How to make a dairy-free Grasshopper cocktail like a pro

How to make a classic cocktail with a twist

By Mark Stock Published June 26, 2025

The Mommy Grasshopper. — Shawn Campbell

So many great cocktails, so little time. This week, we thought we’d get a fresh take on a classic cocktail recipe. Naturally, we reached out to those who know them best, aka pro bartenders.

The Mothership is a great bar in Milwaukee. The place resides in the Bay View neighborhood and mixes up some top-shelf drinks. And they were nice enough to offer a fresh take on The Grasshopper, the cocktail that’s done everything from feature in timeless bar jokes to shows starring Kristen Wiig.

Recommended Videos

Here’s a little history. The drink goes back about a century and was invented in New Orleans. The signature green is due to the use of Creme de Menthe, giving the drink a mint ice cream sort of quality. In Wisconsin, it’s become the unofficial dessert cocktail of the state.

Read on for the recipe.

The Mommy Grasshopper

The Mommy Grasshopper. — Shawn Campbell

This modern take on the Grasshopper cocktail features soy creamer and a lighter overall build than traditional versions.

Ingredients:

3/4 ounce Amaro Montenegro
1.5 ounces soy creamer
1 ounce Green Creme de Menthe
1/2 ounce Amaretto
1/2 ounce Creme de Cacao

Method

Whip shake with crushed ice and open pour into a 14-ounce Collins glass.
Fill with more crushed ice and float 1/2 oz of overproof rum (such as Planteray OFTD Rum) and garnish with a cherry.

Still thirsty? Check out The Manual’s features on the best summer cocktails and best summer mocktails. We even have drinks-forward travel guides, like this one framed around a beautiful road trip through the central California coast.

Contributor

Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…

Food & Drink

Cereal cocktails are having a moment — and yes, they taste as fun as they sound

Your favorite childhood breakfast and spirit, together at last

The Love Shack Old Fashioned.

Blending creativity with nostalgia, cereal infusions are having a moment right now. They're showing up on cocktail lists all over the country, whether it's Fruit Loops changing the color and flavor of a clear spirit of treating whiskey to some Honey Nut Cheerios. It's a cocktail bar trend we can't argue with.

Quintin Scalfaro is the beverage director at The Love Shack in Portland. The bar specializes in inventive cocktails and small bites, often with a tropical accent. Lately, the crew has been working with cereal infusions and we reached out to see what all the fuss is about.

Food & Drink

How to make an Orange Dreamsicle cocktail, Texas style

A lovely summer drink from a celebrated Texas restaurant

Orange Dreamsicle cocktail.

It's early August and there's a good chance you're experiencing high temperatures. Perhaps you're seeking cooling relief in a pool or river, or reading a novel in the shade. Another great way to beat the heat is by way of a stellar summer cocktail recipe.

In Texas, they know a thing or two about the heat. It's the land of long summers, smoking barbecues, sizzling night life, and Ranch Water. It's where cowboys and tech workers share barstools in cities like Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. It's the home of dazzling scenes, from the coast of Galveston to the high desert of Big Bend National Park.

Food & Drink

How to make the Monkey Jam Sour, a fun and foamy whiskey cocktail

A playful drink excellent for the second half of summer

Monkey Jam Sour.

Does your summer drink need a little texture? Turns out, you can make a classic cocktail recipe foamy in a multitude of ways. Best, it's not an overly complicated endeavor and the results are delicious.

This recipe is timed nicely, as National Whiskey Sour Day is coming up on August 25th. It's the work of Scottish brand Monkey Shoulder. And there's even a version involving aquafaba, the liquid leftover from cooking chickpeas that helps create the foamy texture.