Holiday Cocktails for 2023
We love holidays and we love cocktails, so December is the most wonderful time of the year for us. We get so many festive drink recipes submitted for the early winter occasions that it’s almost impossible to narrow them down, but we gave it a shot. (We seem drawn to the creamy drinks, perhaps seeking some indulgence after a long year.)
Here are 10 we rounded up for 2023, and here are the holiday drinks from 2022. Cheers!
It’s A Wonderful Life
Ingredients
2 oz. Heavy cream2 oz. New Riff KY Straight Bourbon1 oz. Chai tea spice syrupNutmegBiscotti cookie
Instructions
Combine ingredients and shake.
Strain into a highball glass with ice.
Grate fresh nutmeg over top.
Garnish with a biscotti cookie.
Notes
Katie Tobin, bar manager at The Aquifer Bar at New Riff Distilling, Newport, KY, created this recipe.
Christmas Cup
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Roku Japanese gin1 oz. Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur½ oz. Lime juice1 oz. Spiced cranberry juice2 oz. Champagne to top off
Instructions
Combine ingredients, except Champagne, in a mixing tin and shake.
Pour into a glass with ice.
Top with Champagne.
Garnish with 3 lime wheels, 7-10 frozen cranberries, 8 fresh ginger trips (chopped ginger), 3 star anise, and sprig of rosemary.
Notes
For House-made spiced cranberry juice:
2 lbs. Cranberries (frozen is fine)
3 cups Water
300 g. Sugar
4 Cinnamon sticks (prefer Mexican cinnamon for more flavor)
12 Cloves
5 Star anise
3 oz. Ginger root, chopped
2 lbs. Cranberries (frozen is fine)
3 cups Water
300 g. Sugar
4 Cinnamon sticks (prefer Mexican cinnamon for more flavor)
12 Cloves
5 Star anise
3 oz. Ginger root, chopped
In a large pan place all the ingredients and bring to boil, cover and let simmer until the cranberries are soft enough to be pressed, remove from stove, let it cool down, strain and press a sieve press all the cranberries and collect all the juice. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
The mixologists at Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, IL, created this recipe.
Let It Snow
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Blanco tequila1 ½ oz. White cranberry juice1 oz. Coconut milk½ oz. Orange liqueur½ oz. Freshly squeezed lime juiceCinnamon sugar for rimming
Instructions
Coat rim of rocks glass in cinnamon sugar.
Combine all ingredients in a shaker.
Shake well, and pour over ice.
Garnish with cranberries, rosemary sprig and lime wedge.
Notes
The mixologists at Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville in Greenville, SC, created this recipe.
Bad Santa
Ingredients
1 oz. Peppermint schnapps1 oz. Vodka2 oz. Kahlua2 oz. Half-n-halfCrushed peppermint rim
Instructions
Grab a candy cane and crush it until it’s finely crushed.
Mix sugar and water together in a shallow bowl.
Dip the rim of glasse in the sugar water and then dip in the crushed peppermint.
Pour the half-n-half first, then add in vodka and Kahlua into an Old Fashioned glass half-filled with ice cubes.
Add the peppermint schnapps and mix together.
Garnish with candy cane.
Notes
The mixologists at the Wyvern Hotel in Punta Gorda, FL, created this recipe.
Merry and Bright Sour
Ingredients
2 oz. Crystal Head Aurora vodka2 oz. Pomegranate juice¼ oz. Maple syrup½ oz. Fresh lemon juiceMuddled sageEgg whites
Instructions
Muddle ingredients in a shaker and dry shake.
Add ice, shake and double strain into a chilled glass.
Garnish with sage and pomegranate.
Notes
The mixologists at Crystal Head created this recipe.
The Polar Espresso
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Fresh espresso1 oz. Raina Numero Uno sweet vermouth1 oz. Campari¾ oz. Cinnamon syrup
Instructions
Combine all ingredients and shake hard.
Double strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with freshly grated cinnamon.
Notes
The mixologists at Mother Pizzeria in Newport, RI, created this recipe.
White Christmas
Ingredients
1 ¼ oz. Singani 63½ oz. White creme de cacao¼ oz. White creme de menthe¼ oz. Simple syrup 1:1Whip cream floatEdible glitter
Instructions
Combine all ingredients into mixing tin.
Hard shake, fine strain into coupe glass.
Garnish with whip cream float and edible glitter.
Notes
The mixologists at The Captains Quarters in San Diego created this recipe.
Candy Cane Crush
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Aged rum infused with candy canes1 oz. Five Farms Irish Cream½ oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao½ oz. Brucato Chaparral AmaroPinch of Sea salt
Instructions
Mix ingredients in a mixing vessel.
Add ice and shake and strain into bucket glass.
Add a large or regular ice cubes.
Garnish with candy cane, mint sprig and grated cinnamon.
Notes
Amanda Reed, beverage director of E3 Restaurant Group, created this recipe for Lobster Shop in Tacoma, WA.
Cranberry Holiday Spritz
Ingredients
1 part Josh Cellars pinot grigio½ part Lemon juice¾ part Cranberry spiced simple syrup simple syrup with cranberries and cinnamonTop with ginger beerSugar-covered cranberries for garnish
Instructions
Combine all but the ginger beer in a shaker with ice.
Shake and strain into a rocks class or a tall glass.
Top with ginger beer.
Garnish with the cranberries.
Notes
The mixologists at Josh Cellars created this recipe.
Coquito Ho Ho Ho
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Patrón Reposado tequila1 oz. Oloroso sherry1 oz. Coconut milk cream½ oz. Coco Lopez¼ oz. Braulio liqueur¼ oz. Kalani coconut liqueur¼ oz. Cinnamon syrup1 Whole egg
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a tin.
Dry shake and strain into a mug.
Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Notes
Ivy Mix, co-owner of “Sleyenda” (a.k.a. Leyenda) in Brooklyn, NY, created this recipe.
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