Festive Classics
Advocaat
The rich Dutch egg liqueur, gently whisked with brandy and vanilla until thick and custardy, chilled and served in a small glass with a dusting of cocoa.
Collection
Christmas Cocktails
16 recipes
Christmas drinking has two modes. There is the drink you hand someone the moment they arrive, and the drink you nurse after everyone has eaten too much. Both are here.
The festive cocktails are brighter and more celebratory than the rest of the winter canon: cranberry, pomegranate, elderflower and citrus doing the work rather than clove and nutmeg. They are also mostly cold, which matters when the kitchen is already at capacity.
Anything that can be batched or made a day ahead is flagged in its recipe, because hosting well means not standing behind a counter all evening.
Christmas Cocktails
Christmas Cosmopolitan
A festive Cosmopolitan with vodka, cranberry, lime and triple sec, finished with sugared cranberries for a bright, jewel-toned holiday cocktail.
Christmas Cocktails
Christmas Eggnog
A classic homemade Christmas eggnog with silky custard, dark rum and bourbon, finished with freshly grated nutmeg over the top.
Christmas Cocktails
Christmas Margarita
A festive twist on the classic margarita with tart cranberry, bright lime and a sparkling salt-sugar rim for the holiday season.
Christmas Cocktails
Christmas Old Fashioned
A wintery twist on the classic Old Fashioned with bourbon, maple syrup, Angostura and cinnamon-infused sugar over a single large ice cube.
Christmas Cocktails
Christmas Spritz
A festive spritz of prosecco, elderflower liqueur and cranberry topped with soda, finished with a rosemary sprig and fresh berries.
Christmas Cocktails
Christmas Tree Cocktail
A bright green herbaceous gin cocktail with rosemary, lime and a splash of soda, designed to taste as fresh as a forest in winter.
Christmas Cocktails
Cranberry Mimosa
A festive brunch mimosa layering tart cranberry, fresh orange juice and chilled champagne, finished with a delicate orange twist.
Christmas Cocktails
Cranberry Prosecco Sparkler
A bright, festive sparkler combining tart cranberry, lime and prosecco, finished with a frosted sugared cranberry garnish.
Christmas Cocktails
Gingerbread Martini
A dessert-style Christmas martini with vanilla vodka, Baileys, gingerbread syrup and cream, finished with a gingerbread crumb rim.
Christmas Cocktails
Holiday Mule
A festive twist on the Moscow Mule with vodka, fiery ginger beer, cranberry juice and lime, served ice cold in a frosted copper mug.
Christmas Cocktails
Mistletoe Martini
A jewel-bright festive martini that pairs juniper-led gin with elderflower and cranberry for a crisp, celebratory winter sip.
Christmas Cocktails
Peppermint Martini
A creamy festive martini with vodka, peppermint schnapps and white crème de cacao, served with a crushed candy cane rim for full Christmas drama.
Christmas Cocktails
Poinsettia
Cranberry juice, a splash of triple sec and chilled Champagne - a deep red festive cocktail built in under three minutes.
Christmas Cocktails
Pomegranate Christmas Martini
A jewel-bright Christmas martini with vodka, fresh pomegranate juice, lime and triple sec, finished with glistening pomegranate seeds.
Christmas Cocktails
White Christmas Cocktail
A snow-white vodka cocktail with coconut cream, white chocolate liqueur and vanilla, finished with a delicate sugared rim.
Read more
Guide
The Best Christmas Cocktails for a Party
Crowd-pleasing, make-ahead Christmas cocktails that let you host without being stuck at the stove - batch serves, scaling tips and what to pour.
Guide
The Drinks of the German Christmas Market
A guide to the German Weihnachtsmarkt and its drinks, from steaming Glühwein and flaming Feuerzangenbowle to gentle Kinderpunsch for all ages.
Guide
The Best Winter Cocktails to Make This Season
Our editorial pick of the winter cocktails worth making - warm classics, festive favourites and modern serves, with links to every recipe.