The holidays are back again, and you know what that means. Your friends and family want to be entertained!
Cocktail crafting is a great way to bring people together and try new things. Need a little festive drink inspiration? We gathered a few recipes for holiday cocktails that will keep your besties, in-laws and college-age cousin feeling merry and bright all season long.
See also: 6 Limited-Edition Craft Beers to Try this Holiday Season
This recipe from Santa Teresa 1976 brings special holiday spice to your warming rum. If you don’t have pumpkin butter or don’t love the taste of pumpkin, you can use regular unsalted butter to get the same creamy effect.
Ingredients:
Directions: Pour all the ingredients into a sauce pan over low heat, and stir until butter is melted and incorporated. Serve in a tea cup, and garnish with two cloves and a star anise.
Who said tequila wasn’t a wintry spirit? Codigo 1530 brings a fun and festive cocktail recipe that will catch the eye of everyone at your holiday party.
Ingredients:
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker and strain over crushed ice. Garnish with mint and berries. Dust with powdered sugar.
Belvedere knows a thing or two about celebration, and for its holiday recipe, the vodka company goes with a classic: the hot toddy!
Ingredients:
Directions: Add hot water to heat a glass mug, then honey to melt. Add remaining liquid ingredients. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and orange wedge, and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Option to pierce orange wedge with 3 cloves.
Mulled wine is a staple of the colder months and holiday season that’s been around for literal centuries. See what all the fuss is about and make it a tradition in your home with this recipe from Chambord.
Ingredients:
Directions: Place all of the ingredients into a pot and bring to medium heat. Once the mixture starts to simmer, reduce the heat and cover. Let steep for 5 to 10 minutes, and strain the tea bags. Serve!
Kilkea Castle in Irelands knows how to throw a party. Travel to the Emerald Isle with this festive concoction that mixed fruity flavors and spices with whiskey and red mead.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Dry shake egg whites in Boston shaker. Store egg whites in a glass, and clean the shaker. Add Knappogue Castle 12 yo Whiskey, Irish Red Mead, cinnamon, orange bitters, lemon juice and ice cubes to the cleaned shaker, then add prepared egg whites. Shake all contents for 35 seconds. Pour contents into footed tumbler. Garnish with Snow Sprinkled Berries. Enjoy!
Fashion designer Romeo Hunte teamed with Bombay Sapphire on a specialty cocktail for bars and restaurants in New York City this holiday season. If you can't try it on site at Ama West Village, Dante West Village, Lil Frankie’s, or Gelson and Grande, just make it for yourself! This cocktail is inspired by Hunte’s chic street designs.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Build in your favorite balloon glass or coupe, and garnish with a lime wedge, dried orange or sugared cranberries.
This cocktail was created by El Silencio using the company's new Tequila Dahlia. Spike the classic hot chocolate with rumchata, tequila and seasonal spices for an intoxicating finish.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a mug and stir to blend. Top with whipped cream, grated nutmeg and cinnamon.
This twisted sip comes courtesy of Misunderstood Whiskey. This bourbon and American whiskey blend is ginger-spiced and aged in American oak barrels. Mix it with Martinelli's Sparkling Blush Cider to create a boozy brunch beverage that'll surprise and titillate.
Directions:
Add Misunderstood Whiskey to a flute glass or coupe and & top off with chilled Martinelli's Sparkling Blush Cider. Garnish with a fresh lemon twist.
This sangria, created by Skyy Vodka, is filled with holiday flavors of orange and cranberry. Mix blood orange-infused Skyy with sparking wine, Champagne or prosecco for a fizzy treat.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine all ingredients over ice in a wine glass, adding sparkling wine. Garnish with blood orange crescent and a handful of cranberries.
Make spirits even brighter by trying your hand at Dan Levy’s favorite holiday cocktail recipe, or curl up on the couch with one of our favorite warm cocktail recipes.
Photography by: Courtesy of Santa Teresa 1976; Courtesy of Codigo 1530; Courtesy of Belvedere; Courtesy of Chambord; Courtesy of Kilkea; Courtesy of Bombay Sapphire; Courtesy of El Silencio; Courtesy of Misunderstood Whiskey; Courtesy of Skyy Vodka
