Cocktails for the Holidays

There something special about serving a custom cocktail during the holidays. Every time I entertain, I like to seek seasonal ingredients and create a unique drink to start the party. Generally, I make enough for 2 servings per guest, then you can serve whatever you want after the initial cocktail~be it wine, beer, standard mixed drinks or non-alcoholic beverages. I hope this extra effort makes my company feel special and that our time together will reflect that. Here are some of my favorite specialty cocktails for the holidays.

2023 Christmas Cocktail

Inspired by a cocktail we had last Christmas at Lon’s at the Hermosa Inn, I want to make this one very festive, fun and interactive. At Michaels, I purchase 20 clear plastic ornaments and use these as a vessel to serve this delicious Cranberry Orange Margarita. The recipe is from Half Baked Harvest but I tweak it a bit to make it my own (see Note below).

Here is a link for 20 8 cm plastic ornaments (approx. 3″) for only $15.48. The recipe can be made in bulk. What’s nice about this cocktail, is you can make the drink ahead of time, use a funnel to fill the ornaments and then refrigerate them until your guests arrive.

Serve in a pretty coupe glass with a fresh sprig of rosemary and sugared cranberries. Not only is this a very colorful and festive drink, it tastes delicious too. These coupe glasses are on sale at Crate and Barrel for an incredibly low price. You can find them here.

Note: I use agave syrup instead of granulated sugar in the recipe. Also, I tie on a gingham ribbon on the top of the ornament so I don’t lose it after the drink is poured. The plastic ornaments can be washed and reused.

Taking Advantage of Citrus Season

As we are entering the best time of year for oranges, grapefruits, tangerines and lemons, it make sense to utilize these fruits. Plus we all could use a little more Vitamin C! Using fresh herbs and pretty garnishes, raises the bar on taste. Some of the recipes are for one cocktail, and others provide a pitcher size quantity.

Ruby Red Greyhounds with Rosemary Simple Syrup

The key to this drink is to get good ruby red grapefruit. Texas Ruby Reds are juicy and sweet as are the ones we are growing in our orchard. With rosemary-infused simple syrup, fresh grapefruit juice and vodka, this cocktail is bright, tart and refreshing while easy to make. You can find the recipe from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles here. I have made this many times and it’s a winner.

Tangerine Sidecar

We have the most amazing tangerine tree that seems to bear fruit every other year. Well, this year, the branches are laden with so many tangerines. Our neighbors love this drink. I don’t know what type of tangerine tree we have, but mandarins will work wonderfully as well. Between the sweet tangerine juice, bourbon, and ginger simple syrup, it’s the perfect winter drink. You can find the recipe here.

Clementine Thyme Margaritas

You have seen this cocktail a few times on previous posts. We recently served it at our Halloween Dinner party and again, a fan favorite. Silver tequila and thyme infused simple syrup make this a tasty cocktail. Can’t find clementines? I use Cuties as a substitute. Recipe is found here.

Birds and Bees

I first made this back when I was the recipient of the Traveling Teacup (see post here). A syrup made with honey and chamomile tea mellows the fresh lemon juice in this gin cocktail from Juan Coronado of South Beach restaurant, The Bazaar. Here is the recipe. 

White Christmas Mojitos

These creamy white coconut mojitos are so festive for the snowy, winter months bringing a bit of tropical flavor to the season. If you are a fan of Half Baked Harvest, you will enjoy these. Garnish with mint and cranberries or pomegranate arils for a true holiday drink. Click here for the recipe.

Cranberry Bourbon Sours

Here’s another festive cocktail from Half Baked Harvest with a deep ruby color. Ingredients include cranberry and lemon juice, bourbon and a cranberry honey syrup. Plus it is easy to whip up for a crowd. I love cranberries this time of year so why not take advantage of all the good benefits of this tiny red fruit. Cranberry Bourbon Sour recipe is here.

Jungle Bird

A few Thanksgivings ago, my son made this tropical drink with Campari, pineapple and lime juice and dark rum. Usually reserved for dry dinner drinks like the Negroni, Campari, is a bitter aperitif that works surprisingly well in this mix. The fruits help smooth out its bitterness while the dark rum and simple syrup bring in a touch of sweetness that draws it all together beautifully.

You can see the recipe from The Spruce Eats here.

Simple and Easy

If making cocktails with any complexity is not your thing, a good Prosecco or bubbly champagne will work. To make it a bit more festive, you can add a bit of edible glitter, hibiscus flower or an Amareno cherry.

Our friend and neighbor, Tevia, always brings the most clever gifts when we entertain. She is responsible for the hibiscus flowers and edible glitter, which can be found on Amazon. Amareno cherries are grown in 2 cities in Italy and tend to be seasonal. Trader Joes may have them but they sell out quickly. I just found this jar on Amazon.

Non-Alcoholic Options

There are many festive non-alcoholic or dealcoholized beverages available too. This sparkling dealcoholized vegan rosé is quite nice for special occasions (or just because). It has almost half the sugar content of other non-alcoholic sparkling.You can find it here.

Another great resource for low and non-alcoholic beverages is Lyre’s Spirits. Want a Negroni? They have the ingredients to do so without the alcohol. And their bottles are very attractive. Check out their website here.

Do you have a favorite cocktail? Please do share as we are always looking for new ones to create. Wishing you a happy Tuesday!

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