The latest holiday cocktail trend on TikTok is surprisingly simple: vanilla ice cream and red wine.
The recipe, known as a “wine float,” has users scooping their favorite ice cream into a glass and pouring a Merlot or Pinot Noir over the top.
Not everyone enjoys the unusual combo, but those who do found a new obsession.
The wine float returns in 2025
The latest culinary TikTok trend taking over the 2025 holiday season is the most low-effort to date. Literally all you have to do is scoop some vanilla ice cream into a glass and pour a decent red wine over it. The colors mix together to create a soft mauve and with the right wine, the flavors can be more delightful than frightful.
@jennandshae ♬ Intimidated – KAYTRANADA
This idea isn’t entirely new. Early in the 2020s, posts started popping up about “wine floats” as a simple summer cocktail. These often added unflavored seltzer water to mimic the carbonation found in classic root beer floats.
As we approach the second half of the decade, TikTokers are skipping the seltzer and just spooning up wine-soaked ice cream.
Dedicated cocktail account The Pour House (@pourhouse6) said they “didn’t see this coming,” but are endorsing it anyway.
“Pour red wine over a scoop of vanilla and you get a creamy, boozy dessert,” they wrote for their latest video. “Cold meets rich, and somehow, it works.”
Some, however, found that it does not work for them. One TikTok winemaker going by The Barrel Dork (@barreldork) tried it twice and dubbed it “gross.”
@barreldork 🍷🍦… This might be a career low point. #wine #winetime #winelovers #winecocktails #redwinelover ♬ original sound – Barrel Dork
“It’s absolutely disgusting,” she said. “Would not recommend.”
It’s possible that she chose the wrong wine for the cocktail. Natalie DiScala warned in October that dry, oaky, and heavily tannic wines don’t pair well with vanilla ice cream. Instead, she recommended the following:
- Merlot, for berry sweetness
- Pinot Noir, with its light fruity tone
- Grenache or Garnacha, which both have a jam-like vibe
- Sparkling red wine, for a real float experience
Get creative with your red wine ice cream cocktails
One of the best things about such a simple recipe is that it begs for experimentation. Adding fizz to the cocktail is just the beginning.
Popular social media chef Anatolii Dobrovolskyi (@dobrovolskyichef) responded to the red wine float trend back in 2024 by adding canned fruit cocktail to the mix. In his typical style, he had no words to describe the results—just smiles, happy noises, and a thumbs up.
@jennifervalentyne Red Wine Milkshake 🍷 4-5 scoops ice cream 1/2 cup red wine 1/2 cup vodka 1/2 cups raspberries honey 🍯 Blend and Enjoy Makes 2 servings #milkshake #redwine #Recipe ♬ Honeypie – JAWNY
In February, home cook and decor TikToker Jennifer Valentyne (@jennifervalentyne) created a red wine milkshake by blending ice cream, wine, vodka, raspberries, and honey.
Meanwhile, refusing to be held back by the word “red,” some are trying out different types of wine with ice cream. Not just white, but blue and orange wines, as well. MomTok star Amanda Dekker (@amandadekker371) tried it with something called Orange Push Pop wine.
Please spoon responsibly.
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