Snowball Cocktail
A Snowball cocktail is creamy, fizzy, and lightly citrusy, made with advocaat, lime, and chilled lemon-lime soda. It is a simple holiday drink that feels festive without needing a shaker or special bar gear.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Yield
- 1 cocktail
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 5mCook 0mBritishDrinks
The Snowball cocktail is a retro British drink often served around Christmas. It gets its soft yellow color and custardy flavor from advocaat, a Dutch egg-based liqueur.
Classic versions are built right in the glass with lime and fizzy lemonade. In the U.S., lemon-lime soda is the closest easy swap for British-style lemonade.
This is a gentle, sweet cocktail, not a strong one. Serve it very cold, add the soda last, and stir lightly so the bubbles stay lively.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
5 items · 1 cocktail
- 2 fl oz advocaat liqueur, chilled
- 1/2 fl oz fresh lime juice, or lime cordial for a sweeter classic flavor
- 4 fl oz chilled lemon-lime soda or sparkling lemonade
- Ice, as needed
- 1 maraschino cherry or lime wheel, for garnish, optional
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Chill the glass
Place a highball or small Collins glass in the freezer for a few minutes, or fill it with ice while you gather the ingredients. A cold glass helps the drink stay fizzy longer.
2. Add fresh ice
If you used ice to chill the glass, pour it out. Fill the glass about halfway with fresh ice. Fresh ice tastes cleaner and melts more slowly.
3. Pour in the advocaat
Measure 2 fl oz chilled advocaat and pour it over the ice. Advocaat is thick, so let it settle for a few seconds before adding the next ingredient.
4. Add the lime
Pour in the lime juice or lime cordial. Lime juice gives a brighter, less sweet drink. Lime cordial gives a more old-school Snowball flavor.
5. Stir until smooth
Stir gently for 5 to 8 seconds to loosen the advocaat and blend in the lime. Do not stir hard, or the drink can look foamy before the soda is added.
6. Top with soda
Slowly pour in the chilled lemon-lime soda. Tilt the glass slightly as you pour to help keep the bubbles from rising too fast.
7. Finish and serve
Give the drink one light stir, just enough to combine. Garnish with a cherry or lime wheel if you like, then serve right away while it is cold and fizzy.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Do not fully mix a Snowball in advance because the soda will go flat. You can measure the advocaat and lime into a covered jar and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then add ice and soda just before serving.
- Storage: A mixed Snowball is best enjoyed right away. Opened advocaat should be tightly closed and refrigerated according to the bottle label because it contains egg and dairy-style ingredients.
- Swap the soda: British lemonade is clear and fizzy. In the U.S., use lemon-lime soda, sparkling lemonade, or a lightly sweet lemon soda. Club soda works too, but the drink will be less sweet.
- Adjust the sweetness: Use fresh lime juice for a tangier drink. Use lime cordial for a sweeter, more classic pub-style Snowball.
- Batch for a party: For 6 drinks, combine 12 fl oz advocaat and 3 fl oz lime juice in a pitcher and chill. To serve, pour 2 1/2 fl oz of the mixture over ice in each glass and top each with 4 fl oz cold soda.
- If the drink curdles or looks split, the advocaat may have been too warm or the citrus may have been added too aggressively. Use chilled ingredients and stir gently.
Cook's note
Nutrition is estimated for 1 cocktail made with 2 fl oz advocaat, 1/2 fl oz fresh lime juice, and 4 fl oz regular lemon-lime soda. Optional garnish is not included.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
What is advocaat?
Advocaat is a thick, yellow liqueur made with egg yolks, sugar, and brandy or another spirit. It has a custardy flavor and gives the Snowball its creamy texture.
Can I use eggnog instead of advocaat?
Eggnog is not a direct swap because it is usually lower in alcohol and thinner or creamier in a different way. If you use eggnog, the drink will taste more like a fizzy eggnog cocktail than a classic Snowball.
Is a Snowball cocktail strong?
It is usually a lighter cocktail because advocaat is lower in alcohol than many spirits and the drink is topped with soda. The exact strength depends on the brand of advocaat and how much soda you add.
Can I make this without alcohol?
You cannot make a true Snowball without advocaat, but you can make a similar creamy mocktail with chilled eggnog, a little lime juice, and lemon-lime soda. Stir gently and serve it right away.
Should I use lime juice or lime cordial?
Both work. Fresh lime juice makes the drink brighter and less sweet. Lime cordial is sweeter and closer to many traditional British Snowball recipes.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
1 cocktail
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat3 g
- 4%
- Saturated Fat2 g
- 10%
- Cholesterol40 mg
- 13%
- Sodium35 mg
- 2%
- Total Carbohydrate31 g
- 11%
- Dietary Fiber0 g
- 0%
- Total Sugars30 g
- Protein3 g
- 6%
- Vitamin D0.4 mcg
- 2%
- Calcium29 mg
- 2%
- Iron0.2 mg
- 1%
- Potassium71 mg
- 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
You might also like
DrinksGimlet Cocktail
A gimlet is a crisp, three-ingredient gin cocktail with a clean lime snap and just enough sweetness to round the edges. Shake it hard, serve it cold, and garnish simply.
DrinksSloe Gin Cocktail
This bright sloe gin cocktail shakes sweet-tart sloe gin with fresh lemon, a little simple syrup, and a splash of soda. It is ruby-red, lightly fizzy, and easy to make one glass at a time.
DrinksCorpse Reviver No. 2
This classic gin cocktail is bright, citrusy, lightly herbal, and just sweet enough. Equal parts make it easy to remember, while a tiny absinthe rinse gives it its famous edge.
DrinksRhubarb & Elderflower Gin Punch
Tart rhubarb, floral elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon, and dry gin make a bright spring punch for grown-up gatherings. Mix the syrup ahead, then add bubbles right before serving.