Sharing a roundup of classic Christmas cocktail ideas to make spirits bright!
Lately, I’ve been on a wine kick. It’s so much easier to uncork a bottle of wine to enjoy a glass with dinner or on the couch watching TV or a movie. But, undeniably, there is just something about a cocktail that feels more celebratory and festive. Maybe it’s the garnishes, the fun glasses, or the ritual itself of shaking up a cocktail and playing around with the variety of flavors! Whatever it is, I’m here for fun cocktails to get make things merry and bright.
Ten Christmas Cocktail Ideas
Sparkling Cranberry Rosé Sangria
Ingredients
3 bottles rosé
2 cups cranberries (plus more for garnish)
1 cup fresh mint leaves (plus more for garnish)
1 bottle cranberry prosecco
Directions
In a large pitcher, pour in the 3 bottle of rosé and add in the cranberries and mint leaves. Cover and refrigerate overnight or about 8 hours.
Right before serving, pour in the entire bottle of prosecco and garnish with extra cranberries and mint leaves.
Serve over ice.
Star Studded Frangelico Cocktail
Ingredients
1 oz Frangelico
1 oz Kahlua
¼ oz Grand Marnier
Hazelnut spread for garnish (optional)
Directions
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake to combine.
Pour into a martini glass and serve.
Snickerdoodle Hot Toddy
Ingredients
2 parts Harney & Sons Cinnamon Tea
1½ parts Maker’s Mark
1 part almond milk
¼ part vanilla extract
¼ part butter extract
Directions
Boil water in a saucepan and pour into a mug. Seep the Harney & Sons Cinnamon Tea for a few minutes until the water turns a rich cinnamon color.
Add the Maker’s Mark, almond milk and the extracts. Stir to combine.
Garnish with snickerdoodle cookie not optional.
Big Batch Christmas Cocktail
Ingredients
Ice
32 oz. cranberry juice
16 oz. orange juice
Vodka
1 shot, Grand Marnier
Prosecco
Directions
In a large pitcher, combine the ice, cranberry juice, vodka and Grand Marnier. Stir to combine and then add the orange juice.
Top each glass with a Prosecco floater for some bubbly.
Eggnog Bourbon Milkshake
Ingredients
1½ cups vanilla ice cream
½ cup eggnog
2 oz Bourbon
Whipped cream
Cinnamon for garnish
Directions
In a blender, add the ice cream, eggnog and bourbon. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a rocks glass and top with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.
Blood Orange Bourbon Smash
Ingredients
Blood oranges
Aromatic bitters
Bourbon
Blood orange seltzer
Directions
Juice the blood oranges (Aim to get around 4 tablespoons of fresh juice for each blood orange bourbon smash)
Fill your cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the blood orange juice, dash of bitters (about 4-5 shakes), 2 shots of bourbon (I used Maker’s) and shake shake shake!
Amarula Affogato
Ingredients
2 scoops of ice cream
3 tablespoons of coffee
Topped with whipped cream
Garnish with Speculoos cookie
Directions
Pour coffee over ice cream.
Top with whipped cream and add a cookie for garnish.
Cranberry Ginger Vodka Cocktail
Ingredients
1½ cup cranberries
1½ tsp lime zest
Drizzle of agave
2 tbsp water
Vodka
Ginger beer
Directions
In a food processor, add the cranberries, lime zest, agave and water. Pulse until well combined, adding additional water 1 tbsp at a time if necessary.
If there are still chunks of cranberries, pour through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
Fill each rocks glass with ice and add 4 tbsp of the cranberry syrup.
Top with vodka and ginger beer.
Garnish with cranberries.
Blood Orange Mint Aperol Spritzer
Ingredients
Mint
Simple syrup
2 oz Aperol
Trader Joe’s Blood Orange Italian soda
Directions
Prepare a mint simple syrup.
Pour about 2 ounces of Aperol into a rocks glass with ice and then add an ounce of the mint simple syrup.
Top off with blood orange soda.
