10 Holiday Cocktail Recipes to Kick Off Any Good Party

holiday cocktail

A round up of cocktail recipes that are sure to add some cheer to any holiday party.

Mediocre spiked egg nog isn’t the only holiday drink on the block. There are plenty of creative combinations that bring together seasonal flavors and festive spices. Couldn’t your holiday party do with one of them? Here is a round up of 10 cocktail recipes to really get into the holiday mood, and ensure that your guests do the same.

1. Hot Buttered Chartreuese

You may have thought that hot butter was reserved for rum, but Cocktail genius Jacob Grier created this drink which uses the iconic French liquor.

2. Chai Spiced Cider

Rum pairs up with cider, cardamom and cloves for a spicy, warm drink that’s particularly perfect when your guests are arriving from a cold weather journey to get to your home.

3. Beer Nog

This is the beer lover’s egg nog, blending porter with a dash of Cognac. Hello, winter.

4. Vegan Irish Cream Liqueur

Just because you’re serving cocktails to the vegan crowd doesn’t mean they can’t be creamy. Try this holiday-themed liqueur made with coconut milk that’s as good over ice as it is in coffee.

5. Orange Cardamom Cocktail

This one is sort of like taking an orange stuffed with cloves and turning it into a drink. Except that the cloves are cardamom pods.

6. Perfect Manhattan

If classic cocktail recipes are what you’re after, go for the Perfect Manhattan, which uses sweet and dry vermouth, as well as a brandied cherry for garnish.

7. Red Nose Punch

If you’re serving a crowd, punch is a great way to go. This one is made by freezing a bundt mold full of cranberries and pouring over a mixture of bourbon and lager, making for a festive libation.

8. Smoked Old Fashioned

Turn a classic Old Fashioned into something a little different by making your own simple syrup with lapsang souchong, the smoky Chinese tea.

9. Sparkling and Spiced Winter Sangria with Ginger, Cranberries, Black Pepper and Citrus

Who ever said sangria was just for summer? This spicier version is perfect for winter, and made with sparkling cava which makes for a celebratory drink.

10. Cranberry Orange Gin Fizz with Thyme

A little citrus, a little gin, a little thyme and you have yourself a fresh and fizzy holiday cocktail.

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Image: John O’Nolan

Anna Brones

Anna Brones is a food + travel writer with a love for coffee and bikes. She is the author of The Culinary Cyclist and Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break. Catch her weekly column, Foodie Underground.