Grasshopper (cocktail)
A minty, cream-based after-dinner cocktail from New Orleans.
The grasshopper is a sweet, minty cocktail served after dinner, named for its green hue from crème de menthe. The bar Tujague’s in New Orleans’ French Quarter says its owner, Philip Guichet, created the drink in 1918. It became popular across the American South in the 1950s and 1960s.
A standard grasshopper combines equal parts green crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, and cream, shaken with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass.
Variations include a “vodka” or “flying” grasshopper, which swaps cream for vodka. A “frozen” grasshopper uses mint ice cream for a dessert-like version. An “after eight” adds a layer of dark chocolate liqueur to the base ingredients. In the North Central United States, especially Wisconsin, grasshoppers are blended with ice cream instead of cream. A related “grasshopper milkshake” blends mint chocolate chip ice cream, milk, and crème de menthe, served in a tall glass with a miniature or broken cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie. A “Girl Scout Cookie” variation replaces crème de menthe with peppermint schnapps. For Hostess’s 85th anniversary, a cookbook featured a “Twinkie grasshopper,” similar to a milkshake.
Quick Facts
- Base
- Crème de cacao, Crème de menthe
- Ingredients
- 3 cl crème de menthe (green) / 3 cl crème de cacao (white) / 3 cl cream
- Served
- Straight up: chilled, without ice
- Prep
- Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake briskly and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Drinkware
- Cocktail glass
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The grasshopper is a sweet, mint-flavored, after-dinner alcoholic drink named for its green color, which comes from crème de menthe. Tujague's, a bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, claims its owner Philip Guichet invented the drink in 1918. The drink gained popularity during the 1950s and 1960s throughout the American South.
A typical grasshopper cocktail is equal parts green crème de menthe, white crème de cacao and cream, shaken with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass. Variations include the 'vodka' or 'flying' grasshopper, which replaces the cream with vodka; the 'frozen' grasshopper, which adds mint ice cream; and the 'after eight', which adds a layer of dark chocolate liqueur.
In the North Central United States, especially Wisconsin, grasshoppers are blended drinks with ice cream substituted for cream. A related variation is the 'grasshopper milkshake', containing mint chocolate chip ice cream, milk, and crème de menthe. Other variations include the 'Girl Scout Cookie', which substitutes peppermint schnapps for crème de menthe, and a 'Twinkie grasshopper' released by Hostess for the snack's 85th anniversary.
Reader's Guide
The grasshopper cocktail holds significance as a classic after-dinner drink that became emblematic of mid-20th-century American cocktail culture, particularly in the South. Its simple composition of equal parts green crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, and cream made it accessible and popular in bars and homes. The drink's legacy is reflected in its many regional and creative variations, from the frozen grasshopper with ice cream in Wisconsin to the vodka-based flying grasshopper. The grasshopper also demonstrates how a single cocktail can evolve across regions and eras, adapting to local tastes and trends. Its continued presence in cocktail menus and its inclusion in novelty recipes like the Twinkie grasshopper show its enduring appeal as a sweet, nostalgic treat. The drink's origin claim by Tujague's bar in New Orleans adds to its lore, though the exact invention remains a matter of bar tradition rather than documented history. Overall, the grasshopper represents a blend of simplicity, adaptability, and cultural resonance in American drinking habits.
Did You Know?
- A 'flying grasshopper' replaces the cream with vodka.
- In Wisconsin, grasshoppers are typically blended with ice cream instead of cream.
More in IBA official cocktails 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced