How to Drink Schnapps

Reviewed by Sander Raav

Last Updated: March 9, 2024 References

Offered in a variety of flavors, Schnapps is an easy way to bring new life to familiar drinks. The most popular Schnapps flavors are peach, peppermint, and butterscotch. While the traditional way to drink Schnapps is by itself, there are other creative mixing styles. Schnapps can easily be made into a refreshing mixed drink on a hot summer day, or a festive hot drink to sip on during the holiday seasons.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Drinking Schnapps Plain

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Choose Schnapps flavors that complement the time of year or the occasion. While you can enjoy any flavor of Schnapps at any given time, certain flavors may work better in different settings. For example, peppermint might be the perfect flavor for winter drinks.
- Enjoy the sweet flavors from peach Schnapps during the spring and summer months. During the autumn months, consider trying Schnapps flavors like butterscotch, or ones that are heavily infused with herbs or other spices.
2
Drink a neat, unchilled shot of Schnapps after a heavy meal. In Germany, it is custom to throw back a warm shot of Schnapps to help the stomach digest food. The range of spices and herbs used to craft some flavors of Schnapps settles indigestion. If you are suffering from an unsettled stomach, or just ate a large dinner, take a shot of your favorite Schnapps flavor.^{[2]
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- After eating a dinner primarily consisted of meat or carbs, pour yourself a shot of Schnapps that is subtly flavored like pear, plum, or cherry.
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3
Chill the Schnapps in the freezer for a drink that tastes like a dessert. Pour your favorite flavor into a shot glass and enjoy the cool sensation. Consider pairing the Schnapps with different foods or desserts to heighten the experience.
- Sip on some chilled peach or butterscotch Schnapps as you eat a bowl of ice cream. If you are feeling really adventurous, drizzle it over the ice cream and let the flavors meld.
- Pour some Schnapps over ice to make the drink last longer. Use a rock glass to limit the amount you pour — either a single or a double shot. Then allow the Schnapps to chill for a few moments over the ice.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Refreshing Mixed Drinks

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1
Drink a Fuzzy Bellini for a cocktail with prominent almond and peach flavors. The Fuzzy Bellini is one of the most common cocktails to make with peach Schnapps. It is traditionally served in a champagne flute, but if you do not have a champagne flute, you can use a glass of your own choosing.^{[3]
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- Add ³⁄₄ fluid ounce (22 mL) of peach Schnapps, and ¹⁄₄ teaspoon (1.2 mL) of orgeat into a champagne flute. Orgeat, if you are unfamiliar with it, has a strong almond flavoring, and will pair nicely with the peach flavored Schnapps. Then stir mixture together, and top the champagne flute with prosecco.
- To cut the sweetness of the drink, add 2 dashes of orange bitters, and stir everything together before serving.
2
Mix butterscotch Schnapps with Coca-Cola on a hot summer day. The two simple ingredients mixed together taste exactly like caramel. It is best served in a highball glass filled with ice.^{[4]
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- In the highball glass, pour in 6 fluid ounces (180 mL) of Coca-Cola and 1.5 fluid ounces (44 mL) of butterscotch Schnapps. Then gently stir the drink, and enjoy.
3
Sweeten your favorite iced tea with some peach Schnapps. Enjoy this sweet drink cold in a tall glass with ice cubes. Adding some vodka and a few slices of lemon to the drink will cut the sweetness, and round out the flavors.^{[5]
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- Prepare your favorite iced tea in a jar. Then mix in 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of peach Schnapps and 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of vodka.
- Add 2 slices of lemon to cut the sweetness, and thoroughly stir the mixture. If you want to add more texture to the drink, cut up half of a peach and add it with the lemon slices.
4
Make a Caffeine Martini if you are craving espresso and butterscotch flavorings. This mixed drink utilizes multiple liqueur flavorings and a dash of espresso. The drink will not give you a heavy buzz, but the caffeine in the espresso will give you a nice pick-me-up.^{[6]
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- Add about 5 ice cubes to a cocktail shaker.
- Pour in 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of Kahlua, a ¹⁄₂ fluid ounce (15 mL) of chocolate liqueur, a ¹⁄₂ fluid ounce (15 mL) of butterscotch Schnapps, 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of chilled espresso, and ¹⁄₂ fluid ounce (15 mL) of your choice of milk.
- Shake the mixture together until it is chilled, and then pour it into a martini glass and enjoy.
5
Serve peach Schnapps in a shot of orange-flavored gelatin for added texture. This is a take on the classic Sex on the Beach cocktail and incorporates cranberry juice cocktail and vodka. Once chilled, the gelatin will provide a pleasant mouthfeel, and be the perfect vehicle for the sweet taste of the peach Schnapps.
- Bring 1 cup (240 mL) of cranberry juice cocktail to a boil, and then remove it from the heat.
- Add 1 packet of orange-flavored gelatin and stir it until it is completely dissolved.
- Mix in ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of peach Schnapps, and ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of vodka.
- Pour the warm mixture into heat-resistant shot glasses, and refrigerator the shots for 2 hours or until the gelatin is set.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Serving up Festive Drinks

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1
Drink hot chocolate with peppermint Schnapps during the holiday season. This festive drink can be made with a chocolate of your choosing and has a minty aftertaste with a kick. You can serve the warm drink plain, or dress it up with whipped cream, marshmallows, and peppermint crumbles.^{[7]
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- Heat 1 cup (240 mL) of skim, 2 percent, or whole milk in a medium saucepan over low heat. If you do not want to use milk, you can use half-and-half instead.
- Stir the milk constantly and add 1 cup (150 g) of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips. Instead of using traditional milk chocolate, you can use white chocolate instead. Continue stirring the milk until all of the chocolate has melted.
- Increase the temperature to a medium heat, and whisk in 3 cups (710 mL) more of your selected milk. Lower the heat if the mixture begins to boil as the chocolate will burn easily. Then pour the hot chocolate into a small, heat-resistant glass, and stir in 1 and ¹⁄₂ fluid ounce (30 and 15 mL) of peppermint Schnapps.
- If you find that the hot chocolate drink is too sweet, you can cut the sweetness with Green Chartreuse. This is a French liqueur that has bitter-sweet earthy and herb flavors. Simply add ³⁄₄ fluid ounce (22 mL) of the green liqueur to your cup of hot chocolate and stir it together.^{[8]
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Make a drink that tastes like apple pie using butterscotch Schnapps. This shot is infused with Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, apple cider, and butterscotch Schnapps. The warming spice elements can be perfectly paired with a chilled dessert like vanilla ice cream.^{[9]
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- Rim a shot glass in lemon juice and cinnamon sugar. The small bite of the acidic lemon will help cut the sweetness of the Schnapps.
- Add 5 ice cubes, 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, ¹⁄₄ fluid ounce (7.4 mL) of butterscotch Schnapps, and ¹⁄₂ fluid ounce (15 mL) of apple cider to a shaker. You can use equal amounts of apple juice instead of the apple cider, but the apple juice will add more of a sweet flavor over the tang of the apple cider.
- Shake the drink well, and then serve it in your decorated shot glass and enjoy.
3
Mix white-chocolate liqueur and peppermint Schnapps for a festive cocktail. This chilled drink is a festive take on the classic Grasshopper and is perfect to serve to family and friends during the holiday season. The heavy cream used in the drink will distill the sweetness of the peppermint Schnapps.^{[10]
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- Add 5 ice cubes, and 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of peppermint Schnapps, white chocolate liqueur, and heavy cream to a shaker tin. Then thoroughly mix the drink.
- Pour the drink through a strainer into a chilled glass. If you want to feel extra fancy while sipping this cocktail, pour the drink into a chilled coupe glass. The wide stem and bowl of the glass will make you feel like you are at a holiday party.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I quickly chill a bottle of schnapps?

Yasmin Rosales
Professional Bartender
Yasmin Rosales is a Bartending Expert based in South Florida. She is the Founder, CEO, and Lead Bartender at Stir it Up Mobile Bar, a mobile bar serving all of South, Florida. Since its founding in 2020, Stir It Up has become a highly respected name in the local event and mobile bartending industry, and prides itself in delivering excellence and an unmatched experience as a preferred luxury bar service. Yasmin has 18 years in the event and hospitality industry, and has made it her mission to infuse joy and a touch of sophistication into every event. In addition to Stir it Up, she owns several satellite bars, a refurbished horse trailer bar named “Glory” and manages a team of bartenders who love the industry as much as she does. She recieved an AS from Broward College in Crime Scene Technology.

Yasmin Rosales

Professional Bartender

Expert Answer

Start by getting a container big enough for your bottle and fill it up with ice and water. Then, submerge your bottle of Schnapps in the ice bath for 10 to 15 minutes. This method efficiently chills your bottle much faster than using a refrigerator, which can take up to 2 to 4 hours.

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Question

Can you drink schnapps straight?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Absolutely! Schnapps can definitely be enjoyed straight. While you can enjoy any flavor of schnapps at any given time, certain flavors may work better in different settings. For example, peppermint might be the perfect flavor for winter drinks. Enjoy the sweet flavors from peach schnapps during the spring and summer months. During the autumn months, consider trying schnapps flavors like butterscotch, or ones that are heavily infused with herbs or other spices. You can also have a straight shot after a heavy meal. In Germany, it is custom to throw back a warm shot of schnapps to help the stomach digest food. The range of spices and herbs used to craft some flavors of Schnapps settles indigestion. You can also simply enjoy whatever schnapps you have straight.

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Question

How is schnapps served?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Schnapps can served a variety of ways and used to create a bunch of different mixed drinks. If you want to enjoy schnapps by itself, try having it neat and unchilled as a shot after a meal. The spices and herbs may help settle indigestion. After eating a dinner primarily consisted of meat or carbs, pour yourself a shot of schnapps that is subtly flavored like pear, plum, or cherry. If you're looking to simply enjoy some tasty scnapps, chill the bottle in the freezer for a drink that tastes like a dessert. Pour your favorite flavor into a shot glass and enjoy the cool sensation. Consider pairing the schnapps with different foods or desserts to heighten the experience. There really isn't a wrong way to enjoy schnapps!

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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