Pink Squirrel

Pink Squirrel - A classic, pretty-in-pink almond liqueur-infused ice cream drink that originated in Wisconsin in the 1950s. 

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If you follow me over on my Wisconsin Lake Girl Insta account then you know how much I love Wisconsin supper clubs.

There's just something about the nostalgia and the way they make me feel - I love the dim-lit dining rooms, the relish trays and breadsticks, the classic menus filled with steak and seafood, and last but not least, the delicious after-dinner drinks made with liqueur-infused ice cream. Oh my gawwd.

Sooo, today we're making a Pink Squirrel in celebration of the upcoming Valentines holiday! 

WHAT IS A PINK SQUIRREL?

A Pink Squirrel is a combination of vanilla ice cream and almond and chocolate-flavored liqueurs. It's often served in supper clubs throughout the Midwest as an after-dinner drink.

HOW TO MAKE A PINK SQUIRREL

To make a pink squirrel, you'll need:

• Crème de Noyaux (AKA Crème de Almond)
• Crème de Cacao
• Vanilla ice cream
• Sprinkles, marshmallows and whipped cream

Start by filling your blender with Crème de Noyaux, Crème de Cacao and vanilla ice cream.

Once blended, you'll have a gorgeous pink concoction begging for some whipped cream and garnishes.

HOW SHOULD I GARNISH A PINK SQUIRREL?

Well, this is the fun part. I used some heart-shaped sprinkles and a heart-shaped marshmallow to garnish mine but you could use:

• Maraschino cherries
• Slivered almonds
• Chocolate shavings
• Strawberries

Have you ever seen these Lucky Charms marshmallows? I think they're so much fun and had to get a bag.

They taste like regular marshmallows, not the kind of marshmallows you find in the Lucky Charms cereal.

WHAT DOES A PINK SQUIRREL TASTE LIKE?

The Pink Squirrel tastes like an adult vanilla milkshake with notes of chocolate and almond, thanks to the Crème de Noyaux, which also gives the drink its pink hue.

CAN YOU MAKE A PINK SQUIRREL WITHOUT ICE CREAM?

Well, I guess, but why would you want to? It's no longer a genuine Pink Squirrel in my book and it definitely won't be as decadent or thick but, if you must. . .

You could substitute heavy cream for the ice cream. To do this you'll want to combine all of the ingredients together with ice, place into a martini shaker, shake and strain.

You could also use a combination of two parts cream to one part vodka to sub for the ice cream.

Whatever floats your boat.🤷‍♀️

WHERE DID THE PINK SQUIRREL ORIGINATE?

The Pink Squirrel was originally created at Bryant's Cocktail Lounge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's still served as an ice cream drink there, today, and in many parts of the upper Midwest (like where I live in Central Wisconsin).😉

WHAT IF I CAN'T FIND CREME DE NOYAUX?

Well, that's unfortunate. I was able to find crème de noyaux in the liquor department of my local grocery store - but I live in Wisconsin where you can pretty much find whatever you need.😉 If you can't find it, you have a few options:

• Crème de Almond - This is exactly the same thing as crème de noyaux - it's just labeled differently.
• Amaretto - If your drink won't be attending any beauty pageants the night you'll be drinking it, go ahead and use amaretto. Instead of being a pretty pink hue, however, your drink will be kind of, well, brown. You may be able to bring back a bit more pink by adding a drop of food coloring, but don't count on it.
• Grenadine - If it's the pretty pink hue you're looking for, you could use grenadine, but it's going to give the drink a fruity chocolate flavor rather than an almond chocolate flavor it's intended to have.

HOW TO MAKE A "KID-FRIENDLY" PINK SQUIRREL

If the kids are eyeing up your drink, the good news is you can make something similar that's non-alcoholic. Try the a combination of the following:

• Vanilla ice cream
• Cocoa extract 
• Almond extract 
• Maraschino cherry juice (just a little for some color)

CAN I MAKE A "BIG" BATCH OF PINK SQUIRRELS?

Well, I thought you'd never ask. You can follow a similar process to how I make my Grasshoppers for a crowd. The recipe below makes enough for about 6 drinks.