Guide
The Best Christmas Cocktails for a Party
The best party drink is one you can make ahead and serve without thinking. These festive cocktails scale up gracefully, so you can pour for a crowd and still enjoy your own party.
Hosting at Christmas is a balancing act: you want a drink that feels special, but not one that chains you to the kitchen all night. The answer is to lean on serves that can be made in advance and held warm, freeing you to actually enjoy the party you’re throwing.
Lead with a big, warm batch
A pan of mulled wine or glühwein is the classic party centrepiece, and for good reason — it scales effortlessly and fills the house with the smell of Christmas. A slow cooker on its lowest setting keeps it perfectly warm for hours. For a fruitier, lower-key option that suits all ages once you leave out the spirit, warm mulled apple cider is just as easy to batch.
Prep the fiddly bits in advance
Some drinks are too good to leave off the menu just because they’re made to order. The trick is to prepare their components ahead: whip up the spiced butter batter for hot buttered rum, or set out everything for an Irish coffee station so guests (or you) can build them quickly. A pan of spiked hot chocolate can also be scaled up and kept gently warm.
Don’t forget the details
Offer at least one alcohol-free version of your main warm drink, keep water visible, and set out bowls of garnishes — orange slices, cinnamon sticks, grated chocolate — so people can finish their own. If you’d like a lighter, modern alternative to mulled wine on the table, our glühwein alternatives guide has options worth considering.
Plan the night around your guests rather than your stove, and the drinks will look after themselves.
Recipes from this guide
Mulled Wine
The English Christmas classic — red wine warmed with citrus, sugar and winter spice, often lifted with a measure of brandy or port.
Glühwein
The classic German mulled wine — red wine gently warmed with orange, cinnamon and clove. The defining drink of the Christmas market.
Spiked Hot Chocolate
Deep, glossy hot chocolate made with real dark chocolate and a measure of your favourite spirit — the ultimate grown-up winter treat.
Mulled Apple Cider
Warm spiced apple cider — orchard-sweet, fragrant with cinnamon and clove, and easy to make alcoholic or alcohol-free.
Irish Coffee
Hot coffee, Irish whiskey and brown sugar under a float of softly whipped cream — the definitive after-dinner warmer.
Frequently asked questions
What Christmas cocktails can I make ahead?
Mulled wine, glühwein and mulled apple cider are ideal — make them in advance and keep them warm in a slow cooker on its lowest setting for hours. Spiced batters and syrups can also be prepared days ahead so individual drinks come together in moments.
How do I serve hot cocktails to a crowd?
A slow cooker or a large pan on the lowest heat is the easiest approach. Keep the drink below a simmer, set out a ladle and a bowl of fresh garnishes, and let guests help themselves. Always offer an alcohol-free option alongside.
How much should I make per person?
Plan for two to three servings per guest across the evening for a warm punch or mulled drink. It's better to make a generous base batch and top it up than to run out mid-party.
More guides
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.
The Best Glühwein Alternatives
Love the ritual of mulled wine but want something different? These glühwein alternatives are lighter, brighter or simply new — without losing the warmth.