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Christmas is a time of joy, celebration, and festive gatherings with loved ones. You’ve probably noticed eggnog often takes center stage when it comes to Christmas cocktails.
However, not everyone is enthusiastic about this creamy concoction, so we are exploring some classic Christmas cocktail alternatives for the holidays.
Savor these cocktails that combine flavors and ingredients that truly capture the essence of Christmas. With an emphasis on warmth, spice, and coziness, these drinks add more fun when creating memories with friends and family. Discover your new favorite cocktail and serve it for holiday movie night, or make a large batch for your holiday parties.
For those who wish to add variety to their holiday beverage offerings and surprise their guests with unique and delicious alternatives to eggnog, here are seven Christmas cocktails for your next holiday gathering.
What Makes a Drink a Christmas Cocktail?
A Christmas cocktail is a drink that incorporates the flavors and spirit of the holiday season. These cocktails often feature cranberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, and peppermint, commonly associated with Christmas. They also often incorporate traditional holiday flavors like chocolate and ginger.
Combining familiar holiday ingredients and classic flavors creates memorable drinks for seasonal celebrations.
Festive Christmas Cocktails Other Than Eggnog
Mulled Wine
Need a holiday party cocktail? This classic warm beverage is a fruity mulled wine with added sweeteners and liquor. It’s a spiced drink made by simmering red wine with brandy, honey, oranges, and spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The flavors blend as they cook, resulting in a comforting and fragrant concoction. Not only does it taste amazing, but it also fills your house with the splendid aroma of Christmas.
Make a large batch in your slow cooker and allow guests to serve themselves throughout the evening, leaving you more time to mingle and enjoy the celebration.
Hot Buttered Rum
This creamy, warming drink has been a wintertime favorite for centuries and will keep your guests cozy and satisfied. As an alternative to a Hot Toddy, this hot buttered rum recipe combines aged rum, brown sugar, spices, and a touch of butter, all mixed with hot water or cider.
What surprises people the most about this drink is how luscious it tastes. Although it doesn’t look it, the butter and brown sugar give it a surprising creaminess. If you’re looking for something rich and indulgent, this cocktail is for you.
Since it’s served warm, it’s perfect for sipping on chilly winter nights around the Christmas tree.
Christmas Margarita
How about a unique twist to a classic cocktail? This Christmas margarita is an excellent option for your holiday drinks menu. Invite guests over for refreshing and tangy cocktails throughout the holiday season.
This cocktail recipe includes cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, tequila, simple syrup, and orange liqueur. Serve it over ice with a sugar rim. You can always take the extra step and make it a frozen cocktail by adding all the ingredients to the blender. On the rocks or frozen, it’s a fun Christmas cocktail.
Spruce up the presentation by garnishing it with sugared cranberries and sprigs of rosemary. It’s also easy to make a large batch for your holiday parties.
White Russian
An easy Christmas drink, the White Russian is a classic holiday cocktail that adds a festive touch to your celebrations. It is an easy drink to mix with just a few simple ingredients: vodka, coffee liqueur, and heavy cream, then serve over ice.
You’re welcome to add an extra spin to this cocktail recipe by adding a taste of cinnamon with RumChata or more chocolate creaminess with Baileys liqueur.
Quite the indulgent cocktail, it makes an excellent after-dinner Christmas drink. Think of it as your dessert!
Peppermint Mudslide
Get ready for a tasty holiday treat. This peppermint mudslide is a luscious mix of Baileys Irish Cream liqueur, vodka, ice cream, and just a touch of peppermint schnapps.
What uniqueness does peppermint schnapps add to this classic drink? The liqueur is infused with peppermint leaves, oil, and sweeteners to create a minty flavor. Including peppermint schnapps adds complexity to the cocktail’s flavor, compliments the chocolate, and creates an exciting taste.
This creamy chocolate drink is like a sip of festive cheer in a glass. Add chocolate drizzle, whipped cream, and a candy cane for a beautiful presentation.
Drunken Snowman
What’s Christmas without hot chocolate? You’ll find pure indulgence in this warm mug of boozy chocolate. The Drunken Snowman combines Baileys Irish Cream, hot chocolate, and vanilla ice cream.
Why is Baileys so good with hot chocolate? Due to the sweet and slightly caramel-like flavor with hints of vanilla, these flavor notes coordinate deliciously with the sweet chocolate flavor in hot cocoa.
Adding even more creaminess to this cocktail, top it with whipped topping and serve up for Christmas morning to sip on while opening presents.
Christmas Moscow Mule
Serve up this refreshing drink that goes well with Christmas dinner. This cranberry mule adds a spicy ginger kick that will go well with a holiday ham. Mix vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, and ginger beer in a glass filled with ice to make it. Garnish with a lime wedge and fresh cranberries.
Remember, ginger beer is often a new taste for people accustomed to traditional carbonated soft drinks. Unlike ginger ale, which is a milder ginger-flavored soda, ginger beer offers a bolder and spicier ginger flavor. It’s less sweet and adds a zesty kick. This drink is definitely for the more adventurous pallets.
Tips for Serving Christmas Cocktails
Glassware: Use holiday glassware if you have it. Pick up a few Christmas mugs or fancy glasses with swirl designs to add to the Christmas cheer.
Garnish:
- Match your garnish to your drink to create a cohesive look and feel.
- Use a cinnamon stick, fruit slices, maraschino cherries, or holiday candies.
- Think about the cocktail’s flavors and use them for your garnish inspiration.
Prep Ingredients in Advance: Prepare garnishes and other cocktail components ahead of time to streamline the process when guests arrive.
Chill Ingredients: Chill your spirits and mixers in advance if serving a cold cocktail. This keeps ice from melting too quickly and diluting the drink.
Offer Mocktails: Not everyone drinks alcohol, so include a selection of non-alcoholic drinks to accommodate all your guests. Many Christmas cocktails are easy to change to omit the liquor, yet taste just as flavorful.
There’s a world of festive flavors beyond traditional eggnog. These cocktail recipes offer a creative twist to your holiday gatherings. Whether gathered around a warm fire or celebrating with friends and family, these unique and flavorful beverages will add a touch of joy and cheer to your festivities. So, raise your glass to new traditions and savor the magic of these Christmas cocktails.
Tammy Camp
Tammy Camp is the founder of Trop Rockin, a food and cocktail website that offers unique drinks and easy-to-make recipes. Focusing on helping people make the most of entertaining friends and family with delicious drinks, appetizers, dinners, and holiday desserts. She is the consummate host, throwing memorable cocktail and dinner parties, she helps thousands of followers create fun and festive food experiences.
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