An old fashioned is such a great classic cocktail. But switching it up for the holiday season makes it feel extra special. And when I think of warm cozy things for the holidays, I think of a cozy fireplace. And this fun twist on a classic helps to encompass all of those cozy flavors and feels.
S’mores Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
This s’mores festive old fashioned is the perfect holiday cocktail to make. Great to warm you up in the cold gloomy winter blues. It has all your classic old fashioned ingredients with two additions that just take it over the top. And that includes homemade vanilla simple syrup and chocolate bitters. These are also two things, simple syrup and bitters, that can really transform a classic cocktail in new ways.
Simple syrups are so easy to spruce up and so simple to make. I do this trick for lots of cocktails to take them to the next level. Making a coffee cocktail? Try a mint simple syrup. Making a gin cocktail? Try a rosemary-infused simple syrup. By choosing an ingredient that you either enjoy with your cocktail or that’s already a flavor note in the liquor, is an easy way to figure out how to switch up your classic simple syrup.
And for this cocktail, since I’m using Old Forester and it has notes of vanilla in it, I decided to make a vanilla simple syrup. And you can either go really fancy and get vanilla beans and have the real deal to infuse your sugar and water. Or take the shortcut route as I did and just add a good splash of quality vanilla extract to your simple syrup as it simmers. It’ll transform this ingredient and your cocktail.
As for bitters, I have a few on hand for cocktails. The classic aromatic bitters that go into some of my favorite cocktails like a Negroni, Sazerac or Old Fashioneds. But you can also find unique flavors like grapefruit bitters, peach bitters and chocolate bitters. Bitters are designed to add some complexity to drinks. Cocktails are usually sweet and sour, so adding bitters helps to round them out. Again, you can use classic bitters in many cocktails, or lean into the flavor profile. Since we’re going for a s’mores inspired cocktail, chocolate bitters are a fun addition to add some complexity to this cocktail.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz of your favorite bourbon
- .5 oz of vanilla simple syrup
- 2 dashes of aromatic bitters
- 2 dashes of chocolate bitters
- Toasted marshmallow for garnish
METHOD
Add all ingredients to a cocktail mixing glass with some ice and stir with a spoon well. You want to get the drink nice and cold. Then pour it over a large ice cube (I love these sphere ice cube molds) into an old fashioned glass. Garnish with a toasted marshmallow.
And if you needed an excuse to buy a mini handheld kitchen torch, this is your sign! I love mine and it comes in handy for things like this. While it’s not essential, it really helps to elevate a cocktail and is impressive to serve up at holiday gatherings. You can also garnish this with a mini s’more that I just adore! Couldn’t decide which I liked better for a garnish so you’re getting both options below!
