10 Twists on Classic Holiday Cocktails
You’ve completed all of your holiday shopping – including what you’ll wear during your seasonal soiree. The lighting and the playlist are perfect, so what’s left? A cup of cheer, of course! In lieu of the classic mulled wines or egg nog, we’ve found a slew of selections with a fun twist on the classic Christmas cocktails that everyone will enjoy as soon as they walk in the door. Happy Holidays!
The Holly Jolly
1 ½ oz. Midori
1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
½ oz. White Crème de Cacao
Shake all ingredients. Pour into coupe glass or martini glass. Garnish with a halved strawberry filled with chocolate syrup.
Winter Star Nog
2 oz. SKYY Vodka
4 oz. Abuelita Hot Chocolate (prepared and cooled)
½ oz. Espresso
¼ oz. Agave Syrup
1 Sage Leaf
1 Red Jalapeno
1 Green Jalapeno
White Chocolate for Garnish
Score the red and green jalapeno peppers. Muddle all ingredients together in a shaker and shake vigorously. Double strain into a white chocolate rimmed rocks glass. Garnish with red and green chilies.
Gingerbread Crunch by Gillian Boyle
1 ¾ oz. Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
1 ¾ oz. Freshly Pressed Apple Juice
2/3 oz. Cinnamon Syrup
1/3 oz. Lemon Juice
¼ oz. Brown Sugar Syrup
For the Cocktail:
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake and double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish rim with crushed gingerbread biscuit and brown sugar.
For Garnish:
Place gingerbread cookies/biscuits in a bag and use a rolling pin to crush. When fine, add brown sugar into mix.
Winter Thyme Punch
1 ½ oz. Avión Reposado
¼ oz. Lime Juice
¼ oz. Lemon Juice
¼ oz. Grenadine
¾ oz. Simple Syrup
¾ oz. Pomegranate Juice
1 tsp. All Spice
1 sprig Thyme for garnish
Combine all ingredients into a shaker excluding the all spice. Shake and strain into a glass over ice. Sprinkle all spice on top. Garnish with sprig of thyme.
Cinnamon Sugar Punch
2 Parts Cruzan Velvet Cinn
1/2 Part Cruzan Aged Dark Rum
1/4 part Lemon Juice
1/4 part Ruby Port
1/4 part Sugar
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve in cups without ice. Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg.
Ginger Spice Spritz
4 pieces fresh ginger
2 oz. Inniskillin Riesling
1 ½ oz. pear nectar (muddled fresh pears or pre-made peach juice; can substitute apple cider as well)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Dust with nutmeg
In the mixing glass muddle ginger, add remaining ingredients, add ice, shake, strain over fresh ice into a highball glass and garnish with a pear slice.
Red-Nosed Mule
1 ½ oz. (BELVEDERE)RED
½ oz. simple syrup
6 raspberries
Dash lime
Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake and pour over ice into a highball. Top with Fever Tree Ginger Beer.
Chocolate Peppermint Margarita
2 oz. Sauza Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila
1 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
1 ½ cups Milk
4 tbsp. Hot Chocolate Powder
In a shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients and shake. Pour into a chilled martini glass rimmed with crushed candy canes.
Peppermint Cream by Haven Rooftop
1 ½ oz. Baileys
2 oz. hot chocolate
½ oz. creme de cacao
½ oz. creme de menthe
Whipped cream
Candy cane
Mix all ingredients into a mug and top with whipped cream and candy cane garnish.
The Vermont by Marcus Nilsson
2 oz. Bourbon
½ oz. Maple Syrup
1/2oz. Cinnamon Syrup
¼ oz. Lemon Juice
Orange Bitters
Micro Red Shiso
Muddle red shiso in a cocktail shaker, and then add the 2 dashes of orange bitters, lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon syrup, and bourbon over ice. Shake and strain into a tumbler over a cinnamon ice block and garnish with more red shiso.
Share: