The recipe
for your table
Add all the ingredients to a shaker with plenty of ice.
Shake vigorously for 15 seconds – cream needs power.
Double-strain into a chilled coupe or coupette.
Garnish with a mint leaf or some grated chocolate.
The story
The Grasshopper was created around 1918 by Philip Guichet of Tujague's, the venerable restaurant in New Orleans’s French Quarter, reportedly for a cocktail competition in New York where it came second. Its grasshopper-green color gave it its name. In the 1950s and ’60s, it became America’s quintessential after-dinner drink, especially in the Midwest, where it became a “supper club” institution when blended with ice. Tujague's still serves it today – with a splash of brandy as a secret finishing touch.
The right glass
This creamy classic belongs in an elegant stemmed glass: a coupe or small coupette of 16 to 17 cl. The pastel green against clear crystal is exactly the retro image this cocktail calls for. Smaller is better here – the Grasshopper is a nightcap, not a session drink. A set of coupettes also looks wonderful alongside any dessert buffet. If you’re serving it as a dessert with vanilla ice cream, take a look at our dessert glasses.
Nude Glass Savage Coupetini Glass 17 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Melodia Coupe Glass 16 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets — together € 86,90.
The right tools
For a Grasshopper, besides the glass you’ll need a shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double-straining, and a nutmeg grater. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you’ll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools — together € 104,75.
Variations & twists
Blended with vanilla ice cream, it is a dessert from American supper clubs; with a splash of branca menta, an adult digestif. White crème de menthe with a mint leaf makes for a subtler, colorless version. Chocolate shavings are never a bad idea. More inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Ice-cold is the secret: refrigerate the liqueurs too. For the winter version, blend it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - then you officially have a dessert.
Where the name Grasshopper comes from
The name is purely visual: the combination of green crème de menthe with white crème de cacao and cream produces a vivid grasshopper-green color. Philip Guichet of Tujague's restaurant in New Orleans came up with it around 1918 and reportedly came second with it in a cocktail competition in New York. There is no reference to mint or a place, only to that color. If you use white crème de menthe, the green disappears completely and the name no longer really fits, although the flavor remains virtually the same.
Green or white crème de menthe
Green and white differ mainly in color, not flavor: both are mint liqueurs at around 20 to 25 percent. The green version gives the signature grasshopper color and is therefore the classic choice. White makes the cocktail cream-colored and more understated, which at the table during dinner looks less like a children's dessert. When buying, check the alcohol percentage, because there are also non-alcoholic mint syrups; these make the whole drink noticeably sweeter and thinner. Refrigerate the bottles along with the cream, because shaking everything ice-cold is half the battle here.
Without cream or plant-based
Want it dairy-free? Canned coconut cream works best: use 3 cl, stir well, and shake hard for fifteen seconds. The coconut flavor is closer to crème de cacao than you might expect and is barely noticeable. Oat cream is the most neutral option but foams less, so add a bar spoon of aquafaba for texture. Almond drink is too thin and makes the whole thing watery. You can also skip the cream altogether: then you’re drinking a Flying Grasshopper with vodka instead of cream, which is much stronger and far less sweet.
Difference from a Brandy Alexander
These two are siblings and follow exactly the same template: equal parts of three ingredients, about 3 cl each, shaken hard and served straight up. The Grasshopper uses green crème de menthe and white crème de cacao and tastes fresh and minty, like a liquid after-dinner mint. The Brandy Alexander replaces the mint with cognac and the white cacao with the dark variety, resulting in a warmer, more chocolatey and heavier digestif. Nutmeg belongs in the Alexander, while grated chocolate or a mint leaf belongs in the Grasshopper.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Grasshopper?
Equal parts: 3 cl green crème de menthe, 3 cl white crème de cacao, and 3 cl heavy cream, shaken vigorously for fifteen seconds and garnished with a mint leaf or grated dark chocolate. The bright green color comes entirely from the crème de menthe, not from food coloring.
Why is the cocktail called Grasshopper?
Because of its grasshopper-green color. Philip Guichet of Tujague's restaurant in New Orleans created it around 1918 for a cocktail competition in New York, where it came second. In the 1950s and 1960s, it grew into America's after-dinner drink.
Can you make a Grasshopper without cream?
Yes, replace the cream with coconut cream or full-fat oat milk for a plant-based version, or blend it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a dessert. Without anything creamy, the cocktail is sharp and sweet at the same time, so something richer than regular milk is recommended.
Which glass do you serve a Grasshopper in?
In a coupe or coupette glass of 16 to 17 cl. Smaller is better here, because the Grasshopper is a digestif, not a session drink, and the pastel green color looks best against clear crystal. A set of coupette glasses also looks stunning on a dessert buffet: see our coupette glasses.
Everything for your bar,
at one address
Hospitality-quality glasses, delivered as a set. Order today, and they'll be at your door quickly.
Shop the glasses →