Winter is here, friends so it’s time for some rich and comforting cocktails. This whiskey flip cocktail is like having someone give you a warm, boozy hug. It is frothy, creamy, and perfect for sipping in front of the fireplace.
What is a Flip?
After doing some digging in Wikipedia, I found out that the term “flip” dates all the way back to the 1600s when someone had the crazy idea of mixing rum, beer, and sugar and heating it up with a hot iron.
The sudden influx of heat made the drink frothy. In time, people replaced the beer with eggs and did away with the hot iron. Nowadays, the frothiness in flips comes from shaking the eggs rather than playing around with dangerous hot objects.
Unlike traditional flips, this whiskey flip cocktail combines two different types of bitters, cardamon and cocoa, to add a more complex and comforting mix of flavors. I’ve also chosen to use an orange liqueur and a bit of sherry to add brightness, sweetness, and balance to the cocktail.
But Aren’t Raw Eggs Supposed to be Evil?
The truth about consuming raw eggs is a little bit more nuanced that mainstream media will have you believe.
People are usually told not to consume raw eggs because of the risk of contracting a type of salmonella. This bacteria can get into eggs from infected chickens but, in reality, the likelihood of this happening is extremely small.
Salmonella might also be present in eggs with cracked shells, so a good rule of thumb is to throw those out.
I also recommend using the freshest eggs you can find and keeping them refrigerated. It’s always a plus if you can get them from a local farm because there’s a better chance that they’ll be fresh.
So, to summarize: raw eggs are not necessarily evil as long as you choose them carefully and store them well. Still, if you find the idea of putting a raw egg in your cocktail yucky, this might not be the cocktail for you.
Some Tips for Making a Delicious Whiskey Flip
- Shake the cocktail “dry” and then shake it wet. One of the reasons flips don’t turn out right is because people tend to shake the cocktail over ice. Moisture is frothiness’ number 1 enemy, so flips are traditionally shaken twice: once without adding ice (a “dry” shake), and a second time over ice.
- Shake it and then shake it some more. Making flips should be a bit of a workout. On average, you should shake this cocktail for 1-2 minutes each time, and your arm should be tired by the time the cocktail is ready.
- Serve this cocktail immediately. This is not a cocktail to make for a crowd because it has to be made to order. Once you get it all nice a frothy, you need to serve it immediately to make sure that the egg won’t deflate.
- Garnish with bitters. Once the egg molecules make contact with the air, they oxidize rather quickly, which can give this cocktail a faint “eggy” smell. A clever bartender somewhere solved this problem by garnishing this drink with aromatic Angostura bitters. As the name implies, they give out a wonderful aroma that will mask even the slightest hint of egginess. Plus it looks pretty.
Rich & Creamy Whiskey Flip Cocktail
This delicious whiskey flip is the cocktail you want on a cold winter night. It's made with a whole egg, bourbon, sherry, orange liqueur, and bitters, and it is guaranteed to warm you up.
Ingredients
- 1 whole egg
- 1/4 oz Gran Gala orange liqueur
- 3/4 oz cream sherry
- 1 ½ oz bourbon (I used Maker's Mark)
- 2 dashes of cardamom bitters
- 2 dashes of cacao bitters
- Ice
- Angostura bitters to garnish
Directions
- Step 1 Put all the ingredients for the cocktail except for the ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 1-2 min.
- Step 2 Add one large cube of ice or three small ones to the shaker and shake for another 1-2 min.
- Step 3 Strain over a coupe glass and garnish with the Angostura bitters.
- Step 4 To garnish, carefully pour 4 dots of the bitters on top of the cocktail. Use a toothpick to connect the four dots (optional).
- Step 5 Serve immediately.
Here are other cocktails that are sure to warm you up:
If you like this recipe, please make sure to pin it, share it on social media, or email it to your friends. Don’t be shy! People are always grateful for some cooking inspiration 
Also, if you have any questions or just want to let me know that you liked the recipe, please leave a comment below. Hearing from other adventurous home cooks always makes my day!
Well, hubby does like bourbon, so I think he would be game to give this drink a try. What a great cocktail to enjoy by the fire on a cold winter night. I think I have all the ingredients too. I will surprise him with this.
That sounds like a lovely surprise for your hubby, Gloria! Let me know how he likes it!
Now THAT’S a cocktail!!! I didn’t even know cardamom and cacao had bitters — seriously. I don’t have an issue with the raw egg — that’s what’s going to give this drink it’s lovely froth. I think your flip cocktail is going to make an appearance at the next “date night” with my husband. Thank you.
You are welcome, Lisa! I really hope that you and your husband enjoy the cocktail!
Oooooh bring on all the holiday cocktails! My grandmother is obsessed with shaken egg cocktails, and I was always weirded out by them until very recently. When made properly, they are soooooo amazing. Creamy, but really light and airy. This one sounds amazing with all those bitters! YUM!
Thanks, Trish! The bitters definitely add something special to it 🙂
I’m always up for a warm, boozy hug 🙂
I can’t say I’ve ever had a cocktail with flavors of chocolate and orange together and this excites me greatly. I *love* that combination! I feel like chocolate + orange is just as much as a winter season flavor as eggnog or peppermint. This will be perfect over the holidays!
I hope you enjoy it, Dana!
Whoever in the 1600s that decided to mix the drinks together in a hot iron is amazing. I’m loving the flavour combo of orange and chocolate here, I can never say no to that, plus it’s perfect for the holidays! I’ll have to give this a go soon.
i hope you do, Carmy! 🙂
A Whiskey flip is one of my favorite cocktails, and I love the whole egg in this one. I bet it is so rich and creamy with the yolk in it too. The flavors in this sounds great, and so perfect for the season! Cheers!
Cheers, Leah!
Wow what a drink. And I had no idea about the flip history OR that there were bitters made from cacao! What a gorgeous drink and informative post – thank you!
Thank you, Tracy!
Wow! I love the flavors of orange and chocolate together, and never thought to put them in a cocktail. That is a whole new level of awesome right there! We always have bourbon on hand too, But looks like I need to fill out my liquor cabinet with a couple more beautiful things like cardamom and cacao bitters. This cocktail is SO holiday! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I can just see us sitting in front of the fire, nice and cozy, with a delicious creamy whiskey flip. Yep!! I need that special hug. It sounds like it would warm me from the inside out. Perfect with this cold weather that chills to the bone. I’m pinning to make this later.
Let me know how you like it, Marisa! And thank you so much for pinning it!
I’ve always wondered how to make a super frothy cocktail! I had no idea about the “dry ” shake, but that totally makes sense. All of the raw cookie dough I’ve eaten in the last month will attest to my never being afraid to eat raw eggs, so this cocktail is among my new favorites!
Lol. Yep. This is the perfect cocktail for fearless raw cookie dough eaters! 🙂
Well, you know I’m going to be all over anything that has bourbon in it! Haha. This is my kind of cocktail. I love when you guys give me the background on drinks as well, and I really enjoyed learning about the origin of the term “flip.” I usually buy fresh farm eggs and haven’t been too concerned with them in cocktails like this, but I did know I was entertaining a guest once with concerns, and I found pasteurized raw eggs at the supermarket. They worked great in the recipe I was making, and eased any fears. 🙂
Thanks for letting me know about the pasteurized eggs, Amanda! I had no idea they existed because I live in a small town with lots of farms around it, so I rarely buy pasteurized eggs. It’s great to have the option though! 🙂