Creme de menthe substitutes
Creme de menthe substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Simple syrup plus peppermint extract
Per 1 tbsp creme de menthe
1 tbsp simple syrup + a scant 1/8 tsp peppermint extract
For every 1 tablespoon of creme de menthe, use 1 tablespoon of simple syrup plus a scant 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint extract. That covers the two jobs it is actually doing: sweetness and mint. If you have peppermint schnapps, use it 1:1 and stir in about ½ teaspoon of sugar per tablespoon, since schnapps is drier. Bottled mint syrup (the kind sold for coffee) works 1:1 with no adjustment at all. Green food colouring is optional and purely cosmetic.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- grasshopper pie
Updated 26 Jul 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked · per 1 tbsp creme de menthe| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 tbsp creme de menthe | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simple syrup plus peppermint extractgrasshopper pie | 1 tbsp simple syrup + a scant 1/8 tsp peppermint extractWorks | Works |
| 2 | Peppermint schnappsgrasshopper cocktails | Same amountPlus about ½ tsp sugar per tablespoonTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Bottled mint or creme de menthe syrupgrasshopper pie | Same amountWorks | Works |
| 4 | Fresh mint simple syrupcocktails | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | White creme de menthe when the recipe says greengrasshopper pie | Same amountWorks | Works |
| 6 | Peppermint oil plus simple syrupchocolate work | 1 tbsp simple syrup + 1 toothpick-tip of peppermint oilYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
Simple syrup plus peppermint extract
similar taste and texture
The direct rebuild: sugar syrup supplies the sweetness and body, extract supplies the mint.
- Best for
- grasshopper pie, mint brownies, no-bake mint chocolate desserts, frostings, alcohol-free cooking
This is the closest match by taste and it keeps the liquid volume the same, which matters in a no-bake filling that sets by chilling. What changes: no alcoholic warmth, so the mint sits a little flatter and reads slightly more like candy than like a liqueur. Add the extract off the heat and taste before you add the last drops, because extract brands vary a lot in strength.
Peppermint schnapps
similar taste, different texture
Clear peppermint liqueur, similar in flavour but drier and stronger in alcohol.
- Best for
- grasshopper cocktails, hot chocolate, mint chocolate desserts, peppermint bark
Schnapps is usually 40 to 60 proof against creme de menthe's 40 or below, and it carries far less sugar. Swapped straight across, a Grasshopper comes out noticeably thinner, sharper and boozier, and the mint tastes cooler and more medicinal rather than syrupy. Stirring in half a teaspoon of sugar per tablespoon closes most of that gap.
Bottled mint or creme de menthe syrup
similar taste and texture
The non-alcoholic mint syrup sold for coffee and soda, built on the same sugar-plus-peppermint idea.
- Best for
- grasshopper pie, milkshakes, hot chocolate, kid-friendly desserts, frostings
The easiest swap of all: same sweetness, same thickness, same mint, no alcohol. It is usually a touch sweeter than the liqueur and a little less complex, so if the recipe is already very sweet, pull back a tablespoon of the sugar elsewhere. Many of these syrups are already green, which conveniently solves the colour question.
Fresh mint simple syrup
different taste, similar texture
Fresh mint leaves steeped in hot simple syrup, then strained.
- Best for
- cocktails, cream-based drinks, sorbets, fruit desserts
Bring equal parts sugar and water to a simmer, take it off the heat, drop in a generous handful of mint, steep 15 minutes and strain. The flavour is genuinely different: garden mint is grassy, sweet and spearmint-ish, where creme de menthe is sharp cool peppermint. A Grasshopper made this way is lovely but tastes like a mint julep crossed with a milkshake rather than an after-dinner mint. Also pale green at best, so no dramatic colour.
White creme de menthe when the recipe says green
similar taste and texture
The clear version of exactly the same liqueur, with the colouring left out.
- Best for
- grasshopper pie, stingers, mint chocolate desserts, cream cocktails
Green and white creme de menthe taste the same. The only difference is dye, so this is a true 1:1 with no flavour change whatsoever. Your grasshopper pie or Grasshopper cocktail will just come out pale cream or greyish-green instead of mint green. If you want the colour, two drops of green food colouring gets you there. It does not work the other way around in a clear drink like a Stinger, where green liqueur would tint the glass.
Peppermint oil plus simple syrup
different taste and texture
The last-resort version if extract is all out and food-grade peppermint oil is what you have.
- Best for
- chocolate work, candy, frostings
Peppermint oil is roughly three to four times the strength of extract, so it is very easy to ruin a whole batch of brownie batter with one careless drop. Dip a toothpick, stir it through, taste, repeat. The upside for chocolate work is that oil is not water-based, so it will not seize melted chocolate the way a splash of liqueur or syrup can. The mint note is cleaner and more piercing than the liqueur's.
Questions
5 questionsCan I just leave the creme de menthe out?
Not really, because in most recipes that call for it the mint is the entire point. A grasshopper pie without it is a plain cream pie. What you can do is leave out the alcohol and replace what it was contributing: a tablespoon of simple syrup and an eighth of a teaspoon of peppermint extract per tablespoon of liqueur gets you the same dessert. In a cocktail where creme de menthe is a small float or accent rather than the base, omitting it is fine.
Is peppermint extract the same as creme de menthe?
No, and swapping one for the other by volume is the classic mistake. Extract is an intense flavouring with essentially no sugar; creme de menthe is mostly sugar syrup with mint in it. Use roughly an eighth of a teaspoon of extract in place of a tablespoon of liqueur, and add a tablespoon of syrup or sugar to replace the sweetness you removed.
What is the difference between green and white creme de menthe?
Colour, and nothing else worth caring about. Both are the same sweet peppermint liqueur; the green one has food colouring added. Recipes specify green when they want a visibly mint-green pie, frosting or cocktail, and white when the drink is meant to stay clear, as in a Stinger.
Can I make grasshopper pie without any alcohol?
Yes, and it works well. Replace the creme de menthe with the same volume of bottled mint syrup, or with simple syrup plus peppermint extract, and replace any white creme de cacao with the same volume of chocolate syrup or a teaspoon of cocoa powder whisked into a little cream. The filling sets the same way because you have kept the liquid volume constant.
Can I use peppermint schnapps instead in baking?
Yes, 1:1, with about half a teaspoon of sugar added per tablespoon to make up for schnapps being much drier. In a baked item like brownies the difference is barely detectable. In an unheated cream filling you will notice schnapps as sharper and a bit more alcoholic, since there is nothing softening it.
Tips for substituting creme de menthe
5 tips- Green and white creme de menthe are the same liqueur, and the green is coloured. Buy whichever is cheaper unless the recipe depends on the colour, which really only matters for grasshopper pie and a Grasshopper cocktail.
- Mint goes from pleasant to toothpaste in about a quarter of a teaspoon. Whichever route you take, put in two-thirds of what you calculated, taste, then add the rest. This is the single most common way people wreck mint brownies.
- If you are dropping the liqueur and using extract in a no-bake pie or a chilled filling, replace the missing liquid with milk, cream or water tablespoon for tablespoon. Those fillings set on a specific liquid-to-fat ratio, and taking two tablespoons out can leave you with a stiff, pasty layer.
- Never add a water-based mint syrup or liqueur to chocolate you are melting. It will seize into a grainy paste. Flavour the chocolate with oil-based peppermint oil, or add the liqueur to the cream or butter component instead.
- In a no-bake dessert the alcohol does not cook off, so a grasshopper pie made with real creme de menthe stays mildly alcoholic. If children are eating it, use the syrup or extract route rather than assuming chilling removes it.