25 Easy Christmas Cocktail Recipes to Try for the Holidays

Deck the halls with these delicious Christmas cocktail recipes! From spiked eggnog to Christmas martinis, here’s to merry good times.

It’s coming up at that time of year, and whether you want to drink to celebrate or drink to forget the family drama, drink up while being festive all the way! 

These Christmas cocktail recipes are great for a single serving, though many also work for punch-bowl style. However you make it, and however you drink it, you’ll enjoy everything more with each delicious sip that pair perfectly with your Christmas vegetable side dishes and Christmas cookie trays.

How to Turn any Cocktail into a Party Punch

Although some of these drinks require shaking, many of these cocktails can be turned into a punch recipe and prepared in large batches in advance. Anything that makes the holiday prep easier is great, right? 

Keep in mind that if the drink requires shaking (such as creamy cocktails or eggnog), it is more difficult to prepare in advance because the drink will curdle due to the lactose. However, if the drink doesn’t require shaking, simply increase the number of servings in the recipe. Then, mix it with ice and keep it chilled in the fridge or freezer (depending on the ingredients in the drink, of course).

Just make sure to hold off on adding any carbonation to the drinks until they’re ready to be served to keep everything bubbly and fresh. 

Christmas Cocktail Recipes

1 — Christmas Cocktails in Ornaments DIY

Elevate your holiday festivities with our Christmas cocktails in an ornament DIY idea! Shake up the season by crafting festive cocktail-filled ornaments, turning your holiday drinks into delightful, visually appealing treats. Each sip becomes an experience, blending the joy of mixology with the whimsy of holiday decorations for a truly spirited celebration! We made mint and pink peppermint cocktails, but any recipe would work to turn it into fun Christmas drinks

2 — Christmas Old Fashioned Recipe

This old fashioned will put you in a Christmas mood thanks to its delicious combination of Angostura bitters, bourbon, and gingerbread simple syrup. It’s one of our all-time popular Christmas drinks that is enjoyed not only in December but year round. Plus, it can easily be made into an old fasihoned Christmas punch.

3 — White Chocolate Candy Cane Cocktail

This next cocktail is for all you candy cane lovers out there! It’s a rich and creamy drink that’s perfect for sipping on a cold winter day. And thanks to the white chocolate liqueur, it’s like having a candy cane in a glass!4 — Boozy Frozen Hot Chocolate

Frozen hot chocolate seems like a conundrum, but it is perhaps one of the best things on this planet. What’s more, this recipe is boozy. So drink up and cool down! 

5 — Christmas Cookie Ice Cream Shot

Although the recipe is for a shot, it is easy to make a bigger portion and cocktail version. Plus, this recipe works great for kids and adults alike with small adjustments. Both versions require Christmas cookie ice cream, white sprinkles, and simple syrup.

And who says that the kids can’t enjoy this? The kid-friendly version asks for milk and green food coloring, while the boozy version uses creme de menthe and white creme de cacao.

6 — Gingerbread Martini

If you’re looking for a creamy martini, look no further. This gingerbread martini is impossible to resist and is packed with cinnamon, Baileys Irish Cream, and ginger while being not overly sweet. So, if you’re worried about breaking the limbs off of your gingerbread man, worry no more with this delicious, drinkable gingerbread cookie. If you want to stay in a gingerbread party theme, serve this drink with gingerbread brownies and gingerbread muffins.

7 — Christmas Martini

If you want an easy easy martini that tastes like Christmas, this is it. This Christmas martini is easy to mix together, and the cranberry juice makes it a very festive red. Plus, if you’re hosting a big party, it can be made in a pitcher or punch bowl for easy preparation and serving.

8 — Christmas Morning Mimosa

If you’re having a Christmas morning brunch, this Christmas morning mimosa is perfect for the occasion. The is sweet and very red thanks to the cranberry and pomegranate juices, while the sparkling wine makes it bubbly.

9 — White Cosmo

When you think of traditional Christmas drinks, you don’t really think of the Cosmopolitan. But this iconic cranberry juice cocktail can actually be customized for countless occasions. The White Cosmopolitan delicately combines white cranberry juice, elderflower liqueur, and citrus vodka.

10 — Christmas Margarita

Margarita? Christmas? Cranberry and pomegranate? Say no more! This Christmas margarita will make any party come alive thanks to its layers of flavor and bright red color.

11 — Holiday Spice Piña Colada

This Holiday Spice cocktail is best described as a piña colada with a Christmas spin or a tropical spin on eggnog. The holiday cocktail uses egg, milk, and coconut vodka as a base and is topped off with allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. One sip will whisk you away to a tropical paradise in the cold winter months. 

12 — Poinsettia Punch

Poinsettias are one of the most beautiful flowers. And this drink being, a poinsettia punch, is no different with its orange liqueur and champagne spirits for a festive Christmas punch recipe.

13 — Mrs. Claus’ Wildside Punch

Mrs. Claus certainly has to let loose, given she’s surrounded by elves and stuck in the North Pole year-round while her husband travels the world. This 4-ingredient fruity tequila punch is easy to make, easy to drink, and perfect for big holiday gatherings. 

14 — Sugar Cookie Martini 

The Sugar Cookie martini tastes just like its name, mainly due to the vanilla flavored vodka. The best part  is its festive red and green sprinkles rim!

Wine-Based Christmas Cocktails Recipes

1 — Spiced Mulled Wine

If there’s a holiday party, then there will always be mulled wine being served. And probably because it’s super easy to make. You can make it way in advance in a slow cooker. Plus, you can personalize it to be as spicy or as sweet as you’d like.

2 — Holiday Wine Spritzer

Wine spritzers are the perfect cocktail for a light and bubbly feel. Jazz it up with a holiday feel, and you’re set to host a party! This holiday wine spritzer is made up of 1/3 red or white wine, 1/3 ginger ale, 1/3 cranberry juice, and topped with fresh or sugared cranberries. 

3 — Holiday Manhattan

Why have a classic Manhattan when you can have a bolder wine Holiday Manhattan? Simply stir a shot of bourbon, a shot of simple syrup, and 2 ounces of red wine. Try to use full-bodied reds like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.

4 — Red Wine Hot Chocolate

Red wine and hot chocolate? Sign us up! Take some semisweet chocolate chips, milk, and your favorite red wine (preferably a dry, fruit-forward like shiraz or merlot), and heat them over low heat. Then, stir in some vanilla and sea salt when the chocolate chips melt.

5 — Christmas Sangria

This Christmas sangria will have you wondering if you’re on a beach in Spain or hosting a Christmas party surrounded by snow. This cocktail is filled to the brim (literally) with delicious seasonal flavors like pears, pomegranates, and fresh cranberries.

It also has dry white wine and white cranberry juice to keep it light and refreshing, while the pear brandy and ginger beer give it a bubbly boost.

6 — Holiday Prosecco Punch

This 3-ingredient prosecco punch is so easy to whip up because you’re literally just pouring the ingredients together. Because it calls for so little items, be sure to use 100% cranberry juice, a high quality bottle of sparkling wine and peach nectar. Fresh ingredients are what will make this drink shine.

15 — Apple Cider

Transform your holiday gatherings with the warm (or cold) embrace of apple cider. The wonderful thing about this spirited drink is that it can be served hot or chilled or as a mocktail for kids. You can also make it ahead in a slow cooker.

Eggnog Variations

1 — Peppermint Eggnog Milkshake Shot

These shots are so delicious you won’t be able to help but make them in bigger portions (AKA punch bowl size). Made with peppermint ice cream, white peppermint chocolate bark, eggnog, sugar water, and crushed peppermint. Freeze it, and then serve it up! Don’t forget to top it off with some peppermint bark for extra flavor and festiveness. 

2 — Eggnog Martini

If you have too much eggnog on hand, worry not. Simply mix it with amaretto and vodka to create a simple yet delectable boozy eggnog martini recipe.

3 — Fireball Eggnog

Fireball is going into many new drinks these days. And there’s a great reason why. This cinnamon whiskey is absolutely irresistible. This recipe is prepared with eggnog, and then, shaken into a frothy delicacy with hints of amaretto for additional sweet nuttiness. And if you’re a Fireball fan, then check out these fun Fireball jello shots that are served in a very non-traditional way.

4 — Eggnog Jello Shots

We cannot get enough of these festive eggnog jello shots, topped with whipped cream. Opening presents would be a lot more fun (and wild), when you’re gathered around the Christmas tree and indulging in shots!

More Holiday Recipes

So whether your Christmas is poolside or in snowy mountains, there are endless Christmas cocktail recipes to make to light up your days during wintertime. Don’t forget to enjoy every sip! And here are some festive recipes to pair with those holiday season cocktails —

• Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Glaze
• Funfetti Reindeer Cookie Sandwiches
• Peppermint Bark Cannoli
• Gingerbread Candied Nut

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