Let’s get into some holiday spirit with a quick guide to 10 popular cocktails that bring warmth, festivity, and fun to any gathering. Here’s a rundown of some beloved holiday drinks to spice up your seasonal soirées!
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Eggnog – Holiday Cocktails
Nothing says classic holiday cocktail quite like eggnog. Made with eggs, cream, sugar, and a combination of choice of rum, bourbon, or brandy, it’s a thick, indulgent treat. Top it with a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon for the ultimate cozy vibe.
- 6 eggs, beaten until frothy
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 cup sugar, plus 1 tbsp
- ¾ cup brandy or bourbon
- 1/3 cup dark rum
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups milk
- Cinnamon sticks
Place all of the ingredients in a large punch bowl and whisk to combine. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve, garnishing each glass with grated nutmeg and cinnamon sticks.
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Hot Buttered Rum – Apres Ski
Perfect for chilly nights, a Hot Buttered Rum combines rum, brown sugar, holiday spices, and yes, butter. It’s simple, soothing, and has a way of making winter feel warm. Add a cinnamon stick for extra flavor.
- 1 pat of butter
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Dash of cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
- Dash of orange zest
- Splash of vanilla extract
- 6 oz. boiling water
- 2 oz. aged rum
- 1 cinnamon stick
Place the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest, in a mug and stir to combine. Stir in the vanilla, water, and rum. Garnish with cinnamon stick.
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Mulled Wine, Home Bartender
This warm, spiced wine is a winter staple in many parts of Europe. Simmer red wine with oranges, cloves, cinnamon, and a touch of brandy. The result is aromatic and festive, ideal for holiday gatherings.
- 1 bottle red wine
- 2 oz. brandy
- 1 packet mulling spices
- Cinnamon sticks
- Stat anise pods
- Orange slices
Add the wine, brandy, and mulling spices to a slow cooker and mix together. Cook on low for approximately one hour. Serve in mugs, garnishing with cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, and orange slices.
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Santa’s Suit, Encyclopedia of Cocktails
A holiday-themed drink that brings together festive flavors for a fun, seasonal vibe. It’s a red-colored cocktail that combines warm spices and fruity notes, creating a cozy holiday experience.
- Sugar, for the rim
- ½ oz. Cointreau
- ½ oz. Chambord
- ½ oz. cranberry juice
Wet the rim of a shot glass and dip it into the sugar. Place the remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake until chilled, and strain into the glass.
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Irish Coffee – Holiday Cocktails
Perfect for holiday brunch or dessert, Irish Coffee is simple yet satisfying. Brewed coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and whipped cream make this a sweet and warming choice for the season.
- ½ cup freshly brewed coffee
- Dash of sugar
- 1 oz. Irish Whiskey
- 1 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream
Pour the coffee into a mug or Irish Coffee glass and add the sugar. Stir in whiskey and then top with Bailey’s Irish Cream.
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French 75, Bubbly
Arguably the best known of all classic champagne cocktails, the French 75 also happens to be my favorite. Lightly acidic, floral, and effervescent, it’s a study in balance—so much so that I used the basic format as a template for many of the seasonal recipes in this book. If you love the tart pop of fresh lemons, you may fall hard for this pale gold paragon. It’s refreshing but elegant, vivacious but refined—the kind of cocktail that suits almost any occasion.
- 1 ½ oz. Plymouth Gin
- ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz. simple syrup
- Chilled champagne to top, about 2 oz.
Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a shaking tin filled with ice and shake hard for 15 seconds, then strain into a chilled champagne glass. Top with chilled champagne, by pouring carefully and slowly down the side of the glass to reduce foam. Garnish with lemon twist.
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Honey Ginger Champagne Mule, Bubbly
Like a Moscow Mule, but much, much better. Champagne is a major upgrade on standard soda when paired with a homemade, lightly spicy ginger honey syrup. Dangerously smooth and impossibly refreshing, it’s a true party starter and crowd-pleaser.
- 1 oz. vodka
- ¾ oz. Ginger Honey syrup (see below)
- ½ oz. fresh lime juice
- Chilled champagne, to top, about 3 oz.
Ginger Honey syrup – combine ¾ cup honey, ¾ cup water, and 1 large knot of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced, in a saucepan over med-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring and then let simmer for 5 min. Let cool and then chill in frig for at least 8 hours.
Combine vodka, syrup, and lime juice in shaking tin filled with ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds and strain into a copper mug filled with ice. Top carefully with chilled champagne and garnish with candied ginger.
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Brandy Alexander – Holiday Cocktails
A creamy, dessert-like cocktail made with brandy, dark crème de cacao, and cream, often dusted with a sprinkle of nutmeg or chocolate shavings.
- 1 ½ oz. brandy or cognac
- 1 oz. crème de cacao
- ¾ oz. heavy cream
- Nutmeg, for garnish
Chile a cocktail glass in the freezer. Place all of the ingredients, except garnish, in a shaker tin, filled with ice, shake until chilled. Strain into chilled glass and garnish with dusting of nutmeg.
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Gin Hot Chocolate, Home Bartender
Sticking with the chocolate theme, why not add gin to a familiar winter warmer? If you like hot chocolate, there’s no reason you won’t love Gin Hot Chocolate as well. This boozy alternative to boring old cocoa even adds a splash of cream liqueur.
- 1 part gin
- 3 parts hot chocolate
- 1 part cream liqueur
- Whipped cream
Add gin and hot chocolate to an Irish Coffee glass. Stir in cream liqueur and top with whipped cream.
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Nomad Espresso Martini, New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails
A global sensation since it was invented in the 1980s by British bartender Dick Bradsell. At the NoMad Bar in Manhattan, it is one of the most popular cocktails on the menu. But bar director Nathan McCarley-O’Neill has put his own stamp on the recipe, including cold brew liqueur, cold brew concentrate, and a touch of aquavit. The drops of saline solution serve to bring out the drink’s innate flavors.
- 1 oz. coffee liqueur
- ¾ oz. cold brew concentrate
- ¾ oz. vodka
- ½ oz. aquavit
- Scant ½ oz. cane syrup
- 5 drops saline solution (1 part salt to 100 parts water) or a small dash of kosher salt.
Combine ingredients in a shaking tin half-filled with ice. Shake until chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe glass.
Whether you’re a fan of traditional flavors or something with a modern twist, these holiday cocktails are sure to keep your spirits bright!