Tasty Peppermint Christmas Float: Festive Fun in a Glass
You’re Going To Laugh, But Here’s Why I Make This
So. Peppermint Christmas Floats—honestly, if you’d told me three years ago I’d be the person with a “signature holiday drink,” I’d have laughed so hard coffee (or let’s be honest, hot cocoa) would come out my nose. But the first year I tried this, I was just looking to keep the kids occupied while grownups figured out dinner, and now—well, let’s just say I have repeat yearly requests! It’s become part of the Hanley family chaos, right between the oven timer going off and my uncle accidentally sitting on his own glasses. If you’re looking for something a little nostalgic and a little bit extra, this float’s like a Christmas jumper in drink form. Fair warning: you will want seconds.
Why I Keep Making These Floats (Besides The Obvious…)
I whip these up when the house needs a little boost of holiday spirit or when I can’t face another sugar cookie. The kids lose their minds over the fizz (and honestly, so does my mother-in-law; there’s a story there for another time). I’ve even made these with my college friends when all we had was half-melted ice cream (oops). It just works—unless you try using diet soda, which, in my experience, is just asking for mutiny.
What’s Actually In This Thing? (And Substitutions—Praise Be)
- 2 big scoops vanilla ice cream (or peppermint; but hey, plain old supermarket stuff is fine—I rarely bother with anything fancy)
- 1 can lemon-lime soda (I’ve used ginger ale in an emergency; Sprite, 7Up, heck, even Aldi’s off-brand, we’re not picky)
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract (sometimes I go wild and use a drop extra, don’t tell my spouse!)
- A handful crushed candy canes (or those little peppermint swirl candies—smash with a rolling pin if you’re feeling aggressive)
- Whipped cream (store-bought, homemade—frankly, Cool Whip is fine; my gran would fight me on this but she isn’t here, is she?)
- Maraschino cherries (optional, but if you skip them the kids will ask why)
Let’s Make It! (Trust Yourself, It’s Sorta Foolproof)
- Grab a nice tall glass—preferably a holiday one, but if you’ve broken all of those, no biggie (I speak from experience).
- Scoop in the ice cream. Two scoops if you’re feeling generous; more if it’s been a day.
- Drizzle the peppermint extract right over the ice cream—it sinks in, and yes, it smells like a Christmas candle for a hot second.
- Slowly pour the soda over (I say slowly, but every so often I get distracted and whoosh! It fizzes everywhere. Paper towels nearby are good.)
- Pile on whipped cream—again, don’t be stingy.
- Shower with crushed candy canes. It’s fun to let the little ones do this—I just resign myself to pink sticky fingerprints.
- Top with a maraschino cherry if you want approval from the crowd.
- This is where I usually take a sneaky sip. Research, right?
Peppermint Notes and Mid-Recipe Realizations
If you add too much extract, it’ll taste like mouthwash—ask me how I know. But if you forget it entirely? Still delicious, just less Christmassy. Also, those crushed candies get weirdly sticky if you let them sit, so top right before serving.
But What If I Want To Tweak It?
I once tried swapping in root beer. Nope. Wasn’t for me (unless you like a vaguely medicinal undertone; maybe some folks do). But chocolate ice cream, actually, is surprisingly good; and if you hate whipped cream, skip it! Or try orange soda with peppermint—my cousin claims it’s amazing but I’m not entirely sold. Experiment, but just maybe not with diet sodas, they always fizz up like a science fair volcano.
What Do You Need? (And If You Don’t Have It…)
- A tall glass (but any big-ish mug will work; heck, use a jam jar, it’s got rustic charm)
- Ice cream scoop—although, honestly, I use a big spoon most of the time
- Rolling pin for crushing candy (or, um, a can of beans from the pantry does the trick, just don’t dent your counter)
Can You Save This For Later? (Ha! Good Luck…)
You can try putting any leftover ingredients separately in the fridge (the candy just kind of melts, though). The assembled floats don’t keep—for real, they melt to a weird, sad soup in about 15 minutes. So make ‘em, enjoy ‘em! (they never last more than a day around here anyway).
How Do You Serve It? (The Fun Bit)
Personally, I like to put a little extra sprinkle of candied ginger on mine, though that’s just me channeling my inner fancy person. At family gatherings, we set out all the toppings “ice cream bar” style—marshmallows, holiday sprinkles, you name it. If you want to make it a grown-ups’ treat, sneak in a splash of vanilla vodka. Just don’t tell my aunt, she’s still mad about the time I put rum in the punch without warning the non-drinkers.
If I Knew Then What I Know Now (AKA Pro Tips)
Don’t be tempted to rush the soda pour, it foams up like you wouldn’t believe. I once thought a bigger glass would contain it, but nope—floor still got sticky. And actually, letting the ice cream melt a touch before adding soda gives you bigger bubbles and a foamy top (who knew?). I used to skip the candy cane, but it gives the float a little crunch, so worth the “clean up sticky counter” trade-off, at least in my book.
If You’re Wondering… (Peppermint Christmas Float FAQ)
- Can I use non-dairy ice cream? Absolutely. I’ve used coconut milk ice cream and it works just fine, though the coconut flavor sneaks through. Kinda tropical Christmas vibes.
- What’s the best way to crush candy canes? Well, I know fancy folks use food processors. I just whack them in a zip bag with a heavy mug. Works a treat (unless your bag isn’t sturdy…then you get candy shrapnel everywhere).
- Do I really need peppermint extract? You can leave it out, but I think it makes things much more festive. Or use mint syrup if that’s what you’ve got (see this handy simple syrup recipe for a quick DIY; I’ve used it in a pinch).
- Is there a way to make these look extra cute? Christmas paper straws and a rim dipped in melted white chocolate, then candy, look amazing. Pinterest inspiration here—but honestly, no one notices after the first sip anyway!
- Can I prep this ahead? Not really. But you can have the toppings in little bowls ready to go. If you figure out how to stop ice cream form melting, let me know!
Anyway, if you give these a go, let me know how it turns out. Or don’t—it’s Christmas, who has time for emails? If you want more fun holiday drink ideas, I love checking out the recipes at Simply Recipes’ Christmas Drinks—loads of fun inspo (sometimes I browse just for the drool factor).
Ingredients
- 4 cups peppermint soda, chilled
- 8 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 1/2 cup whipped cream
- 4 tbsp crushed peppermint candies
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- Red and green sprinkles, for garnish
- Crushed ice, as needed
- Peppermint sticks, for serving (optional)
Instructions
-
1Place some crushed ice at the bottom of each tall glass.
-
2Add 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream to each glass.
-
3Pour 1 cup of chilled peppermint soda into each glass over the ice cream.
-
4Add a dash of peppermint extract to each float for extra flavor.
-
5Top with whipped cream, crushed peppermint candies, and sprinkles.
-
6Garnish with a peppermint stick if desired and serve immediately.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!
