch of whiskey, and Irish cream. Top it with whipped cream, crushed peppermints, marshmallows, and shaved chocolate for the full holiday vibe. Yes — it’s heavenly.
Ready to make one? Here’s the recipe.
The Saint Nick Special
Saint Nick Special Cocktail
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Ingredients
- 6 ounces freshly brewed hot coffee
- ½ ounce whiskey
- 1 to 2 ounces Irish cream liqueur
- whipped cream for serving
- crushed peppermints for serving
- marshmallows for serving
- flaked salt, for sprinkling
Homemade hot fudge
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 14 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup high-quality dark chocolate, around 70%, chopped (or chocolate chips)
Instructions
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Stir together hot coffee, whiskey, Irish cream and a drop of hot fudge in a mug until the fudge begins to melt. Rim the mug with more hot fudge if desired. Top with whipped cream, marshmallows and crushed peppermints, and finish with a pinch of flaky salt. Serve and enjoy.
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To serve cold: combine cold brew or chilled coffee with whiskey and Irish cream, pour over ice, rim with hot fudge if you like, and top with whipped cream and garnishes.
Homemade hot fudge
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Combine powdered sugar, coconut milk, butter, and chopped dark chocolate in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate melts and the mixture comes to a boil, then continue to cook, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened.
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When the mixture is glossy and thick, remove from heat and let cool to thicken further. You can use it warm if serving immediately. Store in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks and reheat gently when needed.
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This might be the drink you leave out instead of cookies and milk.