Terrific Holiday Cocktails

Updated December 19, 2019
Kelsey Hansen

Toast to good cheer during the holidays with colorful and festive cocktails that are certain to put you in good spirits.

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Lemon-Pear Toddy

Credit: Greg Dupree; Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling

Lemon-Pear Toddy Recipe

This hot toddy comes together in a flash thanks to the microwave. A little fresh lemon juice adds a bright top note and balances the sweet pear flavor with light tang.

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Peanut Whiskey and Cola

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Peanut Whiskey and Cola Recipe

This cocktail is an ode to the sweet 'n' salty flavor combination we all know and love. With a splash of cola and a dusting of crushed peanuts, you're in for a tasty cocktail experience.

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Spiked Hot Chocolate

Credit: Christopher Testani; Prop Styling: Kaitlyn Duross; Food Styling: Chris Lanier

Spiked Hot Chocolate Recipe

This warming treat is the perfect accompaniment for a walk through the snow: A hint of peppermint schnapps will give everyone a little pep in their step. Think of it as more of a dessert than a beverage, as this hot chocolate is a bit of a splurge. Canned coconut milk gives it full-bodied richness and makes it an indulgence. Molly explains that "coconut goes well with chocolate and mint, so it really brings this hot chocolate together nicely."

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Spiced Chocolate Stout Beer Cocktail

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Spiced Chocolate Stout Beer Cocktail Recipe

A chocolate stout with a splash of brandy and spices brings out the holiday flavor in this ice-cold refresher.

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Apple-Cranberry Holiday Wassail

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford, Claire Spollen

Apple-Cranberry Holiday Wassail Recipe

We spiked this punch with dark rum, but it's equally nice with bourbon. Or omit the bourbon altogether for an alcohol-free version of this warming beverage.

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Candy Cane Martini

Credit: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty

Candy Cane Martini Recipe

We dare you-- look at this cocktail and try not to fall in love. Raise a glass and toast friends and family this holiday season.

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Homemade (Rum-infused) Horchata

Credit: Ryan Moriarty; Styling: Callie Blount

Homemade (Rum-infused) Horchata Recipe

Whole milk and sweetened condensed milk make this booze-infused Mexican horchata insanely rich and creamy.

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Port of Call Punch

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Catherine Steele; Prop Styling: Thom Driver

Port of Call Punch Recipe

Gullo's muddling technique draws complex flavors from the lemon, making the beverage floral, bracing, and irresistible. A sprinkling of grated nutmeg on top adds a warm, soothing, fragrant layer to the punch, which is remarkably complex-flavored despite having only 6 ingredients. Ruby port has spent less time cask-aging than tawny port, and so is a little sweeter and fruitier, perfect in this recipe. This drink has a lower alcohol content than standard cocktails, a great quality in a punch that's meant to refresh as much as relax.

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Happy Elf

Credit: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty

Happy Elf Recipe

Who wants to share a colorful cocktail with Santa's favorite toy makers?

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Spiced Holiday Punch

Spiced Holiday Punch Recipe

Cocktail recipes are perfect picks for holiday entertaining. This chilled punch starts off with apple juice that's been simmered with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Each glass is topped off with colorful cranberry juice and either ginger ale or sparkling wine.

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Peanut Whiskey and Cola

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Peanut Whiskey and Cola Recipe

This cocktail is an ode to the sweet 'n' salty flavor combination we all know and love. With a splash of cola and a dusting of crushed peanuts, you're in for a tasty cocktail experience.

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Rosemary Collins

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Rosemary Collins Recipe

A fresh sprig of rosemary takes this cocktail from great to awesome and also adds some great flavor and aroma.

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Holiday Mojito

Credit: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty

Holiday Mojito Recipe

Rum, mint, and a delightful pairing of fruit juices make this mojito the perfect holiday cocktail.

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Coconut Eggnog

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

Coconut Eggnog Recipe

Coconut rum, coconut milk, and shaved coconut pieces on top make this a true coconut lover's paradise.

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How to Make Rudolph's Tipsy Spritzer

This sparkling vodka-based orange juice drink just might be the real reason Rudolph's nose is red.

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Amaretto Cherry Fizz

Credit: Ryan Liebe; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Amaretto Cherry Fizz Recipe

This is a simple twist on a classic. The amaretto sour cocktail balances the nutty sweetness of amaretto liqueur with the tartness of lemon and the cloudlike frothiness of shaken egg white. In this variation, the amaretto is infused with cherries and enlivened by a splash of prosecco (sparkling Italian wine).

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Rosy Apple Sparkler

Credit: Linda Pugliese; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Rosy Apple Sparkler Recipe

Apple flavors pair with rosé to create a perfectly refreshing and satisfying cocktail.

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Retro Rum Punch

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Retro Rum Punch Recipe

Bring out a bit of an old classic with this sweet rum punch made complete with cranberries and pineapple wedges for a garnish.

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Crisp Autumn Serenade

Credit: Ryan Liebe; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Crisp Autumn Serenade Recipe

This cocktail brings together the seasonal flavors of apples, pears, ginger, and maple. Bourbon gives it a bit of bite and backbone. (For a sweeter, richer version, you could use a dark rum, like Plantation Grande Reserve or El Dorado 5-year.) You'll make more of the tangy ginger-maple syrup than you need for the recipe; save the remaining syrup for other cocktails or to sweeten and spice up tea or mulled wine.

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Sparkling Spanish Punch

Credit: Ryan Liebe; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Sparkling Spanish Punch Recipe

Today's cocktail is a descendent of punch, a noble drink that's enjoying a resurgence in bars all over the world. This one is based on the classic formula of the great recipes of the 17th and 18th centuries, most of which started with sugar soaked in lemon or orange oil. Here clementines are used instead, and all the spirits come from Spain. Spanish brandy is less well-known in the U.S. than cognac, but it is delicious and a great bargain, and the same could be said for cava, Spain's answer to Champagne.

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Spumante Molto Rosso

Credit: Ryan Liebe; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Spumante Molto Rosso Recipe

The Negroni is one of the great cocktails, and it's simple: equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and the bittersweet Italian aperitivo Campari. This cocktail, a twist on that classic, aims to provide an easy introduction to Campari. Cranberry-infused gin complements Campari's bitter bite, which is smoothed out by the lime, sugar, and fruity prosecco. Roll the soaked cranberries in sugar and skewer on cocktail picks for a pretty garnish.

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Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Amy Burke

Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Make a festive holiday cocktail by adding leftover whole-berry cranberry sauce to bourbon and soda.

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Jingle Juice

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Jingle Juice Recipe

Use candy canes as fun garnishes for this orange juice-and-vodka cocktail. Its red-orange color comes from the addition of maraschino cherry juice.

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Pomegranate-Key Lime Vodka Cocktails

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Jan Gautro; Leigh Ann Ross

Pomegranate-Key Lime Vodka Cocktails Recipe

Show your holiday colors with this festive drink featuring the red of pomegranate juice and the green of tropical key limes.

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Cran-Bourbon Cocktail

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Cran-Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

Leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday meal is the perfect excuse to whip up this bourbon-based cocktail.

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Mulled Wine Sangria

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Jan Gautro

Mulled Wine Sangria Recipe

Simmering red wine in mulling spices such as allspice, cloves, and cinnamon adds a distinctive holiday flavor. After simmering, chill and combine with club soda and fruit for a sparkling holiday drink.

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Capital Eggnog

Credit: Ralph Anderson; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Capital Eggnog Recipe

Trim the tree and get in the holiday spirit with a cup of homemade adult eggnog. Cheers!

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Spicy Rum Punch

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Melanie J. Clarke

Spicy Rum Punch Recipe

Ginger beer and dark rum add deep rich flavor to this spiced fruit juice punch. The recipe makes 20 servings, so it's great for holiday entertaining.

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Sparkling Chimayó Cocktails

Credit: Douglas Merriam; Jan Gautro

Sparkling Chimayó Cocktails Recipe

A signature drink at the Restaurante Rancho de Chimayó near Santa Fe, this chilled cocktail's golden color comes from apple cider and gold tequila.

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Sparkling Cranberry Tea Cocktails

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Cindy Barr; Leigh Ann Ross

Sparkling Cranberry Tea Cocktails Recipe

Pour a pitcher of this cranberry flavored, vodka-spiked tea for a holiday open house or cocktail party. You can combine the base of the drink ahead of time and add the ginger ale just before serving.

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Pomegranate Cocktail

Credit: Photography: Karry Hosford

Pomegranate Cocktail Recipe

Blood orange and pomegranate are two of the trendiest flavors of the season, so combine these two fruit juices in a fashionably refreshing cocktail.

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Pink Grapefruit Sparklers

Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Elizabeth Blake

Pink Grapefruit Sparklers Recipe

Serve Pink Grapefruit Sparklers at your holiday gathering. Garnish these refreshing, fizzy drinks with fresh mint leaves, if desired.

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Frozen Cranberry Margaritos

Credit: Charles Walton IV

Frozen Cranberry Margaritos Recipe

This festive twist on a mojito uses tequila instead of rum and is made with pureed whole-berry cranberry sauce and orange liqueur. It's sure to be a hit at any holiday cocktail party.

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