Cold, creamy, minty, and always refreshing. That is what a peppermint Christmas float tastes like. Scoops of vanilla ice cream floating in cold lemon-lime soda, flavored with peppermint extract and peppermint syrup, topped with a crushed candy cane mixture, whipped cream, red sprinkles, and a maraschino cherry on top. This guide covers the peppermint Christmas float recipe in full depth, from the exact ingredients and the twelve-step method to variations, what to serve with it, and how to keep it frosty until the moment you serve it.
If you have ever needed a Christmas dessert that looks magical but takes no cooking at all, this is the one. The whole float comes together in about twenty minutes, it serves three people at about 280 calories each, and it uses nine simple ingredients you probably already have. Follow the steps below and you will get a bright, fizzy, minty float with a creamy top that tastes cold, sweet, and festive.
For more holiday drinks for the Christmas table, see our Easy Holiday Drink Recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The full original recipe this guide is based on is the Peppermint Christmas Float Recipe, with the same ingredients, times, and method used below.
Why a Peppermint Christmas Float Belongs on the Christmas Table
Christmas asks a lot of the cook. There is a dinner to roast, desserts to bake, and a table that needs to look magical without keeping you in the kitchen all day. A peppermint Christmas float fits that moment perfectly. It needs no oven, no cooking, and no baking at all, and it still looks like the most festive thing on the table. A tall glass of this float, with its swirls of vanilla ice cream, fizzy soda, red sprinkles, and a cherry on top, looks bright and joyful, and the cool mint flavor is the kind of surprise that makes guests smile the moment they take a sip.
It also solves the most common problem with Christmas cooking: timing. Between the dinner, the desserts, and the guests arriving, nobody has hours to spend on one more dish. This float needs one mixing bowl, a few tall glasses, and about twenty minutes of assembly. The candy canes crush in minutes, the ice cream scoops straight into the glasses, and the soda pours over the top. You make it right before serving, so it comes out cold, fizzy, and creamy exactly when people are ready for dessert.
A peppermint Christmas float also suits every taste at the table. Kids love the mint swirl and the fizzy soda blend, the red sprinkles, and the cherry on top. Adults love the nostalgic charm, the cool peppermint flavor, and the way the float tastes with a Christmas cookie on the side. It works for a Christmas morning celebration, a holiday party, a family dinner, or a quiet evening when you want something sweet, cold, and festive. Make a batch for the party and you will have enough for everyone, though the glasses empty fast with this one.
There is something else that makes this float special: it feels like a small holiday tradition. The original recipe’s own story says it became a small holiday tradition in the home where it was first made, prepared every year for comfort, joy, and lovely holiday memories. It is the kind of recipe that makes Christmas feel bright and simple, and that is exactly the feeling the holiday is meant to have.
What Makes This Christmas Float So Good
The first thing you notice about a peppermint Christmas float is how it looks. The float is bright and colorful, with white whipped cream, red sprinkles, a red cherry, and the swirl of crushed candy cane on top, all sparkling in a clear glass. Then comes the taste: cold, creamy, minty, and fizzy all at once, with the sweet vanilla ice cream melting slowly into the bubbly soda. The contrast between the cold, creamy ice cream and the fizzy, minty soda is what makes people reach for a second sip.
The flavor is sweet without being heavy. Vanilla ice cream gives the float its soft, creamy body, while the cold lemon-lime soda adds fizz and a light citrus lift that keeps the drink refreshing. Peppermint extract gives it the strong mint flavor that makes it taste like Christmas, and the peppermint syrup and crushed candy canes add sweetness and a bright red color. Whipped cream on top makes every sip feel soft and rich, and the maraschino cherry adds a final sweet bite.
The recipe is also forgiving, which matters when you are cooking during a busy Christmas week. The float is assembled, not cooked, so there is no oven to watch and no temperature to get wrong. The steps are simple, the ingredients are few, and even if your scoops are a little bigger or a little smaller, the float still looks beautiful and tastes wonderful. That is the mark of a good holiday recipe: it works even when the kitchen is crowded and the cook is in a hurry.
The Peppermint and Vanilla Combination, Explained
The peppermint and vanilla combination is what turns an ordinary ice cream soda into a Christmas float, and it is also the easiest part of the recipe. It starts with vanilla ice cream scooped into tall serving glasses, with cold lemon-lime soda poured slowly over the top. Then peppermint extract is added for a strong mint flavor, and a mixture of crushed candy canes stirred with peppermint syrup is spooned on top for sweetness, color, and crunch.
Vanilla ice cream is the key ingredient. It is soft, mild, and creamy, which gives the float its smooth body and helps it hold the fizz of the soda without going flat too fast. For this float, the ice cream should be firm when you scoop it, because firm ice cream melts slowly and keeps the float cold and creamy. The original recipe’s own tip is to freeze the ice cream harder for slower melting, which is exactly how you keep the float from turning into a puddle before anyone finishes it.
Peppermint extract is the flavor that makes the float taste like Christmas. It is cool, sharp, and minty, and a little goes a long way. The recipe uses it for a strong mint flavor, and the tip is to add more extract if you want the mint even stronger. The peppermint syrup and the crushed candy canes carry the same flavor in a sweeter form, so the mint comes through in layers: sharp from the extract, sweet from the syrup, and crunchy from the candy.
The texture of the float matters more than anything else. It should be cold and fizzy at the first sip, creamy in the middle as the ice cream melts, and sweet at the top where the whipped cream and candy sit. If your float feels too sweet, add a little more soda. If the mint feels too soft, add a little more extract. Taste it as you build it: it should be cold, creamy, minty, and refreshing, with the vanilla and the peppermint balancing each other. A float that is built well will stay frosty and bubbly instead of going flat and warm.
One more tip: chill the glasses first for an extra frosty texture. Cold glasses keep the ice cream firm and the soda fizzy for longer, and they make the float look even better, with a light frost on the outside of the glass. Pop the glasses in the freezer for a few minutes while you crush the candy canes, and the whole float will stay colder from the first sip to the last.
Ingredients You Will Need
This recipe serves three people, and the ingredients below are exactly the ones in the original Peppermint Christmas Float Recipe. The original recipe lists the ingredients by name only, with no quantities given for any of them, so they are listed here exactly as named, without any amounts added.
- Vanilla ice cream
- Peppermint extract
- Crushed candy canes
- Cold lemon-lime soda
- Whipped cream
- Red sprinkles
- Maraschino cherries
- Peppermint syrup
- Crushed ice (optional)
A few notes on the ingredients will help you get the best result. Use vanilla ice cream that is firm and cold, because firm ice cream melts slowly and keeps the float creamy instead of watery. Use cold lemon-lime soda, straight from the fridge, because warm soda goes flat the moment it hits the ice cream and the float loses its fizz.
Use peppermint extract, not mint extract, because peppermint is the flavor that tastes like Christmas candy, while plain mint tastes more like toothpaste. Use crushed candy canes for the topping, because they add sweetness, crunch, and the bright red color that makes the float look festive. The original recipe’s own tip is to crush the candy canes inside a bag for less mess, which keeps the pieces small and the kitchen clean.
Use whipped cream that holds its shape, because it sits on top of the float and needs to stay fluffy while people admire the glass. The red sprinkles and the maraschino cherries are the finishing touches: the sprinkles add color and a festive sparkle, and the cherry on top is the classic float finish. Crushed ice is optional, so use it only if you want the float extra cold and slushy.
Equipment You Will Need
You do not need any special equipment for this recipe. Everything on the list below is standard kitchen gear, and you probably already own all of it.
- Tall serving glasses
- Long spoons
- Ice cream scoop
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Small saucepan
- Candy crusher or rolling pin
- Straws
The tall serving glasses matter more than they seem, because the float needs room for the ice cream, the soda, and the whipped cream on top, and a tall glass shows off the layers. Use clear glasses for the festive visual charm, so everyone can see the swirls of ice cream and soda inside. A long spoon is the right tool for eating the float, because it reaches the bottom of the glass where the ice cream settles. The candy crusher or rolling pin does the work of crushing the candy canes, and the mixing bowl is where the crushed candy meets the peppermint syrup. The straws are the finishing touch, so guests can sip the fizzy soda as the ice cream melts.
How to Make a Peppermint Christmas Float
This is the full twelve-step method, using the same ingredients and method as the original recipe. There is no cooking and no heating in this recipe: it is a no-cook assembly that takes about twenty minutes from start to finish. Read through the steps once before you start, so the whole assembly flows without stopping.
Step 1: Chill the tall serving glasses first. Put the tall glasses in the freezer for a few minutes before you start, so they are cold and lightly frosted when the float goes in. Cold glasses keep the ice cream firm and the soda fizzy for longer, and they make the float look even more festive.
Step 2: Crush the candy canes. Put the candy canes inside a bag and crush them with a candy crusher or a rolling pin until they are in small pieces. Crushing them inside a bag keeps the mess down and the pieces small, which is exactly what you want for the topping.
Step 3: Add the crushed candy canes into a mixing bowl gently. Tip the crushed candy canes into the mixing bowl, gently, so the pieces stay small and do not fly everywhere. The bowl is where the candy will meet the syrup in the next step.
Step 4: Stir the peppermint syrup with the candy for full coating. Pour the peppermint syrup over the crushed candy canes and stir until every piece is coated. The syrup makes the candy sticky and sweet, so it sits on top of the float in a bright red layer instead of sinking straight to the bottom.
Step 5: Scoop the vanilla ice cream into the tall serving glasses. Use the ice cream scoop to put scoops of vanilla ice cream into each chilled glass. The ice cream should be firm, so it holds its shape and melts slowly once the soda goes in.
Step 6: Pour the cold lemon-lime soda over the ice cream slowly. Pour the cold soda over the ice cream slowly, so the fizz builds gently instead of foaming over the top of the glass. Pouring slowly keeps the soda bubbly and the glass full, instead of half foam and half float.
Step 7: Add the peppermint extract for strong mint flavor. Add the peppermint extract to the float for a strong mint flavor. A little goes a long way, so add it carefully and stir gently if you need to spread the flavor through the glass.
Step 8: Spoon the candy mixture on top carefully. Spoon the crushed candy cane and peppermint syrup mixture on top of the float, carefully, so it sits in a bright layer over the ice cream and soda. This is the topping that makes the float look like Christmas.
Step 9: Add the whipped cream over the float mixture. Add whipped cream over the top of the float, in a soft swirl, so it sits high above the rim of the glass. The whipped cream is the soft, creamy crown of the float, and it should look generous.
Step 10: Sprinkle the red sprinkles for a festive touch. Sprinkle the red sprinkles over the whipped cream for a festive touch. The red against the white cream is what makes the float look like a Christmas decoration in a glass.
Step 11: Top the floats with maraschino cherries neatly. Place a maraschino cherry neatly on top of each float, right in the center of the whipped cream. The cherry is the classic finishing touch, and it gives every glass the same bright red top.
Step 12: Serve the peppermint Christmas float immediately cold. Serve the floats right away, while they are cold, fizzy, and creamy, with a long spoon and a straw in each glass. Do not wait: the ice cream melts fast, and the float tastes best in the first few minutes, while the soda is still bubbly and the ice cream is still firm.
Tips for the Perfect Christmas Float Every Time
The secret to a perfect Christmas float is coldness. Everything should be cold: the glasses, the soda, and the ice cream. Chill the glasses first for an extra frosty texture, and use soda straight from the fridge. A warm glass or warm soda will melt the ice cream before anyone takes a sip, and the float will go flat.
Use clear glasses for festive visual charm. The float is beautiful to look at, with its white ice cream, fizzy soda, red candy, and red cherry, and a clear glass lets everyone see it. A colored or frosted glass hides the layers, and half the fun of this drink is watching the ice cream swirl into the soda.
Crush the candy canes inside bags for less mess. Candy cane pieces fly everywhere if you crush them on an open board, and the tiny shards are hard to clean up. A sealed bag keeps the pieces contained, and you can pour them straight into the mixing bowl when they are the right size.
Add more extract for a stronger mint flavor, but add it a little at a time. Peppermint extract is strong, and too much can overpower the vanilla and the soda. Start with the amount the recipe intends, taste, and add a little more only if the mint feels too soft.
Use diet soda for fewer calories if you want a lighter float. The float is a sweet treat at 280 calories per serving, and diet lemon-lime soda keeps the fizz and the flavor while cutting the sugar. The ice cream and the whipped cream still make it taste rich, so nobody will feel short-changed.
Add chocolate drizzle for a richer contrast if you want a more indulgent float. A thin drizzle of chocolate sauce over the whipped cream adds a dark, rich note that plays beautifully against the cool mint. It also makes the float look even more like a dessert.
Freeze the ice cream harder for slower melting. If your ice cream is soft, it will melt the moment the soda hits it. Put the tub in the coldest part of the freezer for an hour before you build the floats, and the scoops will hold their shape long enough for everyone to enjoy the drink.
Variations to Try
Once you have made the classic version, the float is easy to change without changing the method. Add a chocolate drizzle over the whipped cream for a richer contrast. The dark chocolate against the cool mint is a classic pairing, and it turns the float into a peppermint mocha-style dessert drink.
Make it extra minty with more peppermint extract and more crushed candy canes on top. This is the version for people who love the mint flavor most, and it makes the float taste even more like a candy cane in a glass.
Make a lighter version with diet lemon-lime soda and a smaller scoop of ice cream. The float keeps its fizz, its mint, and its festive look, with fewer calories. The original recipe’s own tip is to use diet soda for fewer calories, and it works without changing anything else.
Try a different soda for a new flavor. A clear cream soda makes the float sweeter and creamier, while a ginger ale adds a warm, spicy note under the mint. Keep the peppermint extract and the candy canes the same, so the float still tastes like Christmas.
Add crushed ice for an extra cold, slushy float. The original recipe lists crushed ice as optional, and it is a good choice on a warm day or for a party where the floats might sit for a few minutes. The ice keeps everything cold and adds a slushy texture that kids especially love.
For a grown-up table, serve the float as a dessert drink after dinner, with a Christmas cookie on the side. The float is already a dessert in a glass, so it needs nothing more than a small sweet bite beside it.
What to Serve with a Peppermint Christmas Float
A peppermint Christmas float is a dessert drink, so it pairs best with small, sweet bites that do not compete with the mint. Chocolate chip cookies are the simplest partner: they add warm sweetness that pairs well with mint, and their soft, buttery crumb is a lovely contrast to the cold, fizzy float.
Mini brownie bites are another favorite. They offer a rich chocolate flavor with a creamy float contrast, and their small size makes them easy to eat while holding a glass. The dark, fudgy brownie against the cool, minty float is one of the best flavor pairs on a Christmas dessert table.
Gingerbread biscotti is the third classic pairing. The spicy crunch of gingerbread balances the cool mint notes, and the crisp biscotti is perfect for dipping into the whipped cream. The warm spices of the gingerbread and the cool peppermint of the float taste like Christmas together.
You can also serve the float on its own, as the dessert itself. It is sweet, creamy, and festive enough to stand alone at the end of a Christmas meal, with a long spoon and a straw. For a bigger dessert table, put the floats beside the Christmas cookies, the peppermint pie, and the holiday punch, so guests can choose between a drink and a bite.
For a Christmas morning celebration, serve the floats with the breakfast table, beside cinnamon rolls or a fruit platter. The cold, minty float wakes everyone up, and the kids will love the sprinkles and the cherry on top.
Make-Ahead and Storage
A peppermint Christmas float is made to be served right away, and that is the smartest way to enjoy it. The float is built in the moment: the ice cream is scooped, the soda is poured, the toppings go on, and the glass goes straight to the table. Serve it immediately cold, while the soda is still fizzy and the ice cream is still firm.
You can prepare the parts ahead of time, even if the float itself cannot wait. Crush the candy canes and stir them with the peppermint syrup earlier in the day, and keep the mixture covered. Chill the glasses in the freezer, keep the soda in the fridge, and keep the ice cream in the coldest part of the freezer. When it is time to serve, the assembly takes only a few minutes per glass.
Do not store a finished float. Once the soda meets the ice cream, the float starts to melt and go flat, and no amount of chilling brings the fizz back. The original recipe gives no storage time for a finished float, because it is a serve-immediately drink. If you have leftover candy mixture, keep it covered in the fridge and use it on the next batch, and keep the soda cold for the next round of floats.
Nutrition at a Glance
Each serving of this recipe is one float, and the numbers below are the ones in the original recipe. The float is a sweet treat, which is exactly what a Christmas dessert drink should be.
- Calories: 280 kcal per serving
- Servings: 3
The calories come mostly from the vanilla ice cream, the peppermint syrup, the whipped cream, and the soda, which is what makes the float taste so sweet and creamy. The crushed candy canes and the maraschino cherry add sugar too, while the soda adds the fizz. If you want a lighter version, use diet lemon-lime soda for fewer calories, use a smaller scoop of ice cream, and go easy on the whipped cream. The flavor will still be cold, minty, and festive, and the calories will come down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a peppermint Christmas float ahead of time?
No, this float is made to be served right away. The original recipe’s last step is to serve the float immediately cold, because the ice cream melts and the soda goes flat once they meet. You can prepare the parts ahead: crush the candy canes, mix them with the peppermint syrup, chill the glasses, and keep the soda and ice cream cold. Then build each float just before serving, which takes only a few minutes per glass.
What soda works best for this float?
Cold lemon-lime soda is the soda the recipe uses, and it works best because it is clear, fizzy, and lightly citrusy, so it lets the white ice cream and the red candy show through the glass. Use it cold, straight from the fridge, so it stays bubbly. If you want fewer calories, use diet lemon-lime soda: the original recipe’s own tip is that diet soda works for fewer calories.
Can I make this float without peppermint extract?
You can, but the mint will be much milder. The peppermint extract is what gives the float its strong mint flavor, while the peppermint syrup and the crushed candy canes add a sweeter, gentler mint. If you leave the extract out, the float will still taste sweet and creamy, but it will taste more like a vanilla ice cream soda than a peppermint Christmas float. Add the extract a little at a time until the mint tastes right to you.
Is this float good for kids?
Yes. There is no alcohol in this float, and kids love the mint swirl and the fizzy soda blend, the red sprinkles, and the cherry on top. The original recipe says kids love it, and it is a good choice for a Christmas morning celebration or a family holiday party. For younger children, use a smaller glass and a little less extract, so the mint is gentle.
What can I serve with a peppermint Christmas float?
Chocolate chip cookies, mini brownie bites, and gingerbread biscotti are the three pairings the original recipe suggests. The cookies add warm sweetness that pairs well with mint, the brownie bites offer a rich chocolate flavor with a creamy float contrast, and the biscotti brings a spicy crunch that balances the cool mint notes. The float also works on its own as a dessert in a glass.
How do I keep the float from melting too fast?
Chill the glasses first for an extra frosty texture, and freeze the ice cream harder for slower melting. Use soda straight from the fridge, build the float just before serving, and serve it immediately cold. If the room is warm, keep the ice cream in the freezer until the very last moment, and pour the soda slowly so the fizz stays in the glass instead of foaming over.
Final Thoughts
The peppermint Christmas float recipe is simple, colorful, and wonderfully cheerful. It is easy to prepare, needs no cooking at all, and is perfect for any Christmas occasion, from a holiday party to a quiet family evening. With the right ingredients, you will get amazing results: a cold, creamy, minty float with a fizzy top, red sprinkles, and a cherry that makes the whole glass disappear in minutes.
Try this recipe once, and it may become your favorite too. Make it for Christmas, when the house is full and the table needs something bright and joyful to end the meal. Your guests will ask for the recipe, and now you will have it ready to share.
For more Christmas desserts and drinks, see our Easy Christmas Peppermint Pie for the Holidays, 18 Christmas Party Punch Recipes, 10 Delicious Christmas Recipes to Make This Year, Easy Cannoli Cookies for Christmas, Easy Pistachio Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies for the Holidays, Orange Christmas Jam Canning Recipe, and Gingerbread Rice Krispie Treats Recipe.