December is the most wonderful time of the year as we prepare to celebrate the holiday season with family gatherings, gifts, Christmas cocktails and food. How could we not be happy about it?! Yes, holidays can get hectic and stressful, but with some easy party planning and preparation, you will surely have the best time with your loved ones.
Speaking of planning… Now is the best time to start your Christmas shopping for both food and drinks! If you ask us, we think there’s nothing better than cozying up by the fire with a drink in hand, so make sure your cabinet is fully stocked!
To help you celebrate this holiday season without stress, here are 12 Easy Christmas Cocktails to make this month.
12 Easy Christmas Cocktails to Make this Holiday Season
Day 1: Mulled Wine
Ingredients:
- 2 Bottles of Red Wine
- 1/3 cup Brandy
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1 Orange & Zest
- 8 Cloves
- 2 tsp Ginger
- 4 Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 Star Anise
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a 4 quart sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring periodically. Simmer ten minutes, serve warm.
Day 2: White Christmas Margaritas
Ingredients:
- 1 (14-oz.) can coconut milk
- 12 oz. silver tequila
- 8 oz. triple sec
- 1/2 c. lime juice
- 2 c. ice
- 1/2 c. Mint, for garnish
- 1 lime, sliced into rounds for garnish
- Lime wedge, for rimming glass
- Sanding sugar, for rimming glass
- Cranberries, for garnish
Directions: Combine coconut milk, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Rim glasses with lime wedge and dip in sanding sugar. Pour into glass and garnish with lime and cranberries. Serve. (Courtesy of Delish)
Day 3: Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
- Boiling Water
- 4 Whole Cloves
- 1 Lemon Twist
- 2 tsp Brown Sugar
- .25 ounces Lemon Juice
- 2 Ounces of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey
Directions: Fill mug with boiling water and let warm for a few minutes. Meanwhile, stick the cloves into the lemon twist and set aside. Empty the mug and fill halfway with fresh boiling water. Add the brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the lemon twist, lemon juice and whiskey. Stir and serve. (Courtesy of Jacques Bezuidenhout)
Day 4: Cranberry Mimosas
Ingredients:
- 1 lime, halved
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1 c. sweetened cranberry juice
- 1 bottle champagne
- 12 fresh cranberries
- 4 small sprigs fresh rosemary
Directions: Rub rims of champagne flutes with lime and dip in sugar. Pour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into each glass and top with champagne. Use a toothpick to poke a hole through cranberries. Thread rosemary skewer through cranberries and garnish mimosas. (courtesy of Delish)
Day 5: Salted Caramel Eggnog
Ingredients:
- caramel sauce, warmed
- 4 oz. eggnog
- 1 oz. spiced rum
- kosher salt
- whipped cream
- nutmeg, freshly grated
Directions: Coat inside of Irish whiskey glass with warm caramel sauce. Add eggnog, spiced rum, and a pinch of salt and stir. Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel, and freshly grated nutmeg.
Day 6: Irish Coffee
Ingredients:
- 3 c. heavy or whipping cream
- 7 tbsp. sugar
- 1 c. Irish whiskey
- 6 c. rich, hot brewed coffee
- Grated nutmeg or ground cinnamon (optional)
Directions: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream and 3 tablespoons sugar until very soft peaks form (consistency should be just pourable). Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Heat 8 wineglasses by pouring very hot water into them. Drain water; add 2 tablespoons whiskey to each glass. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons sugar into coffee until dissolved. For each drink, fill glass with coffee to within 1 1/4 inch from top. Hold large spoon upside down over top of glass; gradually pour whipped cream over back of spoon onto coffee (cream should float on top, about 1 inch thick). Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired. (Courtesy of Colin Cowie).
Day 7: Pomegranate Moscow Mule
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. vodka
- 1 oz. pomegranate juice
- 1 tbsp. pomegranate seeds
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1/2 c. ice
- ginger beer
- Sprig of Rosemary
Directions: In a cocktail glass stir together vodka, pomegranate juice, pomegranate seeds, tbsp. lime juice, honey, and ice. Top off with ginger beer and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
Day 8: Candy Cane-Kahlua Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. whole milk
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 1 candy cane
- 3 tbsp. sipping chocolate
- 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 oz. Kahlua
- whipped cream
- candy canes
Directions: In a saucepan over low heat, warm whole milk and heavy cream. Add 1 candy cane and stir until melted. Stir in sipping chocolate and vanilla extract. Remove from heat, stir in Kahlua, and pour into glass. Garnish with whipped cream and candy canes.
Day 9: Peppermint Paddy
- 1 ounce brandy
- 1 ounce white crème de menthe
- 1/2 ounce dark rum
- 4 ounces white hot chocolate
- Chocolate-flavored whipped cream and crushed Peppermint Altoids, for garnish (optional)
Directions: Combine the brandy, white crème de menthe, dark rum and hot chocolate in a heatproof mug and stir. Top with the chocolate whipped cream and crushed Altoids.
Day 10: Creamsicle Fizz
- sugar
- 1/2 c. ice
- 1 oz. Vanilla Vodka
- 1 oz. orange or blood orange juice
- Champagne
- Cava
- Prosecco
- 1 orange slice
Directions: Rim a champagne flute with sugar. Fill cocktail shaker with ice, vanilla vodka, and orange or blood orange juice. Shake, then strain mixture into flute. Top with champagne, cava, and prosecco and garnish with orange slice.
Day 12: Santa’s Sleigh Cocktail
Ingredients:
- White sugar crystals, preferably coarse
- 2 cups store-bought eggnog, chilled
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 1/2 cup amaretto liqueur
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 4 cinnamon sticks
Directions: Dampen the rims of 4 martini glasses and then line the rims with sugar crystals. Combine eggnog, brandy, amaretto, nutmeg, and ice cream in a blender; process until smooth. Pour mixture into martini glasses and garnish each glass with a whole cinnamon stick.
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Happy Holidays!