Peaches and Cream Martini

This Peaches and Cream Martini is my favorite summer drink, tasting like a dessert. It’s one of those fancy drinks that looks sophisticated, but in reality, it’s effortless to make, with just a few simple ingredients and steps. I roast the peaches to bring up their caramelized sweetness, which makes the drink utterly flavorful and comforting.

What I love most about this cocktail is the nostalgia it evokes. I remember eating peaches and cream quick oats as a kid, and they were my all-time favorites. Now, as an adult, I can indulge in those timeless flavors with a delicious cocktail, served in chilled glasses, made entirely from scratch, with no syrups, just real peach puree. This cocktail, a simple strawberry spinach salad, some grilled chimichuri chicken, and I am all set for a delicious summer.

Whether you served for brunch, dinner, or desserts, this cocktail will be the highlight of happy hour. Creamy, fruity, and gorgeous, it never fails to impress, and it tastes like a drink from a swanky rooftop. If you love cocktails but hesitate to make them at home, I can assure you that you’ll love this one.

Why you will love this recipe

• Effortless: You don’t need any special bartender skills to make this outstanding drink. Just roast fresh peaches, blend, shake, and serve!
• Sophisticated: This is the type of drink that usually wows everyone, and it tastes like an expensive martini you would usually order at a high-end lounge or rooftop.
• Indulgent: The timeless peaches-and-cream combo is a favorite of many. The peaches are roasted for extra flavor, then blended with cream, and mixed with vodka, White chocolate liquor, and peach schnapps for a decadent and irresistible cocktail.
• Festive: This is the perfect cocktail for a summer party, a romantic dinner, or simply unwinding on the porch at the end of a hot day.

What you will need

• Peaches: My favorite part of this cocktail is the fresh peaches toasted with sugar and coconut oil.
• Liquids: A mix of vodka, peach schnapps, Godiva white chocolate liqueur, and heavy whipping cream makes this drink rich and creamy. I also add just one ounce of lemon juice to brighten it up and balance all the decadent flavors.
• The rim: I use a 1/4 lemon to trace the rim of the glasses before dipping them in yellow or orange sanding sugar.

How to make

Roast: I start by washing the peaches, peeling, removing the pits, slicing them, and adding them to a bowl. I mix them with sugar and coconut oil, then roast them in a preheated oven at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.

Blend: After the peaches have cooled, add them to a high-speed blender or food processor along with the cream and blend until smooth.

Shake: I transfer the mixture to a shaker filled with ice, add the vodka, peach schnapps, white chocolate liquor, and lemon juice, and shake for 1 minute.

Trace: I trace the rims of chilled martini glasses with 1/4 lemon and dip them in sanding sugar.

Serve: Pour the drink, garnish it with a fresh peach slice, and serve.

Expert tip

Caramelized peaches

For a robust peach flavor, roast them with brown sugar instead of white sugar until almost caramelized; this intensifies their sweetness and also adds another layer of flavor that fresh or canned peaches can not deliver. For a smoky flavor in your cocktail, grill the peaches, peel them, let them cool, and then blend. Also, ensure that they cool before mixing with the cream; otherwise, the cream will curdle.

More tips to consider:

• Chill the cocktail with ice for at least one minute to ensure it is appropriately chilled.
• Bonus points if you chill the glasses as well, the cocktails will stay refreshing for longer.
• Always use ripe and aromatic peaches. Before roasting, try a bite to ensure they are sweet.
• To make the cocktail ultra smooth, strain the puree through a fine mesh.

Recipe variations:

• Frozen: Turn it into a peaches and cream slushy by adding ice cubes and the ingredients to a high-speed blender.
• Margarita: Make it a margarita instead, use tequila instead of vodka.
• Flavorings: I like to add vanilla beans to this cocktail; it makes it so sophisticated and flavorful. Other favorites are almond extract or butterscotch.
• No-bake: Skip the roasting process and use canned peaches instead.

How to serve:

This cocktail must be served chilled; therefore, make sure you have ice on hand and that the glasses have been chilled as well. I enjoy it for brunches with my girlfriends, with peach cobbler, peach crumb bars, and peach hand pies.

It’s also perfect with a sweet and savory summery dinner, like this peach pork, 30-minute peach salmon, or this scrumptious one-pan honey garlic chicken and rice. It also pairs well with a light and refreshing salad, such as this strawberry arugula salad or Greek salmon salad.

How to store:

• Make it in advance: You can prepare it 2-3 days in advance, but be sure to keep the ingredients separate from each other. Roast the peaches, puree them, and add them to an airtight container. Mix the alcohol and lemon juice and add the mixture to a jar. When ready to serve, combine the peach puree with heavy cream and the alcohol mixture.
• Mixed without ice: If the cocktail has been blended without ice, it can be stored in the refrigerator in a jar with a lid or a shaker for up to 24 hours. Make sure you shake it vigorously before serving.
• Mixed with ice: I do not recommend storing it once the ice is mixed in, as the ice will melt and dilute the cocktail.

Frequently asked questions

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