If you’re hosting around the holidays, it is a must to serve up convivial cocktails. Raise temperatures and holiday cheer with these festive drinks. You can kiss eggnog goodbye.
1. Snowball
This vanilla margarita includes tequila, vanilla, cinnamon,kahlua, and milk. This glass of milk like cocktail will definitely bring out the kid in you – but with three and half ounces of alcohol, the grown-ups will certainly enjoy.
3 ounces 1921 Tequila Cream Liqueur
3 drops of vanilla
crushed ice
1 ounce of evaporated skim milk
1/2 ounce Kahlua
cinnamon powder
cinnamon stick
Pour all ingredients except for the cinnamon powder into a blender. Blend for ten seconds and pour into snifters. Sprinkle cinnamon powder on top and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
2. Candy Cane
This martini is a fabulous holiday dessert drink that doesn’t require waiting for the main course to finish. Deliciously sweet and festive, these candy cane concoctions taste just like the holidays when we were kids.
3/4 ounce SKYY Berry vodka
3/4 ounce peppermint schnapps
3/4 ounce white creme de cacao
1/4 ounce grenadine
Half ‘n’ half
Crushed hard peppermint candy.
The berry vodka and white creme de cacao round out the peppermint flavor, creating a combo that isn’t overwhelming minty, but creates a a combo that is hard to place yet impossible to put down.
Mix the vodka, peppermint Schnapps, grenadine and creme de cacao with ice in a cocktail shaker. Be sure to shake thoroughly. Rim a cocktail glass with crushed hard peppermint candy and pour into glass. Top if off with half ’n’ half.
3. The Grinch
“Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn’t allow it. 4:00, wallow in self pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one; 5:30, jazzercize; 6:30, dinner with me – I can’t cancel that again; 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing… I’m booked.”
Stressed over holiday shopping? This cocktail will have you slurring, “Whose holiday Hoosy Whatie,” am I at? Combine 2 ouches Midori, 1/2 ounce lemon juice, 1 teaspoon simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or rim the cocktail glass with green sugar for fun!
4. Apple Pie Moonshine
2 qts. apple juice
2 qts. apple cider
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
2 cups everclear
1 cup whipped cream vodka
With the stove on medium/high, pour apple cider and apple juice onto large pot. Mix in both sugars, stirring occasionally, and let heat for twenty minutes. In the lat five minutes, add the cinnamon sticks. After twenty minutes, remove from heat and let cool. After the liquid is completely cooled, add ever clear and vodka. Remove cinnamon sticks before refrigerating the drink. Keep the drink refrigerated until ready to serve. This drink tastes how you always hoped apple pie would. Feel free to gulp seconds and thirds guilt free.
5. Apple Cider Margaritas
No fireplace necessary with this summer drink mixed with a twist of fall. Tequila and apples mix surprisingly well together.
1 ounce Grand Marnier
1 ounce gold tequila
5-6 ounces sweet apple cider
orange segments and apple slices
cinnamon + cane sugar + coarse sugar for glass rimming
cinnamon sticks for garnish
Using an orange slice, rim the glass with cinnamon, cane, and coarse sugar. Shake apple cider, gold tequila, and Grand Marnier with ice. Add orange segments to the bottom of the glass and pour the liquids in, mixing with a straw. Slice apples thinly and pair with a cinnamon stick to complete the drink.
6. Christmas Clementine Pomander
This cocktail recipe is courtesy of KTCHN Restaurant in New York City, serving American cuisine inspired by the seasons. This drink’s name comes from pomander, a French word referring to, ‘a case or ball of perfumes,’ because of its aromatic clove-spiked orange ornaments. Clementines are in season during the winter and this drink incorporates them at their peak. The original recipe uses mezcal as the base spirit, an atypical liquor for most. Vago Espadin is a particularly nice brand of this liquor, but if mescal still doesn’t strike your fancy, you can substitute tequila.
• 4 teaspoons clementine, chopped
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 ounces Mezcal Vago Espadin
• 1/2 ounce orange juice
• 1/2 ounce lime sour mix
• 3 mint leaves
• 1 ounce club soda
• Clove-studded clementine slice for garnish
First, muddle the brown sugar and clementine in a highball glass. Add lime mix, orange juice, mint leaves and ice. Top with club soda after stirring. Garnish with a clementine slice studded with cloves.
7. The Poinsettia
The Poinsettia is a simple yet sophisticated drink that requires barely any prep at all. Grab fluted champagne glasses and pour 3 ounces of chilled champagne, 1 ounce of triple sec, and 3 ounces of chilled cranberry juice. Stir and serve. It really couldn’t be simpler or more delicious.
8. Pepperiment Pina Colada
Sweet, creamy, and a perfect holiday spin on this island favorite. Although it looks complicated, there are only six ingredients, so there is not a lot of fuss.
Ingredients:
Handful of Ice
3 oz of coconut milk (be sure to shake the can
first)1 1/2 oz of premium white rum
1 oz of pineapple juice
2 peppermint sticks
Mint (for garnish)
Add coconut milk, rum, pineapple juice and ice into shaker and shake. Break one of the peppermint sticks and put it in the drink which will create a great peppermint flavor and a pink tint. Garnish with mint and a candy cane. This recipe makes one drink so triple…or quadruple the recipe for guests.
9. Winter Sangria
Sangria is an easy crowd pleaser for parties. Grab a pitcher, throw it all in and stir. For a spirited sangria..
2 Bottles Crisp White Wine.
1 bottle Sparkling Apple Cider.
1 Orange. 1 apple,sliced.
1c. Fresh Cranberries.
Fresh mint leaves.
Slice additional fruit if you want yours very fruity and serve!
10. Gingerbread Cocktail
1 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons mild-flavor molasses
1-inch piece fresh gingerroot, peeled, sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves
Orange wedge
Brown sugar
1oz Gingerbread Simple Syrup (2 tablespoons)
1oz vanilla vodka (2 tablespoons)
1oz half-and-half (2 tablespoons)
1/2oz coffee liqueur (1 tablespoon)
In a one quarter sauce pan combine the sugar, water, molasses, ginger root, and cloves, and cinnamon sticks and heat over medium-high heat until boiling. Continue to stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside for one hour to cool. Strain syrup into a container and store in refrigerator until needed, throw away spices. Wet the rim with an orange slice and rim with brown sugar. Fill shaker with ice and pour gingerbread simple syrup, vodka, and half and half into shaker. Shake and strain into martini glass! Serve with a gingerbread man or garnish with a gum drop.