This South African cocktail is a creamy, comforting treat made with vodka, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and cinnamon. It’s simple to prepare and ready in minutes.
Often called melktertjies, melktert shooters or milk tart liqueur, this cocktail captures the cozy flavor of the classic South African milk tart dessert with a pleasant boozy kick. It’s a great alternative to eggnog for those who prefer something creamier and cinnamon-forward.
One sip will likely turn you into a melktertjies fan — the combination of vodka and milk tart flavors is hard to resist.
📃 Why It Works
- Fast and easy: ready in about 5 minutes with only a few ingredients.
- Homemade liqueurs make thoughtful hostess or holiday gifts.
- Versatile to serve: sip it from a cocktail glass or pour into shooter glasses for guests.
You can buy commercial milk tart shooter mixes in South African liquor stores, but making your own allows you to customize strength and flavor — and usually saves money.
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
🥃 Alcohol
Vodka — use any vodka you like. Budget vodkas work fine for this cocktail; mid-range brands such as Smirnoff, Absolut, Russian Standard or Grey Goose will also yield smooth results. The recipe author used Svedka with great results.
🥛 Milk
This recipe uses one can each of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. If you find the drink too strong, add a splash of heavy cream to maintain creaminess while softening the alcohol flavor.
🔪 How to Make Milk Tart Cocktail
- Empty the cans of condensed and evaporated milk into a bowl or large bottle.
- Add the vodka (reduce amount if you want a milder drink), then whisk, blend or shake until smooth and fully combined.
- Transfer the mixture into clean bottles and chill. Before serving, sprinkle each glass with ground cinnamon.
👩🍳 Helpful Tips
- If you prefer less alcohol, reduce the vodka to taste — start with a smaller amount and add more only if desired.
- Always store the bottles in the refrigerator and shake well before serving to recombine any separation.
- Substitute sweetened condensed coconut milk for a subtle coconut note.
- For added depth, infuse vodka with cinnamon sticks and a vanilla pod for a few days before making the cocktail.
- To rim glasses: dip rims in honey or corn syrup then into cinnamon sugar, or simply finish drinks with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
👉 Variations
- Virgin version for kids: omit the vodka and keep the milk components for a sweet, kid-friendly treat.
- Use condensed coconut milk in place of regular condensed milk for tropical flavor.
- Vegan option: replace both the condensed and evaporated milk with plant-based canned alternatives (for example, coconut condensed and evaporated-style products).
- Garnish with cookie crumbs — graham crackers, digestive biscuits or Baker’s Tennis biscuits mimic the dessert’s crust.
🍽 How To Serve It
- Enjoy it like other cream liqueurs such as Baileys: neat, on the rocks, or over ice on warm evenings.
- Add a drum of milk tart liqueur to a shot of espresso for a boozy coffee treat.
- For parties, fill small shooter-size cones with the cocktail (seal the bottom with melted chocolate first) for a playful serving idea.
- It doubles as dessert and after-dinner liqueur — a handy two-in-one treat.
🗄️ Storage Instructions
Refrigerate: Store bottled in the fridge for 5–7 days. Shake well before serving.
Freeze: Because of the alcohol, the mixture won’t fully freeze; you can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months, but refrigeration is usually sufficient.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Serve them whenever you want a festive, cinnamon-forward treat — holidays, parties and gatherings. They’re popular for Christmas and New Year celebrations and make a fun nod to National Milk Tart Day (February 27).
When refrigerated in sterilized bottles it will keep for about a week; shake well before serving.
Yes. Use plant-based condensed and evaporated milk alternatives such as coconut versions to make a vegan-friendly liqueur.
More South African Recipes to Try:
-
South African Milk Tart – Melktert
-
South African Malva Pudding Cakes
-
South African Oatmeal Cookie Bars – Crunchies
-
One-Pan Bobotie Casserole
🧡 LIKED THIS RECIPE? Leave a rating or comment. HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to the newsletter and follow the author on social platforms for updates.
📖 Recipe
South African Milk Tart Cocktail – Melktertjies
EQUIPMENT
- A whisk (or blender / bottle for shaking)
Ingredients
- 375 ml vodka (reduce to 300 ml for a milder drink)
- 1 can (about 14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 can (about 12 oz) evaporated milk
- Ground cinnamon, for serving
Instructions
- Pour condensed and evaporated milk into a large bowl or bottle.
- Add vodka (start with less if you want it milder) and whisk, blend or shake until smooth.
- Transfer to clean bottles and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve chilled or over ice.
- Sprinkle ground cinnamon on each serving before serving.
Notes
- Begin with less vodka if you prefer a softer flavor; you can always add more later.
- Keep bottles refrigerated and shake well before serving to recombine ingredients.
- Try condensed coconut milk for a coconut variation.
- Infuse vodka with cinnamon sticks and vanilla for deeper flavor before mixing.
- Rim glasses with honey or corn syrup and cinnamon sugar, or simply dust with ground cinnamon.
- This recipe yields about 1 liter (4 cups); serving size depends on glass size. Nutrition info is based on a ½ cup serving.
Storage: store refrigerated for up to one week and shake well before use.