11 Festive Christmas cocktail recipes
BY READERS DIGEST
1st Jan 2015 Drinks
These deliciously festive cocktails are perfect for enjoying in front of the fire on a cold winter's night, and are sure to make your Christmas extra sparkly. Enjoy…
1. Spice World
Ingredients:
- 40ml Rittenhouse Rye
- 25ml Chai syrup
- 20ml Antica formula
- Cream float, garnish with nutmeg dusting
Method:
- Pour all of the ingredients, except the cream, into a mixing glass and stir until everything is chilled and mixed
- Pour over ice into glass
- Float cream on top
- Garnish with a dusting of nutmeg.
Alternatively, head to Ray's Bar in Dalston, London and enjoy the cocktail as made by their expert mixologists.
Read more: 7 Boozy winter warmers
2. Vanilla Espression
Recipe and image via Aqqum
Ingredients:
- 20ml Tia Maria
- 40ml Cariel
- 25ml Espresso
- 15ml Gomme (to taste)
Method:
- Shake and double strain ingredients into a Martini glass
- Garnish with chocolate powder swirl and coffee beans
3. Lady Marmalade
Recipe and image via Vintage Velvet
Ingredients:
- 50ml VV
- 10ml Cointreau
- 10ml Cinnamon syrup
- 2 Bar spoons marmalade
- Egg white
Method:
- Shake and strain into highball with ice
- Top with a splash of lemonade
- Add glace cherry and/or orange garnish.
4. Sparkling apple cider sangria
Recipe and image via Pizzazzerie
Ingredients:
- 2 Apples
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 2 1/2 cups Apple cider
- 1 Cup club soda
- 1/2 cup Disaronno
- 1 750ml bottle champagne or prosecco
Method
- Combine the champagne (or prosecco), apple cider, club soda, and Disaronno
- Stir until mixed and add in sliced apples
- Pour and garnish with a cinnamon stick
5. Cranberry ginger fizz cocktail
Recipe and image via Creative Culinary
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup fresh cranberries
- 1 Lemon in wedges
- 4 Mint, sprigs
- 1/2 Orange, slices
- 3/4 Cup sugar
- 1 Cup ginger ale
- 1 1/2 Cups gin, dry
- 3/4 Cup water
Method:
- Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and pour off all but one cup of syrup, reserving any extra for another use.
- Bring the syrup to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Add the cranberries and simmer for 2-3 minutes until they just begin to burst. Remove from heat and let cool in syrup.
- Place two tablespoons drained cranberries and six tablespoons of cranberry syrup in a large pitcher; add the lemon wedges and orange slices.
- Using a muddler or wooden spoon, vigorously mash the fruit. Stir in gin and let steep for at least 5 minutes. Strain into a medium pitcher.
- Fill four glasses with crushed ice and 1/4 cup of ginger ale.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and then pour half the cranberry mixture into the shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds, strain liquid into two glasses. Repeat.
- Mound additional ice on top of each glass and garnish with 3 candied cranberries and a mint sprig
6. Hot Cocoa Martini
Recipe and image via A Cocktail Life
Ingredients:
- 1 Packet hot cocoa mix
- 1 Cup milk
- 85ml Whipped cream vodka
- 30ml Buttershots caramel liqueur
Method:
- Bring the milk to a simmer in a pot and whisk in the cocoa mix until fully incorporated
- Refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes to chill. Add 1/2 cup of the prepared cocoa to a cocktail shaker along with the vodka and caramel liqueur
- Fill with ice, shake well and pour into cocktail glasses
- Garnish with either whipped cream or marshmallows, if desired.
7. Rosemary infused cocktail
Recipe and image via The Flair Exchange
Ingredients:
- 1 Rosemary simple syrup
- Cranberry juice
- Vodka
- Prosseco
Method:
- Make rosemary simple syrup. In a pan add one cup water, one cup sugar and two sprigs of rosemary. Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved and strain into a glass jar
- In a shaker add 1oz vodka, 4oz grape juice, one teaspoon simple syrup and shake
- Pour into champagne coupe and top with prosecco
- Garnish with rosemary sprigs
8. Santa Claus-Mopolitan
Recipe and image via The Blondie Locks
Ingredients:
- 55ml Vodka
- 30ml Triple sec
- 55ml White cranberry juice
- 15ml Freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1 Tbsp ginger zest
- 1 Egg white
- Candied ginger for garnish
Method:
- In a cocktail shaker mix together the vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, orange juice, ginger and orange zest
- Add the egg white and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Open the shaker and add ice
- Shake for another 15 seconds (this will give you a foamy egg white topped drink)
- Strain the cocktail into a coupe glass and garnish with candied ginger
9. The North Pole
Recipe and image via The Blondie Locks
Ingredients:
- 43ml Espresso
- 43ml Bailey’s
- Top with hot chocolate
- Candy cane stir stick
Method:
- After making an espresso and hot chocolate, add all ingredients into a clear espresso glass or mug
- Top with a candy cane as a stirring stick
10. Gingerbread Eggnog
Recipe and image via Delish
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Tsp cinnamon for rimming glasses
- 2 Tsp sugar for rimming glasses
- 114ml Eggnog
- 114ml Vodka
- 114ml Kahlua
- 3 Tsp molasses
- 1/8 Tsp ginger
- Whipped cream for topping
- Molasses drizzle for topping
Method:
- Mix the cinnamon and sugar, then pour onto a plate
- Wet rims of each glass and dip them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture
- Pour eggnog, vodka, Kahlua, molasses, and ginger into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake to combine
- Pour into glasses and top with whipped cream. Add a drizzle of molasses.
11. Belle’s Burnt butter Alexander
Recipe and image via The Savoy's Simpson's-in-the-Strand
Ingredients:
- 35ml Old Raj
- 15ml Burre noisette washed Geniver
- 50ml Cream
- 20ml Crème de cacao
- 10 ml Vanilla Gomme
- Garnish with nutmeg line
Method:
- Shake all ingredients with ice
- Double strain into a chilled Savoy coup glass
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