5 Best Holiday Cocktails Filled With Spirit

When crafting a holiday menu, some might say the drinks menu is the most important ingredient. It’s a wonderful way to kick off the occasion and, with the right recipe, you can serve some eclectic options that will leave people wanting more.

Each of the holiday cocktails below are not only filled with spirit. They’re filled with joy and guaranteed to spread cheer before, during, and after the main course.

Naughty But Nice Christmas Cocktail

This is a delicious Christmas cocktail that takes on a gorgeous red hue when mixed. Its garnishments include cranberries and orange slices, so it really dresses up nicely for the occasion.

The main ingredients include:

• Vodka

• Orange Juice

• Ginger Syrup

• Cranberry Juice

• Club Soda

• Ice

What’s interesting about this recipe is that you can use vodka, whiskey, or bourbon as the main ingredient. How’s that for versatility?

The creator even said you can leave a bottle of each beside the mixture and let your guests decide for themselves. Tis the season of glad tidings, joy – and options!

Gingerbread Martini

While the Naughty But Nice cocktail is kind of like a beautiful woman in a red dress, the gingerbread martini is like a cute little kid whose cheeks you want to pinch.

Instead of garnishing this drink with sophisticated cranberries or orange wedges, you can spread cheer by garnishing this drink with gingerbread men – homemade or store bought.

The Pioneer Woman has a delicious recipe, including:

• Vodka

• Creme de cacao

• Gingerbread syrup

• Half-and-half

• Whipped cream

• Gingerbread cookies

Imagine how delightful this drink will look in a selection of holiday martini glasses.

Christmas Margarita

With the vodka and/or whiskey out of the way, let’s tend to the tequila lovers in the house. The Christmas margarita is another drink that looks gorgeous with some cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.

The other main ingredients include:

• Cranberry juice

• Pomegranate juice

• Lime juice

• Orange liqueur

• Tequila

How refreshing does that sound? Guests will love this one as you gather around the fire and usher in the joy of the season.

Eggnog

We have to round things out with a classic: eggnog. There are so many different takes on this holiday staple, but the reviews on this recipe make it a surefire win.

For a thick and creamy concoction, the ingredients include:

• Egg yolks

• Granulated sugar

• Heavy whipping cream

• Milk

• Nutmeg

• Salt

• Vanilla extract

• Ground cinnamon

• Alcohol to taste

Like the Naughty But Nice Christmas Cocktail, you have a few options here with regard to the alcohol content. Brandy is a fan favorite. But, you can also go for bourbon, rum, or whiskey.

The best time to add the alcohol is when you’re whisking in the vanilla extract. But, of course, you can leave this completely out so the kiddos can partake!

Vin Chaud

If you’ve ever enjoyed a European Christmas, it would’ve been hard to escape the lure of some mulled wine. While this isn’t a cocktail, per se, you can certainly add it to the rotation for the wine lovers in the house.

Vin chaud, or mulled wine, takes a bit of prep work on the stove. But, it’s well worth it once you savor its warmth.

Ingredients include:

Red wine Granulated sugar Cloves Cinnamon sticks Cardamon Cognac Orange

Each of these ingredients can be combined together in a large saucepan over low heat. Then, bring it to a simmer to dissolve the sugar. Just note that you don’t want it to boil, or else the alcohol will evaporate, along with the Christmas cheer.

Merry and Bright Holiday Cocktails

And there you have it! With each of these concoctions, you’re looking at a well-stocked holiday bar. There’s enough variety in here to satiate every guest’s palate. And, best of all, each of these can easily be turned into a mocktail for the teetotallers and children.

As you gather together this season, we hope these holiday cocktails will warm your hearts and fill your minds with memories to last a lifetime.