From festive martinis to eggnog, these are the hands-down best cocktail recipes.
Sure, there are the tried and true holiday cocktails, but if you’re looking to upgrade from your standard eggnog and mulled wine this season, there are plenty of fresh and festive ideas to test out. Spruce up your next holiday drink with one of these simple holiday-inspired cocktail recipes.
The Holiday Cocktail
Ingredients
1.5 oz Ketel One Botanical Cucumber Rose Vodka
.5 oz Aperol
.75 oz simple syrup
.5 oz fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Shake ingredients in ice filled shaker 25 times. Pour into a champagne flute. Top with whipped cream, and edible rose petal garnish.
Upgraded Eggnog
Ingredients
1 whole egg
1 oz heavy cream
.5 oz maple syrup
.25 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
1.5 oz Paul Beau VS Cognac
Freshly grated nutmeg, to garnish
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients into a shaker. Shake without ice first, then add ice and shake again to chill and dilute the eggnog slightly (by about 1 ounce). Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
Cape May Mule
Ingredients
2 oz Absolut Elyx
Fresh cranberries
Ginger beer
Lime
Ice
Instructions:
Muddle fresh cranberries in a copper mule mug and fill mug 2/3 of the way with ice. Add vodka and top with ginger beer and fresh squeezed lime juice. Garnish with cranberries.
Manzana
Ingredients
1.5 oz Flor de Cana 12
.5 oz Amontillado sherry
.5 oz agave nectar
2 oz apple cider
2 dashes apple bitters
Instructions
Combine in a mug and heat or combine ingredients with ice and shake well. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks or tall glass. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
Winter Wonderland
Ingredients
1.5 oz vodka
.75 oz peppermint schnapps
.75 oz white chocolate liqueur
Candy cane
Red sugar
Instructions
Mix and chill ingredients. Pour into a red sugar-rimmed martini glass. Garnish with a candy cane hanging on the rim.
Fireside
Ingredients
4 oz Grey Goose vodka
1 oz organic maple syrup
1 sprig rosemary
5 oz pink grapefruit juice
1 pinch of salt
Instructions
In the bottom of a rocks glass briefly crush the rosemary leaves into the maple syrup and salt. Fill glass with ice and add the vodka. Top with fresh pink grapefruit juice and salt and stir well. Garnish with an extra sprig of rosemary.
Cure for the Chicago Cold
Ingredients
1 oz Buffalo Trace bourbon
.5 oz Aperol
.5 oz Amaro Montenegro
.5 oz lemon juice
.75 oz simple syrup
3 oz hot tea, to top
Instructions
Combine all ingredients but hot tea in a metal shaker. Submerge the bottom of the shaker in another shaker filled with hot water and stir to combine and warm ingredients. Pour into a mug and top with hot tea. Garnish with a few gratings of cinnamon.
Cran-Spiced Martini
Ingredients
2 oz Reyka Vodka
1 oz 100% cranberry juice
.75 oz vanilla spiced syrup*
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients into shaker with ice. Shake, strain into a martini glass and garnish with skewered cranberries.
*Vanilla spiced syrup: Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, .25 tsp ground black pepper, 5 tsp allspice, and a cinnamon stick to a saucpan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool completely. Strain and add .5 oz vanilla extract.
North Pole Nog
Ingredients
6 oz eggnog
1 oz spiced rum
2 oz bourbon
1 tbsp ground cinnamon, for garnish
Cinnamon stick, for garnish
Instructions
Add spiced rum and bourbon to eggnog and stir to combine. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Top with cinnamon stick, for garnish.
Geese A’ Laying
Ingredients
.5 oz Grey Goose
.5 oz plum jam
2 tsp Cointreau
Juice of a quarter of a lime
Top with prosecco
Instructions
Shake all ingredients (except the prosecco) over ice, strain into champagne flute and top with prosecco.
Spiced Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
1.5 oz Milagro Añejo
3 oz Taza Guajillo Chili Chocolate
Heavy cream
1 pinch chili powder
Instructions
Build in a clear mug or other drink vessel suitable for hot beverages. Top with whipped cream and chili chocolate shavings.
Santa’s Turn Up
Ingredients
1.5 oz Makers Mark 46
.25 oz Oloroso sherry
.25 oz Benedictine
Instructions
Stir all ingredients together over ice. Strain into coupe glass and garnish with orange peel.
Aunt Clara’s Pink Bunny Pajamas
Ingredients
1.5 oz Bespoke Bourbon Cream
.75 oz Citrus Forward Gin
3 dashes cranberry bitters
.5 oz simple syrup
Instructions
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into martini or coupe glass. Garnish with an orange wheel.
Pine Barrens
Ingredients
1.5 oz Belvedere vodka
.5 oz green chartreuse
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup
Instructions
Shake all ingredients and strain into Collins glass. Garnish with cranberries on the bottom and a rosemary sprig on top.
Santa Spice
Ingredients
1.5 oz Captain Morgan Oakheart rum
.75 oz lemon juice
.75 oz simple syrup
1 strawberry
Instructions
Muddle strawberry in the bottom of a shaker tin. Add all other ingredients and ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnished with cranberry and mint sprig.
Southern Limerick
Ingredients
.25 oz rich demerara syrup
.75 oz amaro (preferably Meletti)
.75 oz 1776 Rye
4 oz brewed coffee
Instructions
In a preheated 7 oz. glass, add the Demerara syrup, amaro, rye, and brewed coffee. Top with whipped cream.
Cranberry Margarita
Ingredients
2 oz cranberry Juice
1 oz fresh lime juice
1.5 oz blanco tequila
.5 oz Cointreau (optional)
.25 oz simple syrup or agave syrup
Fresh cranberries and lime for garnish
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake until outside of shaker is frosty and cold. Pour into a salt rimmed glass over fresh cubes. Garnish with cranberries and lime wheel.
A Berry White Christmas
Ingredients
2 oz spiced rum
2 bar spoons cranberry preserve
1 oz lime juice
.5 oz vanilla orgeat
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass an garnish with mint, dried pineapple, and powdered sugar.
Celebrated Sagamore
Ingredients
1.5 oz Sagamore rye whiskey
3 oz sparkling wine
.5 oz lime juice
.75 spiced cranberry syrup*
Instructions
Add Sagamore Rye, lime juice, and spiced cranberry syrup to a champagne flute. Swirl the glass to mix. Tilt glass and gently pour in cava. Garnish with lime and cranberry.
*Spiced Cranberry Syrup: Mix equal parts water, sugar, and fresh cranberries in a pot. For every one cup cranberries, add one cinnamon stick and one rosemary sprig. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Chill overnight, and strain.
Felix Navidad
Ingredients
1 oz Absolut Elyx
1 oz Lillet Blanc
.5 oz Suze
2 oz fresh orange juice
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain over cubed ice in rocks glasses and garnish with orange wheels.
Nooku Bulldog
Instructions
4 oz Nooku Bourbon Cream
2 oz concentrated cold brew coffee or 1 oz espresso
Sprinkle of ground espresso on top
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in Double Old Fashioned Glass over ice and stir for about 20 seconds. Sprinkle grounded espresso.
Mistletoe Martini
Ingredients
1.5 oz vodka
.75 oz cherry brandy
Juice of 1 lime
Raspberries for garnish
Rosemary for garnish
Sugar for rim
Instructions
Rim a martini glass with sugar. Fill your cocktail shaker halfway with ice and pour in the ingredients. Shake until chilled and strain the mixture into the glass. Garnish with two raspberries and sprig of rosemary.
Bourbon Apple
Ingredients
2 oz bourbon
1 oz ginger syrup*
1 oz unfiltered apple juice
1 oz lemon juice
A few cracks of black pepper
*Ginger Syrup: 2 oz. of ginger to 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool. Strain. Store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Instructions
Combine all ingredients, shake, and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with an apple ball.
Ingredients
2 oz gin
.75 oz lemon juice
.75 oz cranberry juice
4 dashes Angostura bitters
1 egg white
Cloves
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin, add ice, shake and strain into a coupe, garnish with a single clove.
1.5 parts Reyka
Vodka
6 parts
hot chocolate
.75 part Ancho Reyes
1 dash of Angostura bitters
Instructions
Combine ingredients in a hot toddy glass or styrofoam cup. Garnish with mini marshmallows or whipped cream.
Town and Country-Nov 2020 (Lauren Hubbard)