Santa’s Flip Cocktail Recipe

Updated: August 21, 2025 by Michael Kahn. Published: December 2, 2022.

Santa’s Flip is a riff on the Porto Flip cocktail by the influential American bartender, Jerry Thomas. I’ve updated this smooth and cozy cocktail to include nutmeg, amaretto, and coffee liqueur. This is the perfect after-dinner Christmas cocktail for Santa as he leaves some gifts under the tree.

Santa's flip cocktail recipe

Table of Contents

A Bit About Jerry Thomas

Jerry Thomas was an influential and, by all accounts, showy bartender working in the mid-19th century at multiple establishments across the U.S. In modern terms, he was a creative mixologist who passed down a record of budding modern cocktails in his book “The Bon-Vivant’s Companion.” One signature drink that he was known widely for was the Blue Blazer, an exciting performance of a drink including a pyrotechnic element of passing flaming alcohol in an arc between two mixing glasses.

Flip Cocktails

The Porto Flip is a classic cocktail belonging to the Flip family, which are cocktails that combine raw egg and heavy cream to create a creamy, frothy cocktail. Often considered holiday cocktails, they are essentially a simpler version of Egg Nog.

Making Santa’s Flip

Santas flip cocktail recipe straining
Straining into a coupe cocktail glass
Santas flip cocktail recipe adding amaretto
Adding in the Amaretto
Santas flip cocktail recipe freshly ground nutmeg
Freshly ground nutmeg
Michael Kahn

Santa’s Flip

5 from 2 votes
Santa's Flip is a riff of the Porto Riff cocktail by the influential American bartender, Jerry Thomas. I've updated this smooth and cozy cocktail to include nutmeg, amaretto, and coffee liqueur.
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: American
Calories: 368

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur
  • 1 oz Heavy Cream
  • 1 oz Cognac
  • 1 whole Egg
  • 1/2 oz Amaretto
  • 1 tsp Fine Sugar
  • Nutmeg Freshly grated

Method
 

  1. Add all ingredients except nutmeg and amaretto into a shaker and vigorously dry shake, without ice, for 15 seconds.
  2. Open the shaker and add ice, then shake until the shaker feels well-chilled.
  3. Double strain into a chilled coupe cocktail glass.
  4. Use a bar spoon to gently float the amaretto on top.
  5. Garnish with a dusting of freshly grated nutmeg and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 1gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 14mgPotassium: 33mgSugar: 29gVitamin A: 422IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 0.1mg

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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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