Pink Squirrel Cocktail Recipe

The Pink Squirrel cocktail is comprised of three ingredients: crème de noyaux (an almond-flavored liqueur), white creme de cacao, and heavy cream.

Though this rosy-hued dessert in a glass is more obscure than a Brandy Alexander, Grasshopper, or even the lesser-known Golden Cadillac, if you’re a Wisconsinite, you’ve likely heard of or tried a traditional Pink Squirrel in a classic supper club.

Like these other three-ingredient, cream-based drinks with similar templates, the Pink Squirrel falls under a cocktail category often referred to as “ice cream drinks,” as they’re frequently made with ice cream in place of heavy cream. The original Pink Squirrel is thought to have been the only one of these that was a frozen treat first. 

The Pink Squirrel’s origins can be traced to the 1940s at Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge — supposedly, the first cocktail lounge in Milwaukee, and likely, the state. Thought to have been created by bar owner and cocktail enthusiast Bryant Sharp, the ice cream version is served at the beloved lounge to this day.

Why does the Pink Squirrel work?

The Pink Squirrel’s signature pale pink color and almond flavor comes from the crème de noyaux. Like amaretto, this nutty liqueur is, in fact, not made with almonds at all. Crème de noyaux gets its flavor from apricot, peach, or cherry stone kernels, and sometimes all three. 

In the 19th century, the liqueur’s rosy color was traditionally derived from cochineal, an insect that naturally produces a red dye. Some contemporary crème de noyaux producers such as Tempus Fugit Spirits have recreated this recipe to include this coloring style. Because this liqueur may be difficult to source, amaretto liqueur can be used in its place.

White créme de cacao provides sweetness as well as a pronounced chocolate flavor. The heavy cream can be substituted for half and half or a lighter milk alternative. Or you can lean into the dessert qualities of this drink and go full vanilla ice cream. The dusting of freshly grated nutmeg lends a fragrant baking spice complexity and a warm, woodsy quality.