Peanut Butter Manhattan: a Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey Recipe
This Dry Peanut Butter Manhattan recipe is made with peanut butter whiskey, dry vermouth, and a dash of bitters. It’s a unique variation of a classic cocktail that’s bursting with peanut butter flavor.
A Peanut Butter Manhattan may not be the first peanut butter whiskey cocktail you think of. But it’s one you’ll make again and again.
Ingredients
Skrewball was the first peanut butter whiskey. It supposedly came about after the Skrewball founder, Steven Yeng, created a peanut butter and whiskey cocktail at his bar and restaurant. Since then, other distillers have started making peanut butter whiskeys following the success of Skrewball.
With a bottle of Skrewball peanut butter whiskey in hand, I was inspired by my peanut butter chocolate ganache drip cake to make a peanut butter cup cocktail. But no matter how I combined Skrewball peanut butter whiskey and chocolate liqueur, I couldn’t re-create the rich and creamy chocolate and peanut butter combination I love.
Update: April 2022: I did make a peanut butter cup cocktail for the 52 weeks of cocktails challenge. But this peanut butter Manhattan is a better use of your peanut butter whiskey.
If you love peanut butter, you should also try:
Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe tips and tricks
The classic Manhattan cocktail recipe is made with two ounces of rye or bourbon whiskey, one ounce of sweet vermouth, and a dash or two of bitters. Stir with ice, and then serve over ice in a lowball glass or neat in a coupe.
You can vary a Manhattan by changing the base spirit or the vermouth, or both. You can see an example in this perfect brandy Manhattan.
Tip from the wise quacker: The general rule of thumb is that cocktails with citrus juices should be shaken. And cocktails with only liquor should be stirred, because shaking makes for a cloudy cocktail.
Peanut butter Manhattans and cocktail tasting
The Peanut Butter Manhattan with Skrewball in the classic Manhattan ratio was too sweet. So next we tried a dry peanut butter Manhattan using the same ratio of peanut butter whiskey to dry vermouth. To be complete, we also tasted a “perfect Manhattan” using one half ounce each of dry and sweet vermouth.
If this were Goldilocks, the perfect peanut butter Manhattan would have been just right. But it’s the dry Manhattan recipe that brings out the brightest, nutty flavor from the peanut butter whiskey.
I encourage you to try this taste test for yourself. Make one classic, one dry, and one perfect, and see which one you prefer. And, if you really love peanut butter, compare Skrewball peanut butter whiskey with others.
Garnish ideas
You can use the standard cocktail cherry garnish for this peanut butter Manhattan, or make my peanut butter cookies.
For dessert cocktails and more decadent drinks, mini peanut butter cups will work. Or rim your glass with a rim of finely chopped peanuts mixed with sugar like the almond sugar in this Cherry Bakewell cocktail.
Recipe FAQs
We like Dolin Vermouth de Chambery.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says that one serving for distilled spirits is 1.5 ounces.
Combine equal parts peanut butter whiskey and liqueur like Chambord for a peanut butter and jelly cocktail. Make a peanut butter old-fashioned with two ounces of peanut butter whiskey, one ounce of simple syrup, and a dash or two of Angostura bitters. Or make a creamy peanut butter whiskey espresso martini with an ounce each of whiskey, espresso, coffee liqueur, and Baileys.
Related cocktail recipes
Check out other cocktail recipes from the Ugly Duckling Bakery archives like:
Love cocktails and want to explore more? Read all about classic cocktails and bartender basics or join this year’s 52 weeks of cocktails challenge!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.
Recipe
Peanut Butter Manhattan
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Skrewball whiskey or other peanut butter whiskey
- 1 ounce dry vermouth
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- Luxardo cherries, maraschino, or peanut butter cookie for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add the whiskey, vermouth, and bitters and stir for 20 to 30 seconds.2 ounces Skrewball whiskey or other peanut butter whiskey, 1 ounce dry vermouth, 1 dash Angostura bitters
- Strain into a coupe or martini glass and garnish as desired.Luxardo cherries, maraschino, or peanut butter cookie
Notes
- Classic manhattan: Use 2 ounces of peanut butter whiskey, 1 ounce of sweet vermouth, and a dash of bitters.
- Perfect peanut butter manhattan: Use 2 ounces of peanut butter whiskey with half an ounce of dry vermouth and half an ounce of sweet vermouth and a dash of bitters for a perfect peanut butter manhattan.
Nutrition
You’re an adventurous home cook looking for inspiration in your weeknight meals and weekend baking. Get that inspiration here: