Your guests are looking to make merry this season, so be sure to have some special holiday cocktails on offer. Here are 10 we like for this year, including a few Grinchy options for those not feeling the spirit. And here’s a look back on our 2023 holiday drink roundup for more ideas.
Ho, Ho, Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- ½ oz. Green Chartreuse
- ¾ oz. Fernet Branca
- 5 oz. Hot chocolate base*
Instructions
- Pour the hot chocolate mix over the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix until everything is dissolved, and then strain the mixture through a chinois.
- Serve in a glass teacup or coffee mug.
Notes
* For Hot chocolate base
200 g. Milk chocolate
520 g. Dark chocolate
8 split Vanilla beans
4 qts. Heavy cream
300 g. White sugar
1 pint Filtered water Heat heavy cream, water, and vanilla beans over medium heat, just hot enough to melt the chocolate. Add the chocolate and sugar to the mixture and stir constantly to ensure it doesn’t scorch. Continue mixing everything to ensure the ingredients are dissolved, strain. The mixologists at NoMad London in the U.K. created this recipe.
200 g. Milk chocolate
520 g. Dark chocolate
8 split Vanilla beans
4 qts. Heavy cream
300 g. White sugar
1 pint Filtered water Heat heavy cream, water, and vanilla beans over medium heat, just hot enough to melt the chocolate. Add the chocolate and sugar to the mixture and stir constantly to ensure it doesn’t scorch. Continue mixing everything to ensure the ingredients are dissolved, strain. The mixologists at NoMad London in the U.K. created this recipe.
The Grinch
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Tito’s vodka
- 1 oz. Spiced cinnamon apple liqueur or cinnamon schnapps + apple liqueur combo
- 3-4 slices Fresh cucumber for muddling
- 1 oz. Fresh lime juice
- ½ oz. Simple syrup optional
- Red sugar crushed (for rimming the glass)
- 1 small Candy cane for garnish
Instructions
- Wet the rim of a Martini glass with a lime wedge, then dip the rim into red crushed sugar.
- In a cocktail shaker, add the cucumber slices and muddle gently.
- Add the vodka, liqueur, fresh lime juice and simple syrup (if using) to the shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 15-20 seconds.
- Fine strain the mixture into the prepared Martini glass.
- Garnish with a small candy cane either on the rim of the glass or dropped into the drink.
Notes
The mixologists at Shoma Bazaar food hall in Doral, FL, created this recipe.
The Nog-atomi Plaza
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Maverick straight bourbon
- 1 Whole egg
- 1 oz. Heavy cream
- ½ oz. Maple syrup
- ½ oz. Spiced simple syrup*
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and dry shake 20x (without ice) in a tin until frothy and smooth.
- Add ice and shake again to chill.
- Use a Hawthorne strainer to pour into a coupe.
- Top with a light dusting of cinnamon.
Notes
*For Spiced simple syrup:
Combine 2 cups hot water and 2 cups sugar with 2 tablespoons pumpkin spice and the peel of 2 whole oranges. Stir and strain into a jar or bottle of your choice. The mixologists at Maverick Distilling created this recipe.
Combine 2 cups hot water and 2 cups sugar with 2 tablespoons pumpkin spice and the peel of 2 whole oranges. Stir and strain into a jar or bottle of your choice. The mixologists at Maverick Distilling created this recipe.
Jacklyn Frost
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Empress gin
- 1 oz. Half & half
- 1¼ oz. Cream of coconut
- 1 oz. Pineapple juice
- 1 oz. Blueberry syrup
- Coconut flakes
Instructions
- Rim a Martini glass with buttercream and coconut flakes.
- In a shaker combine all ingredients together.
- Add ice, shake and strain into glass.
- Garnish with dehydrated orange slice.
Notes
The mixologists at Bungalows Key Largo in Key Largo, FL, created this recipe.
Better Watch Out
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Gin
- 1 oz. Cranberry-rosemary syrup
- ¾ oz. Lemon juice
- 2 dashes Saline
- 2 dashes Bitter Queens Caribbean bitters
Instructions
- Shake all ingredients except soda with ice.
- Strain into Collins glass.
- Top with soda, fill with ice.
- Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
Notes
Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage, cofounders of Krampus’ Cove, created this recipe.
BaChanukah
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Bacan Guaro 29% cane spirit
- 1 oz. Fresh-pressed unsweetened apple cider warmed
- ½ oz. Honey syrup 1:1 honey and warm water dissolved
- ½ oz. Fresh lemon juice
- Apple slice dipped in honey for garnish
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a heatproof glass or mug.
- Stir gently to mix the ingredients.
- Garnish with a slice of apple dipped in honey.
Notes
The mixologists at Bacan created this recipe.
Grinchmas
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Gin
- ½ oz. Matcha syrup*
- ½ oz. Fresh lime juice
- ¼ oz. Maraschino liqueur
- ¼ oz. Simple syrup
- 2 oz. Sparkling wine
- Edible green glitter
Instructions
- Add a pinch of edible green glitter to the bottom of tall flute glass.
- In an ice filled mixing glass add the rest of the ingredients.
- Shake well and strain over edible glitter in glass.
- Top with sparkling wine.
Notes
*For Matcha syrup:
1 cup Water
1 tbsp. Matcha powder
½ cup Sugar In a small saucepan, combine the water, matcha powder, and sugar. Whisk over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the matcha powder fully dissolves into the syrup, creating a smooth, vibrant green liquid. Let it cool completely before transferring to a glass container with lid. Store syrup in the fridge for up to a week. Bridget Albert, senior director of external communications and host of the Served Up Podcast at Southern Glazer’s, created this recipe.
1 cup Water
1 tbsp. Matcha powder
½ cup Sugar In a small saucepan, combine the water, matcha powder, and sugar. Whisk over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the matcha powder fully dissolves into the syrup, creating a smooth, vibrant green liquid. Let it cool completely before transferring to a glass container with lid. Store syrup in the fridge for up to a week. Bridget Albert, senior director of external communications and host of the Served Up Podcast at Southern Glazer’s, created this recipe.
Red Margarita
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Teremana Reposado tequila
- 1 oz. Pomegranate juice
- ¾ oz. Fresh lime juice
- ½ oz. Cinnamon syrup
- Pinch of salt
- Cinnamon stick and rosemary sprig garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick and rosemary sprig.
Notes
The mixologists at Teremana created this recipe.
Mistletoe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Una vodka
- ½ oz. Rosemary syrup
- 1 oz. Cranberry juice
- ½ oz. Fresh lemon juice
- Sparkling rosé
Instructions
- Shake vodka, rosemary syrup, cranberry juice and lemon juice with ice.
- Shake well and strain into a chilled Martini glass.
- Top with sparkling rosé and garnish with cranberries on a pick.
Notes
The mixologists at Una created this recipe.
