With holiday parties and New Year’s Eve upon us this time of year, there’s no better time to raise a glass of goodness and toast to merriment and best wishes for a happy new year. Here are some of our most favorite, merrymaking cocktails to ring in some festive holiday spirits. Because a glass of bubbly is just too boring for the holiday party. Here’s to toasting in style and overall yumminess for happy holidays and a great new year ahead. Cheers!!
Christmas Gin and Cranberry Sauced Martini
2 oz Gin
.5 oz fresh lime juice
2 tbsp cranberry sauce (without whole berries)
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Rosemary sprig
Add cranberry sauce to a cocktail shaker with the gin, lime juice, and bitters. Add ice, shake very vigorously at least 30 to 45 seconds and strain through a mesh strainer into a chilled coupe glass. Smack a sprig of rosemary between palms to release aromas and drop on top of the cocktail.
Jingle Juice
2 cups frozen cranberries, frozen
3 limes, sliced
5 cups sparkling cranberry juice (cranberry soda), chilled
4 cups cranberry-raspberry juice, chilled
2 cups Captain Morgan™ Original Spiced Rum, chilled
1 cup Grand Marnier™, chilled
1/2 cup lemon juice (squeezed from 2 to 3 lemons, or bottled)
1/2 cup lime juice (squeezed from 3 to 4 limes, or bottled)
1/3 cup star anise (optional)
Add frozen cranberries and lime slices to a large punch bowl.
Add sparkling cranberry juice, cran-raspberry juice, rum, Grand Marnier™, lemon juice, and lime juice.
Add star anise last, and stir to combine all ingredients.
Winter Rose
Build over Ice
2 oz Vivanco Rosado Wine
2 oz Brut Champagne
.5 oz Elderflower Syrup
Splash of Pressed Clementine Juice
Garnish with Halved Fresh Cranberries
Sprinkle with Ground Clove
Tipsy Partridge
Build over Ice
2 oz Patricius Katinka Late Harvest Wine
1 oz Rosemary Infused Vodka
3 oz Tonic Water
Garnish with a Sprig of Rosemary
Float a Slice of Pear on top
Fore and Ice Cocoa
Mix equal parts Peppermint Vodka and Cinnamon Vodka
Add the vodka mixture to a cup of hot chocolate
Rim the cup with candy cane bits and peppermint whipped cream
Ginger Bell Cocktail
2 ounces bourbon
2 sprigs of fresh mint
1/2 lemon, cut into discs
2-inch piece freshly-skinned ginger, cut into small pieces
1 bottle ginger beer
ice
Add bourbon, mint, lemon, and ginger in a cocktail mixer. Muddle firmly until pieces break down. Add ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into glasses. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with cranberries.
Christmas Old Fashioned
3 cranberries
orange wedge
2 oz Rye whiskey
1 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup
2 dashes bitters
sugar
ice
Muddle the cranberries and orange wedge in a glass.
Add rye and simple syrup
Top with bitters and stir
Add ice
Christmas Sangria
2 bottles Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay (I used Soverain Chardonnay!)
3/4 cup sparkling apple cider
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cranberries, halved
3/4 cup cranberries, whole
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
3 rosemary sprigs
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and stir together
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving
Serve chilled or over ice
Champagne Holiday Punch
4 ounces cold Champagne
4 ounces Rich Simple Syrup Angostura bitters
8 ounces cold club soda
12 ounces genever
Pineapple slices and star anise pods
4 ounces Créole Shrubb
6 ounces fresh lemon juice
Ice
Combine genever, Créole Shrubb, lemon juice, Simple Syrup and 10 dashes of bitters
Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours
Stir in the Champagne and club soda
Add ice and garnish with the pineapple and star anise
Peppermint Eggnog Punch
2 quarts peppermint ice cream, softened
2 quarts eggnog
Chilled ginger ale
Combine ice cream and eggnog in large punch bowl
Pour ginger ale over eggnog and ice cream to the desired amount
Stir until well combined
Top off each cup of punch with a peppermint stick