Winter Holiday Cocktail Recipes

Below are some of our favorite easy-to-make holiday cocktail recipes for your winter holiday gatherings with family or friends.

Festive Christmas Margarita

Who doesn’t love a good margarita? We especially love this festive Christmas-themed one from Call Me PMC.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz cranberry juice
• 1 oz lime juice
• 1 oz triple sec or orange liqueur
• 2 oz tequila
• Lime slice, orange slice, cranberries, and rosemary for garnish

Instructions:

1. Rim the cocktail glass with salt or sugar.
2. Add all ingredients to a shaker; shake well.
3. Strain into a glass with ice.
4. Garnish and enjoy!

Peppermint Martini

Nothing screams holiday season more than peppermint; that’s why we’d be remiss not to include this delicious peppermint-flavored cocktail from A Couple Cooks on our list.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz 30- or 60-proof peppermint schnapps (or white crème de menthe)
• ½ oz vodka
• 1½ oz crème de cacao
• 1½ oz heavy cream (canned coconut milk for dairy-free option)
• Peppermint candies and grenadine for rim

Instructions:

1. Crush the peppermint candy and place them evenly on a plate. On a separate plate, make a small pool with grenadine. Wet the rim of the martini glass with grenadine, rotating it to coat, then roll over the crushed candy until evenly coated.
2. Add peppermint schnapps, vodka, crème de cacao, heavy cream, and ice to your shaker; shake well.
3. Strain the drink into your prepared martini glass.

Amaretto Sour

This amaretto sour recipe from Baking Beauty will put your right into the holiday spirit.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz amaretto
• 2 oz sweet and sour mix
• Sprite
• Cherries and orange slices for garnish

Instructions:

1. Fill a large glass with ice.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine amaretto and sour mix.
3. Strain into glass and top off with Sprite.
4. Garnish with orange slices and cherries.

Cranberry Mimosa

To make your seasonal mimosa, swap the orange juice with cranberry juice and add a little orange liqueur. We love this recipe from Everyday Delicious.

Ingredients:

• ½ oz orange liqueur
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• Champagne to top
• Sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs to garnish

Instructions:

1. Add orange liqueur and cranberry juice to a champagne flute.
2. Top with champagne.
3. Garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs.

Mulled Wine

Mulled wine is certainly the way to go if you want a nice, warm cocktail and love a good dry red wine with aromatics. Check out this recipe from Gimme Some Oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine
• ¼ cup brandy (or orange liqueur)
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 8 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 2-4 Tbsp sugar (or honey or maple syrup to taste)
• Citrus slices (orange, lemon, or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, and star anise to garnish

Instructions:

1. Add wine, brandy, orange slices, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and 2 Tbsp sweetener to a large saucepan. Stir to combine.
2. Cook on medium-high heat until it starts to simmer (don’t let boil!). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.
3. Strain the wine with a fine mesh strainer. Discard orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Add extra sweetener if needed.
4. Serve the mulled wine warm, topped with your favorite garnishes.