Creamy, sweet and warming – advocaat is the feel-good drink for apres ski. Neat over ice, hot, as a cocktail or a shot: here come the best advocaat drinks and recipes – including how to make your own advocaat at home, plus tips to turn it into your chalet highlight.
Advocaat: the creamy apres ski classic
What is advocaat? Advocaat is a creamy liqueur made from egg yolk, sugar, vanilla and alcohol. Its rich, full-bodied flavour makes it the ideal ingredient for cocktails and mixed drinks – and a sweet classic enjoyed neat. Under EU law, genuine advocaat must contain at least 14% vol alcohol and 140g of egg yolk per litre – hence its typical, thick creaminess. That's exactly what makes it the perfect apres ski companion.
💡 By the way: that's why we built the ski boot shot glass set — the glass shaped like a ski boot with a clip-on binding. More on that further down ↓
Small difference, big impact: swap standard glasses for the ski boot shot glasses with binding on the table, and you've already served the first conversation starter.
Origins: from Advocaat to Verpoorten
Advocaat has its roots in the Dutch colonial era. According to legend, colonists returning from South America brought back a drink made from avocado – and since the fruit wasn't available in Europe, its creamy pulp was simply replaced with egg yolk. In Germany, advocaat was popularised above all by the Verpoorten brand, which has been producing it since 1876. For a long time it was seen as a "ladies' liqueur" and a classic Sunday coffee treat – today it's making a real comeback as a shot and cocktail ingredient.
Making advocaat at home – the basic recipe
Homemade, advocaat tastes even fresher and creamier than from the bottle. You only need a few ingredients and around 15 minutes. For about 0.5 litres:
- 4 very fresh egg yolks (organic if possible)
- 100g icing sugar
- 1 sachet of vanilla sugar (or the seeds of one vanilla pod)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 200ml cream (for extra creaminess: sweetened condensed milk)
- 150ml brandy, dark rum or grain spirit (about 38–40% vol)
Here's how:
- Beat the egg yolks with the icing sugar, vanilla sugar and salt for several minutes until pale and creamy.
- Warm the cream gently (don't boil it!) and stir it in slowly.
- Stir in the alcohol gradually.
- Gently thicken the mixture in a bain-marie over low heat, stirring constantly – maximum 65–70°C, never let it boil, or the egg will curdle.
- Pour into clean bottles, let cool and chill.
Shelf life: Because of the egg yolk, homemade advocaat only keeps in the fridge for about 2 to 4 weeks. The alcohol does have a preserving effect, but the rule still stands: drink it up quickly. If you're giving it as a gift, it's best to add a note about keeping it chilled.
The best advocaat drinks & recipes
Advocaat neat over ice – the simplest classic: well chilled, straight into the glass, done.
Hot advocaat – warm it gently (don't boil it!) and serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a little cinnamon. The warmer for cold days.
Snow White – advocaat with a dash of kirsch and whipped cream, garnished with a cherry.
Lumumba with advocaat – hot chocolate with a generous dash of advocaat and a dollop of cream.
Advocaat Jagertee – the chalet twist: hot Jagertee with a dash of advocaat for an extra creamy note.
Advocaat over vanilla ice cream – the dessert and summer move: pour advocaat over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Want more? Find further apres ski classics in the drinks guide and the cocktail guide.
The advocaat shot for the party
Sweet, creamy, gone in one go: the advocaat shot is the perfect way to kick off the apres ski round. Served on the Shotski, it becomes a group highlight – everyone clinks and downs it at the same time. Tip: for the decorated version, add a dollop of cream and a few chocolate shavings on top of the shot.
Drinks & shots, Apres Allstars style – @apresallstars
As the group grows, the Shotski simply grows with it thanks to the extension set — four modules form the base, and every extra pair adds two more spots.
Frequently asked questions about advocaat
How do you make advocaat at home?
For about 0.5 litres, beat 4 egg yolks with 100g icing sugar, vanilla sugar and a pinch of salt until creamy, stir in 200ml lightly warmed cream and mix in 150ml brandy, rum or grain spirit. Gently thicken the mixture in a bain-marie at a maximum of 65–70°C – don't let it boil – and pour into bottles. Chilled, it keeps for 2 to 4 weeks.
What is the best drink made with advocaat?
For apres ski, hot advocaat with whipped cream and the advocaat shot are the favourites. If you like it dessert-style, pour advocaat over vanilla ice cream; for the chalet version, add a dash to your Jagertee.
Can you drink advocaat warm?
Yes – advocaat tastes wonderful warm. Important: only warm it gently and don't let it boil, or the egg yolk will curdle. Serve with whipped cream and cinnamon.
How much alcohol does advocaat contain?
Under EU law, genuine advocaat must contain at least 14% vol alcohol. Shop-bought varieties are usually around 20% vol – noticeably less than clear spirits, but easy to underestimate because of the sweetness.
Which advocaat shot works best for a party?
Advocaat neat, well chilled, as a shot – best served together on the Shotski so everyone clinks at the same time. A dollop of cream and chocolate shavings make it look even better.
Does advocaat taste good in summer too?
Absolutely: advocaat over vanilla ice cream is the perfect summer move. Find more summer ideas in the summer apres ski guide.