I love the sweet, nutty combination of peanut butter whiskey and caramel liqueur in a Payday Shot. A little chilled caramel topping finishes this sweet, nutty drink, which is shaken with ice and served in a cold glass.

My Aunt Sue’s favorite party trick is making the Payday Shot, and it is easy. Whenever we have family gatherings, she whips up this drink. Her simple combination of peanut butter whiskey and caramel liqueur is the starting point for this recipe.

You need about 5 minutes and a few basic bar tools. The quantities below make one small alcoholic drink, with no cooking or long chilling period. Measure the liquids before shaking, then serve the shot while it is cold.

What is in a Payday Shot?

• 1 ounce peanut butter whiskey
• 1/2 ounce caramel liqueur
• Ice cubes
• Chilled caramel topping (for garnish)

The name points to the peanut-and-caramel flavor combination. There is no chopped candy or melted candy bar in this version. The drink gets its flavor from the two measured spirits, with just a little caramel topping added at the end. Keeping those roles separate makes the recipe straightforward to follow.

Choosing the ingredients

Peanut butter whiskey: Use a bottle labeled peanut butter whiskey, rather than plain whiskey with a spoonful of peanut butter stirred in. The flavored whiskey blends easily with the liqueur and keeps the drink smooth. Different brands vary in sweetness, peanut flavor and alcohol strength, so read the bottle before serving.

Caramel liqueur: This is an alcoholic drink ingredient, not coffee syrup or dessert sauce. Some caramel liqueurs are cream-based and others are not. Either style affects the final appearance: a cream-based bottle makes a more opaque drink, while another style may look clearer. Keep the listed half-ounce measure for this version.

Ice: Fresh, clean cubes chill the glass and the drink. Use ice that has been stored away from strong freezer odors. The ice used to chill the glass is discarded, and the shaker ice is strained out, so you are serving a cold shot rather than a glass full of ice.

Caramel topping: Use a chilled, ready-to-use topping that will pour in a thin drizzle. A thick spoonful can sink to the bottom and make the last sip overly sweet. Follow the container’s directions for refrigeration after opening. Homemade hot caramel is unnecessary for this quick drink.

Kitchen Equipment You Will Need

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• Jigger with ounce markings
• Cocktail shaker with strainer
• Two-ounce shot glass
• Small spoon
• Serving tray
• Lidded food container

Preparation Tips

A jigger with ounce markings helps you measure the small quantities accurately.

A cocktail shaker with strainer chills and mixes the liquids in a few seconds.

You also need a small glass with enough room for the finished drink and a spoon for controlling the caramel drizzle.

How to make a Payday Shot

Chill the glass

Fill a clean shot glass with ice to chill it while you measure the drink. Choose a glass with room for at least 2 fluid ounces so the mixed drink and small caramel garnish do not overflow.

Measure the two liquids

Measure 1 fluid ounce peanut butter whiskey and 1/2 fluid ounce caramel liqueur into a cocktail shaker. These are liquid measures; caramel ice cream topping is the garnish and does not replace the liqueur.

Shake with fresh ice

Add fresh ice cubes to the shaker, close it securely and shake for about 10–15 seconds. Hold both parts of the shaker firmly. Stop when the outside feels cold and the ingredients are well combined.

Strain into the empty glass

Empty all the chilling ice and melted water from the shot glass. Strain the drink into the cold, empty glass, leaving the shaking ice behind. Leave a little room at the top for the garnish.

Check the topping

Check that the caramel topping is chilled and pourable. Use it straight from its container according to its storage directions; there is no need to cook caramel or warm it for this drink.

Add a small drizzle

Drizzle a small amount of the chilled caramel topping over the shot. Use a light hand so the topping accents the drink instead of filling the glass with a thick layer of syrup.

Serve immediately

Serve the Payday Shot immediately. This recipe makes one small alcoholic drink and takes about 5 minutes, with no cooking. Offer it only to adults of legal drinking age and enjoy responsibly.

Getting the texture right

The drink should pour smoothly from the strainer. If you use a cream-based liqueur, a little light foam after shaking is normal. There should not be ice cubes in the glass, and there should be enough room for the topping without liquid running down the outside. A larger small glass is easier to handle than one filled right to its rim.

Measure in fluid ounces, which describe volume. If your measuring tool only has metric marks, 1 US fluid ounce is about 30 milliliters and half an ounce is about 15 milliliters. These rounded measures are useful for a home drink; weighing the liquids in ordinary weight ounces is a different measurement.

Shake only when you are ready to serve. The ice cools the ingredients and adds a little water as it melts, which is part of mixing a chilled cocktail. Leaving the drink sitting on its shaking ice for a long time changes that balance. Strain promptly after the short shake.

Chilling the bottles in advance is optional. The ice does the immediate chilling during the 5-minute method, so there is no extra refrigerator wait built into this recipe. Keep bottle caps closed and follow the manufacturer’s storage instructions. Do not put a full glass bottle into the freezer simply to speed things along.

Making more than one serving

Multiply both measured ingredients by the number of drinks while keeping the two-to-one ratio. For four servings, that means 4 fluid ounces peanut butter whiskey and 2 fluid ounces caramel liqueur. This scales the same recipe; it does not mean that a larger glass should count as one serving.

Work in small batches that fit comfortably in the shaker with ice and room to move. Divide the mixed drink evenly between chilled glasses and garnish each one lightly. A crowded shaker is harder to close and shake properly. Keep any waiting mixture covered and refrigerated, then shake with fresh ice just before pouring.

Serving ideas

Serve this as a small after-dinner drink alongside water and a few simple snacks. Because the flavor is already sweet, it does not need a large dessert topping or a sugared rim. Place the glasses on a stable tray, and let guests know that both the whiskey and liqueur contain alcohol.

If you are planning a choice of small cocktails, a pistachio shot offers a different nutty flavor. Keep the drinks labeled and do not present either as suitable for someone with a nut allergy. Check the specific ingredients in every bottle rather than relying only on a recipe name.

For guests choosing an alcohol-free drink, serve Cracker Barrel-style peach tea in a separate glass. A chilled bowl of mango bango can be a separate fruity dessert on the same menu. These give guests a choice without changing the measured Payday Shot recipe.

Storage and preparation ahead

This shot is best made fresh and served immediately after shaking. You can set out the clean equipment and measure the planned servings before guests arrive, but keep the ice separate until the final shake. Add the caramel topping at serving time so it does not settle into a thick layer while the glass waits.

For a short same-day wait, keep an unshaken mixture in a clean, closed container in the refrigerator. Follow the storage directions and shortest applicable limit for the ingredients you used. A cream liqueur’s shelf life in its original bottle is not a validated shelf life for this mixed drink, so do not keep a prepared batch for weeks.

If your liqueur or topping requires refrigeration, keep the drink cold and return unused ingredients promptly. Do not save a partly consumed shot. Freezing is not a useful storage method here: the alcohol and sugar affect how it freezes, and a cream-based mixture may lose its smooth texture.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the caramel collect at the bottom?

Caramel topping is thicker than the mixed drink, so some settling is normal. Keep the garnish small and drizzle it slowly. It is a finishing touch rather than a third measured drink ingredient. A large amount will make the last sip much sweeter than the first.

Can I use regular whiskey?

Plain whiskey will change the central peanut-butter flavor, so it will not give the same result. The recipe here keeps peanut butter whiskey and caramel liqueur in their original proportions. Choose a peanut butter whiskey you like and use accurate measures before changing the balance.

Does the glass need to be ice-cold?

It should be chilled, but it does not need a long freezer rest. Filling it with ice while you measure the liquids is enough for this quick method. Empty the ice and water completely before straining the shot so you do not accidentally dilute it twice.

Is the shot dairy-free or safe for nut allergies?

That depends on the exact bottles and topping, and the peanut-butter flavor deserves particular attention. Caramel cream liqueurs and some toppings contain milk. Check labels and manufacturer allergen information for every ingredient; do not assume distillation or a smooth texture makes the finished drink suitable for an allergy.