These drink recipes will bring holiday cheer to all of your gatherings with friends and family during the Christmas season. From party punch to crafted cocktails, say ‘Salute’ to these festive favorites.
Santa’s Sleigh
Ingredients
- white sugar crystals, preferably coarse
- 2 cups eggnog, chilled
- ½ cup brandy
- ½ cup amaretto
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 4 cinnamon sticks
Preparation
Dampen the rims of 4 martini glasses and then line the rims with sugar crystals. Combine eggnog, brandy, amaretto, nutmeg and ice cream in a blender; process until smooth. Pour mixture into martini glasses and garnish each glass with a whole cinnamon stick.
Christmas Pick-Me-Up
Ingredients
- ½ oz Cointreau or orange liqueur
- 1 ½ oz Grappa
- 1/4 oz Creme de Cassis or blackcurrant liqueur
- ½ oz fresh-squeezed juice from ½ lemon
- splash of simple syrup
- ice
- orange zest for garnish
Preparation
Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until chilled and well combined. Put a scoop of ice in a highball or cooler glass. Pour cocktail over ice. Zest an orange to make a twist. Rub around rim of glass, twist and place in glass to garnish.
Candy Cane Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 candy cane, crushed, for garnish
- 2 oz. strawberry vodka
- 4 dashes white creme de menthe
- 2 ½ oz. cranberry juice
- ice cubes
Preparation
Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately.
Warm Spiced Red Wine
Ingredients
- 1 half-bottle fruity Italian red wine, such as a Bardolino
- 2 oz bourbon or brandy
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish
- 2-3 star anise pods
- 1 long strip lemon or orange peel
- 1 tsp sugar
Preparation
Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until warm (do not boil); remove from the heat and let stand for 5 to 10 min. Serve in mugs or punch cups. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.
Holiday Espresso Martini
Ingredients
- 3 cloves
- 4 cardamom pods
- half stick cinnamon
- 1 shot espresso
- 1 oz dark rum
- ¾ oz cream
- 4 drops Valencia orange flower essence
- ice
Preparation
Bash the cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick lightly in a pestle and mortar. Add them to the shot of espresso and let steep for 10 minutes. Add to a cocktail shaker with a cup of cubed ice and all the other ingredients. Shake and fine strain, using a fine sieve or tea strainer to catch the spices, into a coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel twist.
Italian Spritz Punch
Ingredients
- 6 oz Galliano Italian herbal liqueur
- 1 750-ml bottle Aperol
- 3 750-ml bottles chilled Prosecco
- ice, preferably 1 large block
- 2 sliced oranges, 2 sliced lemons and ½ pint raspberries, for garnish
Preparation
In a punch bowl, combine the Galliano and Aperol and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours. Gently stir in the Prosecco. Add the ice and garnish with the oranges, lemons and raspberries.
Citrus 75
Ingredients
- ½ clementine
- 1 ½ ounces gin
- ½ ounce Limoncello
- ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
- ½ ounce honey syrup (½ tablespoon honey mixed with ½ tablespoon warm water)
- 1 ounce chilled Prosecco
- 1 lemon twist, for garnish
- 1 orange wheel, for garnish
Preparation
In a cocktail shaker, muddle the clementine. Add ice and the gin, Limoncello, lemon juice and honey syrup and shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe, top with the Prosecco and garnish with the lemon twist and orange wheel.
