8 Holiday Cocktails To Compliment Your Christmas Dinner

Christmas is a perfect time for gathering loved ones, exchanging gifts and laughs, and making wonderful memories. What better way is there to indulge in that festive spirit than with some holiday cocktails?

In case you need some inspiration for the most festive drinks this year, check out these eight delicious recipes.

Candy Cane Lane Cocktail

The candy cane rim on this drink makes it perfect for keeping your dinner guests in the holiday spirit prior to the main meal.

Ingredients:

• 4 parts Stella Rosa Imperiale Prosecco
• 1 part peppermint Vodka
• Chocolate Chips
• Candy Canes

Start by melting the chocolate in a microwaveable bowl, stirring every 30 seconds. Crush the candy canes into small pieces in a Ziploc bag using either a kitchen mallet or the bottom of a sturdy mug, then pour into a bowl. Dip the rims of your serving glasses first in the melted chocolate, then roll in the candy cane bits. Place the glasses in the fridge to allow chocolate to harden. When ready to serve, fill the glasses with the prosecco and peppermint vodka.

Christmas Tree

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Gin
• 1 oz. Breckenridge Brewery Christmas Ale
• ¾ oz. Herbal liqueur
• ¼ oz. Honey
• Ginger Ale (as needed)
• Highball Glass

To make, fill the highball to the rim with ice, then add the gin, liqueur and honey. Shake all the contents of the glass using a mixing tin, pour back into the glass, and top with ice. Add beer and top with ginger ale, then lightly stir.

Don Julio Gingerbread Old-Fashioned

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Tequila Don Julio Anejo
• ¼ oz. Gingerbread Spice Infused Agave*
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• 1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters
• Lemon Zest for Garnish

Ingredients for Gingerbread Agave:

• 1 cup Agave Nectar
• 1 cup Water
• ½ oz. Fresh Ginger Juice
• 1 tsp All Spice
• 1 tsp Nutmeg
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• 1 tsp Cloves

To make the Agave, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer the mixture for two hours, then cool, strain and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To make the drink, combine the Tequila, gingerbread spice infused agave, Angostura bitters and orange bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir well. Strain the contents into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Finish it off by garnishing with both saffron threads and lemon zest.

Morton’s Steakhouse “Holiday Bliss” Cocktail

This drink, compliments of Morton’s Steakhouse, perfectly captures the holiday spirit.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Grey Goose Vodka
• 1 ½ oz. Passoã Passion Fruit Liqueur
• 2 oz. Cranberry Juice
• ½ oz. Lemon Juice
• ½ oz. Simple Syrup
• 1/2 oz. La Marca Prosecco
• ½ oz. Food Grade Pellet Dry Ice
• 3 Raspberries

To make, pour Dry Ice into a lightbulb glass. In a mixing glass, add all liquid ingredients, except for the Prosecco. Stir and strain into the lightbulb over the dry ice. Top with the prosecco. Serve with coup glass and pour tableside (the liquid will activate the dry ice). Garnish with 3 skewered raspberries.

Orange and Peppermint Hot Chocolate

This cocktail, compliments of Kendra Darling of Simply Darrling, is perfect for the after-dinner desserts (especially cookies).

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Smirnoff Peppermint Twist
• 0.5 oz. Triple Sec
• 8 oz. Hot Chocolate

To make, combine hot chocolate, triple sec and Smirnoff Peppermint Twist in a mug, Stir and serve with a candy cane, and garnish with a candied orange peel.

Rosé Ruby Punch

This drink is perfect for a crowd.

Ingredients:

• 2 bottles Angry Orchard Rosé Cider
• 1/3 cup Ruby Port
• 1/3 cup Triple Sec
• 1/3 cup Cognac
• 1 Cup Spiced Cranberry Syrup*
• ¼ Cup Lemon Juice

Ingredients for Cranberry Syrup:

• 2 Cups Cranberry Juice
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
• 3 large cinnamon sticks

To make the syrup, combine the ingredients in a pot and simmer the mixture over medium to low heat for 15 minutes. Let cool and strain, then store in the fridge.

To make the drink, build the ingredients in a punch bowl and garnish with cranberries and apple slices.

Santa’s Helper

In case the elves are unavailable, this drink will hit the spot.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Tequila Cazadores Reposado
• ¾ oz. Agave Syrup
• ¾ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
• 6 Blueberries, muddled
• Top with Ginger Beer
• Dash of Nutmeg

To make, combine all ingredients except ginger beer in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Serve in a wine glass over ice, top with ginger beer and garnish with a lemon twist.

Scarlet Sipper

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. Barefoot Bubbly Red Moscato
• 1 ¼ oz. Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
• ½ oz. Grenadine
• Grapefruit Slice Garnish

To make, combine grapefruit juice and grenadine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill, then strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top with the Moscato, then garnish with a grapefruit slice.