20 Christmas Cocktails to Get You Through the Season

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Looking for some fun and festive Christmas cocktails to serve at your next holiday party? Check out these 20 seasonal alcoholic drinks to get the night off to the right start!

Make sure to also check out: How to Host a Cookie Exchange: Includes Craft and Cookie Recipe and Start a Biscotti Tradition.

Boucha Berry Merry

 

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of Seagram’s Extra Smooth
• 1/2 ounce of mixed berry syrup
• top with kombucha (I used strawberry lemonade kombucha)
• Garnish with mixed berry pick

Directions: Add everything to a shaker except the kombucha. Shake then strain into a wine glass. Top with kombucha and garnish with a mixed berry pick.

 

Knock-Out

Created by Sonny Verdini, Bar Manager, TRADE (Boston, MA) 

Ingredients:

• 1.5oz Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey
• 1 cinnamon syrup
• .75oz house-made ginger liquor
• .5oz lemon
• 3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Directions: Shake into a single rocks glass. Garnish with dehydrated cinnamon-sugar and lemon wheel.

 

Proper Toddy

Created by Allison Doughty of Distilled NY

Ingredients:

• 2.oz Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey
• .75 oz lemon juice
• .50 honey syrup
• .25 ginger syrup
• 5oz hot water

Directions: Garnish with a lemon wheel with clove and shaved cinnamon on top.

 

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Milk Punch

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Woodford Reserve bourbon
• 2 cups cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• ¾ cup sifted powdered sugar
• ½ vanilla bean
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Directions: In a metal bowl over an ice bath, whisk sugar, cream, milk, and bourbon until nice and frothy. Add vanilla bean and strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher. Place pitcher in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour stirring on occasion. Pour into a glass and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg & garnish with a stick of cinnamon.

 

Woodford Reserve Wheat Manhattan

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey
• 3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
• 3 Dashes Angostura Bitters

Directions: Fill mixing glass with ingredients, add ice, and stir gently for 10-15 secs. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

 

Starward New World Egg Nog

Created by: Tui Tekaaho, Beverage Director, Peachy’s

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Starward Australian Whisky
• 1 oz. Apricot Brandy
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 0.5 oz. Heavy Cream
• 0.5 oz Honey Syrup
• Champagne or Sparkling Wine, to top
• Glass: Fancy Collins

Directions: Combine Starward, brandy, egg, cream, and honey in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into an empty Collins glass. Top with sparkling wine and serve.

 

Starward and Apple

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Starward Two-Fold Australian Whisky
• 3.5 oz. Sparkling Apple Juice or Cider
• Apple fan, garnish

Directions: In a highball glass, add whiskey over ice. Top with sparkling apple juice and garnish.

 

Clouds in My Coffee

Created by Grace Kaminski (El Che, Chicago)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz Slow & Low Rock and Rye
• 3/4 oz Amaro Abano
• ¼ oz CremeYvette
• 1½ oz cold brew coffee (I used Stumptown) lightly whipped heavy cream
• Sea salt, garnish

Directions: Stir with ice, strain into coupe glass top with a lightly whipped cream finish with sea salt.

 

Corralejo White Margarita

Ingredients:

• 1 (14-oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 12 oz. Corralejo Silver Tequila
• 8 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 c. lime juice
• 2 c. ice
• 1 lime
• Cranberries
• Tinsel

Directions: Combine coconut milk, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Rim glasses with lime wedge and dip in sanding sugar. Pour into a glass and garnish with Cranberries and Tinsel.

 

The Penicillin

Ingredients:

• 2 oz BenRiach 10-Year-Old
• 1/4 oz BenRiach 10-Year Curiositas Candied Ginger (garnish)
• 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
• 3/4 oz Honey-Ginger Syrup

Directions: Combine 1 cup honey, 1 (6-inch) piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced, 1 cup water, to a saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Chill overnight, then strain, and discard solids.

 

Crypt Keeper

Courtesy of Spencer Warren, owner of The Warren Neighborhood Bar, in Pittsburgh

Ingredients:

• .5oz Brancamenta
• 1.5oz Apple Brandy
• 1oz Apple Cider
• .75oz lemon
• 5oz Allspice Liqueur
• .5oz Simple
• 2 Dash Walnut Bitters

Directions: Add all ingredients, Shake, Pour Up. Glass-Tea Cup. Garnish-Dehydrated Apple with All Spice Sugar

 

Disco Nap

Courtesy of Spencer Warren, owner of The Warren Neighborhood Bar, in Pittsburgh

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Fernet Branca
• 1oz Brancamenta
• .5oz Borgetti Espresso Liqueur
• 1.5oz Coffee
• 2 dashes Angostura
• 1.5oz Fever-Tree Tonic

Directions: Shake, all ingredients except tonic. Add tonic to mixing tin, double strain in a Collins glass with ice. Express and discard Orange peel

 

Strike the Gold

Created by Nick Hogan, Odd Birds Bar

Ingredients:

• 3/4 oz Fernet-Branca
• 3/4 oz Templeton Rye
• 1/4 oz of Creme Yvette
• Top with Brancamenta Whipped Cream
• 1 1/2 oz Spiced Pumpkin Syrup
• Whole Egg
• Grated Nutmeg & Garnish with Star Anise

Directions: Add all ingredients into the tin, shake, strain into a cocktail glass, top with whipped cream, grate fresh nutmeg over top, sip slowly and enjoy! Due to different variables between coconut milk and pumpkin purées that when making the cocktail it should be done to taste

Spiced Pumpkin Syrup: One can organic Pumpkin. One can of organic coconut milk. 1/2 cup of brown sugar. 3/4 oz of pimento liqueur (allspice liqueur). Simmer in a saucepan for 10 minutes, let cool then strain through cheesecloth

Brancamenta Whipped Cream: Combine a half pint of heavy whipping cream with 1 oz of Brancamenta and 2 oz of simple syrup into iSi whipper, charge and store in the refrigerator until ready for use.

 

Tod & Vixen’s Dry Gin 1651 Negroni 

Created by Gaz Regan (NY)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Tod & Vixen’s Dry Gin 1651
• 1 oz Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino
• 1 oz Campari

Directions: Stir with ice in an ice-filled rocks glass, garnish with an orange wedge, then serve. (Finger-stirring optional.)

Pair with: Cheese and charcuterie board. The distinct bitterness of a Negroni needs an equally bold-flavored food counterpart.

 

Violet Chachki

Courtesy of Billy Killin, Bar Manager @ Viaggio Restaurant

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Crystal Head Vodka
• 1 oz. Dry Vermouth
• ½ oz. Lemon
• ½ oz. Simple Syrup

Directions: Infuse the first three ingredients with a bag of butterfly pea flower tea (turns the drink bright purple and adds tea flavor). Shake and pour on the rocks. Garnish with rainbow candy.

 

Tanteo Jalapeño Cranberry Margarita

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Tanteo Jalapeño Tequila
• 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 oz Agave Nectar
• 2 oz Fresh (no sugar added) Cranberry Juice

Directions: Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into an ice-filled. Rocks Glass. Garnish with a cranberry skewer

 

Tanteo Spicy Ginger Margarita

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Tanteo® Jalapeño Tequila
• 1 oz. Domaine de Canton
• 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 1/3 oz. Light Agave Nectar

Directions: Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into an ice-filled Rocks Glass. Garnish with a ginger slice.

 

Tanteo Spicy Fig Margarita

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Tanteo® Jalapeño Tequila
• 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz. Agave Nectar
• 4-5 Muddled Figs

Directions: Muddle figs and combine other ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and double strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with a fig skewer.

 

Poetic Codex

Created by Ashley Lewis

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Templeton Rye Whiskey
• Muddle Expressed Orange Peel
• Ice Mixing Glass
• 1 oz. Mezcal
• 0.5 oz. Benedictine
• Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6

Directions: Stir for 20 seconds & strain into rocks glass with spritz over the top with Rose Water.

 

Cuppa Cheer

Created by Pamela Wiznitzer of Seamstress NYC

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Brancamenta
• 1 oz Crystal Head Vodka
• 1 oz Kerrygold Irish Cream

Directions: Combine all ingredients. Garnish with mint leaves.

Let’s Chat: Which of These Christmas Cocktails Would You Like To Try?