• ²⁄₃ cup cacao nibs
• 1 ¹⁄₃ cups vodka
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split open

Grasshopper:

• 1 oz crème de cacao
• 1 oz crème de menthe
• 1 oz cream

Shake well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish by grating a bit of a dark chocolate candy bar on top.

Cacao Old Fashioned:

• 2 oz bourbon
• ¹⁄₂ oz crème de cacao
• Dash of bitters
• 1 Cherry and 1 orange slice

Combine bourbon, crème de cacao, and bitters in a shaker or large glass with ice. Stir briskly for 10 seconds. Strain into a glass and garnish with the orange and cherry.

• Combine the cacao nibs and vodka in a sealable glass jar. Shake and then let steep for 8 days.
• After the initial steeping period, bring the sugar and water just to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let this syrup cool, then add to the jar along with the vanilla extract or entire split bean. Let steep for an additional day.
• Strain out the nibs through a sieve and discard. Then filter the liqueur through a coffee filter into the bottle or jar you'll use for storage

This crème de cacao will keep for 2 months at room temperature, and much longer in the fridge.