10 Christmas Cocktails You Need for Your Holiday Get-Together

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is a blur for many people, and that’s largely thanks to alcohol. Even if you’re not a frequent drinker, we’re willing to bet your alcohol consumption increases around the holiday season. Everyone drinks more around special occasions. Give these 10 Christmas cocktails a try to make this holiday season a little sweeter!

1. Homemade Eggnog

Instead of buying cheap eggnog from the store, why not make the actual recipe at home? You might already have all of the ingredients in your kitchen. The only tricky part is mixing the eggs. Set the yolks and whites apart by passing the former back and forth between two halves of an eggshell. Then, mix them separately to give the drink a more wispy texture. Everything else can mix together right away. Add ice and enjoy!

• 2 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup rum, bourbon or brandy
• Garnish: grated nutmeg

2. Naughty or Nice

The appropriately named “Naughty or Nice” is one of the most underrated fun Christmas cocktails. It combines a handful of dry, savory alcoholic beverages with crisp ginger ale, with the orange slices providing a perfect hint of citrus. These are the recommended measurements for each ingredient. However, you’re welcome to increase the alcohol content to make it a little naughtier as long as you pace yourself and protect yourself from poisoning.

• 4 oz. ginger ale
• 3 oz. pinot noir
• 3 oz. chardonnay
• 2 oz. maraschino liqueur
• 2 oz. cognac
• Garnish: blood orange slices

3. Winter Sour

The Winter Sour is pretty tame compared to the other easy holiday cocktails on this list, which makes it perfect for long nights of drinking. You can sip on this drink for hours without getting too drunk. This Christmas punch is light and airy—but still packs a punch and is masculine enough, thanks to the sour ingredients.

• 1 1/2 oz. clover honey syrup
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1 1/2 oz. Meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 oz. egg white
• Garnish: rosemary sprig

4. The Nice List

The Nice List puts a clever Christmas-themed twist on the classic Cosmopolitan, making it one of many’s favorite sweet cocktails to drink during sophisticated evenings around the holidays. The spiced cranberry syrup is the key ingredient that gives the drink its red coloring and sweet, spicy notes. Feel free to add more Cointreau or peach mead if you prefer one flavor over the other.

• 1 1/2 oz. vodka
• 1/2 oz. peach mead
• 1/2 oz. Cointreau
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 oz. spiced cranberry syrup
• Garnish: dehydrated orange wheel

5. Tea and Krampus

For whatever reason, this drink is named after a mythological demonic creature who would punish children for misbehaving around Christmas time. The ingredients are much sweeter than the drink’s namesake, though. If you’re in the mood for tropical Christmas drinks around the holidays, Tea and Krampus is an excellent choice.

• 1 oz. spiced rum
• 1/2 oz. blackberry liqueur
• 1/4 oz. allspice dram
• 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. vanilla syrup
• 1 dash of bitters
• Garnish: grated nutmeg

6. Under the Mistletoe

If you’re planning a romantic evening with your significant other, Under the Mistletoe is an ideal cocktail. Gin is a highly popular liquor choice around the holiday season because it’s dry and has hints of pine, reminding drinkers of a Christmas tree. The cranberries and orange slices add just the right amount of citrus to create a balanced beverage.

• 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• 2 oz. dry gin
• Chilled cranberry juice
• Chilled club soda
• 4 cranberries
• 2 orange slices
• Garnish: thyme sprig

7. Christmas Morning Punch

Every list of Christmas cocktails should include at least one nonalcoholic beverage. The Christmas Morning Punch is packed with flavor and has plenty of festive flair. The colors, carbonation and garnishes will put you into the holiday spirit and help you stick to your sobriety goals.

• 3 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 2-inch slice of fresh ginger
• 1 bottle sparkling apple juice
• 8 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 4-oz. container of pomegranate arils

8. Winter Sangria

This cocktail has some specific ingredients that might be challenging to find, but the flavor is worth the effort. This winterized version of the popular Sangria is great for large gatherings. Remember to mix the ingredients the night before your Christmas party to ensure the flavors completely mingle.

• 2 750-mL bottles of dry red wine
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 cup orange liqueur
• 1/2 c. Aperol Spritz
• 2 oranges, thinly sliced
• 2 apples cut into 1-inch pieces

9. Cranberry Mimosa

A festive twist on the classic mimosa is always a welcome addition to a Christmas party drink selection. The recipe is also flexible, allowing you to incorporate either champagne or sparkling wine as the main ingredient. You can turn out this drink nonstop all day and people won’t get tired of it. 

• 3 oz. champagne or sparkling wine
• 2 oz. cranberry juice
• 1 oz. pineapple orange juice
• 3 frozen cranberries
• 1 lemon or orange twist

10. Mint Julep

If you’re a fan of simple holiday cocktails, the Mint Julep is a tried and true option. The spicy bourbon combined with the sugar and mint undertones creates a completely unique flavor. Simple cocktails are often the most popular holiday drinks at large social gatherings because they’re easy to prepare for beginners.

• 4 to 5 mint sprigs, leaves only
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup OR 2 sugar cubes
• 2 1/2 oz. bourbon
• Garnish: mint sprig

11. Black Russian

The holiday-inspired take on this classic cocktail isn’t dramatic. This marriage of vodka and coffee liqueur remains a two-ingredient concoction, requiring less preparation than its paler iteration.

This Black Russian version retains its strong and bittersweet taste while having spicy undertones. The hints of plant extracts that would meet your taste buds depend on your chosen spiced vodka’s contents. The usual suspects are allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Blend everything in a mixing glass with ice until chilled, and then enjoy it on the rocks.

• 2 oz. Christmas vodka
• 1 oz. Kahlúa

12. Spiked Hot Chocolate

Infusing whiskey and coffee liqueur into hot cocoa turns this wholesome comfort food into a piquant holiday drink. Prepare your hot chocolate as you normally would. Whisk creamy whole milk and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, and then add chocolate chips once the mixture is hot but before it simmers. Stir until everything is melted and smooth. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.

If you want an extra oomph, top it with homemade Kahlúa marshmallows.

• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 cups of whole milk, divided
• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup of bourbon whiskey
• 2 tablespoons of Kahlúa
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

13. Hot Toddy

Like the other Christmas cocktail recipes on this list, the Toddy is customizable and accepts any brown spirit—rum, brandy, rye, bourbon, Scotch, Irish whisky or añejo tequila—so adjust it to your preference. Use whatever you have on hand because anything that can warm you up is good enough. As for the sweetening agent, demerara or brown sugar will do. However, a honeyed toddy can be soothing to the throat when not feeling your best amid the wintry cold of the holidays.

• A mug of boiling water
• 4 cloves
• 2 teaspoons of unrefined or minimally processed raw sugar
• 1/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 oz. brown spirit
• Garnish: lemon wheel or peel

Try a New Christmas Cocktail This Holiday Season

Rather than having the same old light beer this holiday season, try something new instead. These Christmas drink ideas are viable alternatives for all drinkers, whether you prefer sweet, sour or spicy flavors. This list has them all. Christmas only comes once a year, so use this opportunity to broaden your horizons!

Originally posted 12/9/2023 – Updated 11/8/2024