Best Christmas Cocktails for the Festive Season 2022
Christmas cocktails can help to ease you into the festive season. Get them right, and they can transform your Christmas party into a fun, refreshing, and memorable talking point. However, get them wrong, and they can leave a bad taste that can linger long into the evening.
The best way to ensure your Christmas cocktail recipes is an all-around success is to account for the climate and offer a broad range of refreshing flavours that appeal to many.
From a classic mulled wine and mulled cider recipe (including non-alcoholic Christmas drink alternatives), a cranberry spin on a Tom Collins, and a decadent whisky sour, we have put together four of the best Christmas cocktails to enliven your festivities this year.
Mulled Wine
There’s nothing like mulled wine to warm your body and soul on a cold winter’s day. This is why mulled wine and Christmas go so well together — it’s festive harmony! Try this classic recipe to ease you into the season to be jolly.
Ingredients
750 ml bottle of red wine
1 large cinnamon stick, or 2 small ones
2 star anise
4 cloves
2 strips lemon zest, paired using a vegetable peeler
4 tbsp caster sugar
Instructions
1. Put your red wine, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, lemon zest, and sugar in a large pan. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and cool. Leave to infuse for about 30 minutes.
3. Once you are ready to serve, heat without allowing to boil and pour into mugs or heatproof glasses.
Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/mulled-wine
Mock Mulled Wine (non-alcoholic version):
Ingredients
500 ml pomegranate juice
25 g golden caster sugar
Handful of frozen blackberries
250ml apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
4 cloves
3 black peppercorns
1 orange, quartered
Instructions
1. Combine the pomegranate juice, sugar, blackberries, and apple juice in a saucepan.
2. Add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, peppercorns, and orange.
3. Heat gently until it simmers.
4. Taste for sweetness, then strain into heatproof glasses when ready.
Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/mock-mulled-wine
2. Mulled Cider
While cider can be an acquired taste, this mulled cider recipe is a winner come the festive season, and for good reason too. Its cosy, spicy charm makes it the perfect accompaniment to those cold winter evenings. It’s also a non-alcoholic Christmas drink, so you can drink as much as you like without getting too merry!
Ingredients
1/2 gallon fresh, unfiltered apple cider (non-alcoholic)
1 orange
12 whole cloves
4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
15 allspice berries
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
7 whole cardamom pods
2 tablespoons unpacked brown sugar
Instructions
1. Simmer the apple cider with orange and spices.
2. Pour it into a 3-quarter saucepan, then cover, and turn the heat on medium-high.
3. While the cider is heating, use a vegetable peeler to peel away a couple of thick strips from the orange. Press about half of the cloves into the peeled part of the orange. Alternatively, you could quarter the orange and add the slices and cloves separately.
4. Place orange, orange peel strips, the remaining cloves, and the rest of the ingredients into the saucepan with the cider. Keep covered and heat the mulled cider mixture to a simmer, reducing heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.
5. Carefully strain out the orange and spices using a fine mesh.
6. To enliven your mulled cider, you can add a touch of bourbon, brandy, or rum.
7. Serve nice and hot, and try adding a cinnamon stick to each cup.
Source: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/hot_mulled_cider/
3. Gin Cranberry Collins Cocktail
You can’t beat a Christmas gin cocktail, and after a long day of celebrating, this one is a cracker with cranberries!
Delicious and simple to prepare, this Christmas cocktail is made with Prosecco, rhubarb, ginger gin, and cranberry juice to give it extra zip.
Ideal for a wind-down, this twist on the classic Tom Collins recipe is utterly delectable.
Ingredients
Prosecco
Rhubarb & ginger gin
Cranberry juice
Tonic water
Instructions
1. First, use a measuring jug to measure out one part rhubarb and ginger gin, followed by two parts Prosecco and one part cranberry juice.
2. Stir, pour into glasses, and top each glass with a splash of tonic water and a rosemary sprig.
Source: https://www.insidetherustickitchen.com/santas-spritz-christmas-cocktail/
4. Cinnamon Maple Whisky Sour
A perfect end to a Christmas evening, this classic whisky sour is given a cinnamon maple twist. It’s an easy Christmas cocktail to make and can be personalised with your bourbon of choice.
While the cinnamon is optional, it adds a slight citrusy note that distinguishes the sour.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of your bourbon of choice
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
2 – 4 teaspoons maple syrup, to taste
Pinch ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mason jar two-thirds with ice.
2. Pour in the bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Securely fasten the lid and shake well.
3. Pour fresh ice into your cocktail glass and strain the cold whisky sour mixture into the glass.
Source: https://cookieandkate.com/cinnamon-maple-whiskey-sour-recipe/
Are you looking for more festive inspiration this year? Read our blog on Easy Christmas Lunch Ideas for 2022.
