20 Festive Christmas Cocktail Recipes

'Tis the Season for a Fabulous and Easy Drink

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 10/11/21
Pine infused Christmas mimosa recipe

​The Spruce / Teena Agnel

Christmas cocktails come in a great variety of styles. From fruity martinis to comforting drinks with seasonal accents, there is a fantastic cocktail that's sure to put anyone in the festive spirit and impress all of your holiday guests. Best of all, these Christmas cocktails are easy recipes. While some may require a specialty ingredient or two, you can prep those ahead of time, and many single cocktails are easy to size up for a party.

  • 01 of 20

    Merry Chistmas Cocktail

    Merry Christmas cocktail

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    Spread the Christmas cheer with a round of these refreshing highballs. The appropriately named "Merry Christmas cocktail" features Plymouth Gin and cranberry juice with a bit of sparkle. It's so easy that it's perfect for surprise holiday guests, and you can skip the gin for a quick and tasty mocktail.

  • 02 of 20

    Christmas Mimosa

    Pine infused Christmas mimosa recipe

    ​The Spruce / Teena Agnel

    Mimosas are great for brunch, though the holidays call for something a little more seasonal. A sweet, fruity base of pomegranate and cranberry is beautiful with sparkling wine in the Christmas mimosa. The fun part comes with the garnish of fresh cranberries and a sprig of pine or rosemary.

  • 03 of 20

    Easy Rum Eggnog

    Easy Rum Eggnog

    The Spruce

    Sometimes, you want a classic holiday cocktail, and few are as traditional as eggnog. Made by the glass, this rum eggnog recipe requires just five ingredients—rum, port wine, simple syrup, egg, and nutmeg—and it shakes up in minutes. You'll instantly tell the difference from anything you can buy at the store.

    11 Traditional Christmas Cocktails to Keep the Season Bright
  • 04 of 20

    Christmas Margarita

    White Christmas Margarita

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    This Christmas margarita is sure to delight any tequila lover's fancy with its layers of flavor. It begins with the typical margarita base of tequila, lime, and orange liqueur. Adding coconut milk and white cranberry juice with a few seasonal garnishes transforms it into a holiday delight.

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  • 05 of 20

    Grinch

    Grinch cocktail recipe

     The Spruce

    Go green with this cocktail named after Dr. Seuss' classic holiday character. The Grinch is a simple melon liqueur sour that uses familiar ingredients, so it's perfect for last-minute entertaining. The red garnish symbolizes the good heart that lies inside every Grinch, and this melon-flavored drink is sure to put a smile on anyone's face.

  • 06 of 20

    White Cosmo

    White Cosmo Cocktail With Sugared Cranberry Garnish

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    The cosmopolitan is an iconic cocktail, and it serves as inspiration for countless other vodka martinis. The white cosmo is a delicate twist that combines citrus vodka, elderflower liqueur, and white cranberry juice. Add a garnish of sugared cranberries, and it's a holiday-worthy delight.

  • 07 of 20

    Spiced Silver Bell

    Spiced Silver Bell Cocktail

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    Tequila may not be the first liquor of choice for holiday cocktails, but it fits in a recipe like the spiced silver bell. Silver tequila and lime juice are paired with a unique cranberry spiced syrup that you'll find useful in other drinks, while ginger beer adds a snappy sparkle to finish off the simple mix.

  • 08 of 20

    La Vie En Rouge

    La Vie En Rouge Cocktail with Grand Marnier

    Alexadra Grablewski / Photodisc / Getty Images

    This beautiful crimson cocktail is a stunning addition to any holiday meal. Filled with signature flavors of the season, la vie en rouge is a delectable and unbelievably easy mix of brandy-based orange liqueur and cranberry. Your guests will also love rosemary's inviting, aromatic touch.

    Make Holiday Cocktails in Advance

    Unless the drink absolutely requires shaking (such as eggnog or creamy cocktails), many of these cocktails can be prepared in advance in large batches. This will make your holiday entertaining easier. Simply increase single-serve drink recipes as needed, mix them with ice, and keep them chilled in the fridge. Hold any carbonated mixers until you're ready to serve to ensure guests enjoy them at their bubbliest.

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  • 09 of 20

    White Christmas Dream

    White Christmas Dream cocktail

    The Spruce Eats

    The white Christmas dream is sure to take care of all of those sweet cravings that come up this time of year. The dreamy dessert drink is super smooth, accenting vodka and cream with the flavor of amaretto and a hint of nutmeg. Serve it after holiday dinners or treat yourself after a busy day; it's delicious either way.

  • 10 of 20

    Poinsettia Punch

    Poinsettia Punch

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    Even the best cocktails could use a minor update, and this poinsettia punch is an excellent variation on an old favorite. The recipe keeps the original recipe's cinnamon syrup, gin, and allspice dram. It's the use of a softer gin, the addition of raspberry liqueur, and the combination of three different cocktail bitters that make it spectacular.

  • 11 of 20

    Santa's Whiskey Flip

    Santa's Whiskey Flip

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

    Cinnamon is a favorite flavor of the winter season. It's fantastic when infused into a great bourbon, and making cinnamon whiskey at home requires just a few days. The Santa's flip pairs the whiskey with amaretto, egg, and cream to create a luscious holiday cocktail with classic style.

  • 12 of 20

    Holiday Spice

    Ciroc holiday spice cocktail recipe

    The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

    The holiday spice cocktail offers a cold-weather way to enjoy the coconut and pineapple taste​ that makes the Piña Colada great. It's also a tropical spin on eggnog that uses coconut vodka, milk, and egg. The recipe tops everything off with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to ensure that each sip is simultaneously uplifting and comforting.

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  • 13 of 20

    Christmas Mule

    Christmas mule cocktail

    The Spruce

    Bring that Moscow mule into the holiday season. A warm and toasty cocktail, the Christmas mule is a two-ingredient mix of pear vodka and steaming ginger beer. Add a cinnamon stick and allow it to infuse into the drink as you sip for another layer of flavor.

    The 11 Best Ginger Beers for Moscow Mules and Beyond
  • 14 of 20

    Eggnog Martini

    Eggnog Martini

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    When you have prepared eggnog on hand, mix it with vodka and amaretto for a deliciously boozy eggnog martini. Served with a dusting of nutmeg, it's a sophisticated drink for a holiday party, and you can make it with classic eggnog spirits like rum or whiskey.

  • 15 of 20

    Mrs. Claus' Wildside Punch

    Mrs. Claus' Wildside Punch

    Johner Images / Brand X Pictures / Getty Images

    Stuck in the North Pole surrounded by busy elves while her husband gallivants around the world each year, you can only imagine that even Mrs. Claus has to let loose sometimes! That thought sparkled this fruity tequila punch which uses just four ingredients poured in equal proportions. The ease and taste make it perfect for office parties and holiday gatherings.

  • 16 of 20

    Christmas Jones

    Christmas Jones cocktail

    The Spruce

    There's no need to reserve fruity blended cocktails for summer. The Christmas Jones is a fantastic recipe that brings the tropics into the holidays. This sweet highball blends strawberries, pineapple, and vodka, then tops it off with lemon-lime soda and adds a mint garnish for a refreshingly festive cocktail.

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  • 17 of 20

    Angel's Delight

    Angel's Delight Gin Cocktail

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    Creamy, pink, and absolutely delightful, the angel's delight is a fabulously indulgent drink. This semi-classic cocktail is ideal for dessert, but it takes that genre into a different realm because of the underlying botanical flavor of gin. It is sweet but has a unique flavor dimension, and that is why it remains a favorite.

  • 18 of 20

    Holiday Hopper

    Holiday Hopper Cocktail

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    Adding the taste of sweet melon to a creamy mix of mint chocolate may not be the most likely combination, but it works. The holiday hopper recipe shows you how to pull off this unusual blend of flavors. It's an intriguing sweet martini that's a small indulgence amid the holiday ​hoopla.

  • 19 of 20

    Fireball Eggnog

    Fireball Eggnog Cocktail

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    It's hard to deny the appeal of a certain brand of cinnamon whiskey, and it's the featured ingredient in this Fireball eggnog recipe. Made with prepared eggnog, the cocktail is shaken into a frothy delight with a hint of amaretto for nutty sweetness.

  • 20 of 20

    Christmas Sangria

    Christmas Sangria

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    Sangrias are a popular punch option when you need to serve a crowd. This Christmas sangria is filled with seasonal flavors, including fresh cranberries, pears, and pomegranate. Pear brandy and ginger beer give it a nice boost, while dry white wine and white cranberry juice ensure the base is light and refreshing.