Frostbite Tequila Cocktail

Frostbite Tequila Cocktail in a glass, garnished with Luxardo Cherries

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

A sneaky drink that hides tequila behind a creamy blue veil, the frostbite is fun. This simple blue cocktail uses an unusual combination of ingredients that you'll definitely want to try because it gives you a good idea of tequila's full potential in cocktails.

The frostbite recipe is an old favorite that's been around for a few decades (at least) and there are many ways that you can adjust it to fit your personal taste. It always has a tequila base and is accented with chocolate and orange liqueurs. You will want to choose white crème de cacao rather than the "dark" brown version so the blue curaçao can control the drink's color.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces tequila

  • 1 ounce blue curaçao liqueur

  • 1/2 ounce white crème de cacao liqueur

  • 1/2 ounce cream

  • Luxardo Cherries, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Frostbite Tequila Cocktail in glasses and a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a cocktail shaker, pour the tequila, blue curaçao, crème de cacao, and cream. Fill with ice.

    tequila, blue curaçao, crème de cacao, and cream in glasses and a cocktail shaker

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Shake well.

    Shake the cocktail shaker

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.

    Frostbite Tequila Cocktail in a glass

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Garnish with a cherry. Serve and enjoy.

    Frostbite Tequila Cocktail garnished with cherries

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Silver tequila is probably the best choice for this cocktail. Choose a good mid-range brand that you wouldn't mind drinking straight.
  • As with any dairy cocktail, you can adjust the frostbite's creaminess with your choice of cream. For the richest drink, go with regular cream. Milk will produce a light drink, or you can split the difference and pour half and half.
  • A white chocolate liqueur is a good substitute for crème de cacao and won't affect the cocktail's color. Look for it from brands like Godiva and Mozart.

Recipe Variations

  • Strain this drink into a chilled cocktail glass for a frostbite martini if you prefer. Just be sure your glass is nice and frosty. Vodka can replace the tequila as well.
  • Play around with the ratio of the ingredients to find your perfect mix. Some frostbite recipes pour equal amounts of the liqueurs and cream (1/2 ounce each). Others add just a splash of cream, while some people prefer up to 2 ounces of cream.
  • You can also bring a little mint into your frostbite by adding 1/4 ounce of white crème de menthe or peppermint schnapps. Most people enjoy this version with a lot of cream.
  • Rather than dairy cream, pour a cream liqueur instead; either Irish cream or RumChata are excellent choices. You can also go with a dairy alternative such as soy or almond milk.

How Strong Is a Frostbite Cocktail?

The frostbite definitely has a bite to it! Surprisingly, this cocktail's alcohol content is right up there with martinis, weighing in around 26 percent ABV (52 proof). It may be sweet and creamy, but it will get you drunk if you have one too many.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
284 Calories
5g Fat
16g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 284
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 17mg 6%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 35mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)