With Christmas just over a week away, it’s time to begin planning out the celebration. You probably have a lot to do, like cleaning and decorating your home, gathering dinner recipes, and creating a cocktail list. I decided to help make that last step a bit easier by compiling a list of my seven favorite holiday cocktails.

Cranberry and Gin

Gin and Cranberry
2 oz Gin
3 oz Cranberry juice
Powdered sugar (garnish)

  1. Shake the gin and cranberry juice with ice.
  2. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with powdered sugar.

*Besides lending a festive air, the powdered sugar also helps to sweeten up this sour cocktail.

Spiced Cider

Spiced Cider

6 oz Hard apple cider
1.5 oz Cinnamon liqueur

  1. Warm the hard apple cider on the stove over medium heat until it begins to gently boil.
  2. Transfer to a mug and add the cinnamon liqueur.

 

Peppermint Hot Coco

Peppermint Hot Coco

2 oz Peppermint schnapps
6 oz Hot chocolate
Peppermint crumbles (garnish)

  1. Prepare your favorite hot chocolate and transfer to a mug. Make sure to leave extra space for the schnapps
  2. Stir in peppermint schnapps and garnish with peppermint crumbles.

 

Hot Buttered Rum

Hot Buttered Rum

2 oz Spiced rum
1 tbsp Butter batter
6 oz Boiling water

  1. Pour the boiling water over the rum and butter batter.
  2. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

 

Spiked Mocha

Spiked Mocha

.5 oz Irish cream
1 oz Crème de cocoa
Double shot espresso
Instant espresso (garnish)

  1. Gently warm the Irish cream and crème de cocao
  2. Add to the espresso
  3. Garnish with instant espresso for a stronger flavor.

 

Grapefruit and Cardamom

Cardamom Grapefruit Cocktail

2 oz Vodka
2 oz Grapefruit juice
1 oz Cardamom simple syrup
Ground cardamom (garnish)

  1. Shake all ingredients besides the ground cardamom with ice.
  2. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with ground cardamom.

Hopefully these cocktails help you celebrate the Christmas season in good spirits (pun intended.)