Terrific Holiday Cocktails

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

Homemade (Rum-infused) Horchata Recipe

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

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.

Happy Elf Recipe

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

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.

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.

Rosemary Collins Recipe

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

Holiday Mojito Recipe

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

Coconut Eggnog Recipe

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

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).

Rosy Apple Sparkler Recipe

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

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

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.

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.

Cran-Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

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

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.

Capital Eggnog Recipe

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pink Grapefruit Sparklers Recipe

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

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.

Red Wine Sangria Recipe

Combine lemonade, fresh fruit, and a bottle of red wine for a colorful holiday beverage. Sangria is great for entertaining because you can mix up a pitcher and be done.

Gingered Pear and Brandy Cocktail Recipe

Nothing is nicer than sitting in front of a cozy fireplace sipping on a golden brandy cocktail.

Keep it simple during the busy holidays with this easy cocktail. All you need are two juices, a lime, and some vodka.

Raspberry Beer Cocktail Recipe

Turn your beer red for the holidays by adding raspberry-lemonade mix and fresh raspberries to your favorite beer.

Satsuma Cocktail Recipe

Satsumas are small Japanese oranges that are members of the mandarin orange family. They're in peak season during the fall and winter months, and the juice makes a great partner for gin.

Sparkling Pomegranate Cocktail Recipe

Three ingredients and you're set to make this colorful and tasty cocktail. You can leave out the vodka and just use more of the sparkling water for a refreshing non-alcoholic holiday drink.

Holiday Milk Punch Recipe

It's unusual to find a cold drink that gives you that sense of holiday coziness, but this one does. Grate the nutmeg fresh. It makes a difference.

Spanish Sangria Recipe

Opt for serving pitchers of sangria at your next party rather than having an open bar. It's both festive and economical.

Mulled Cranberry Wine Punch Recipe

Offer a glass or mug of warm spiced wine to guests at your holiday open house. It's a great way to welcome company, and the simmering spices add a wonderful aroma to your home.

Blood Orange Sangría Recipe

Blood orange-flavored anything is trendy this season, so show your style with this fruited, spiced wine featuring these sweet oranges with the crimson-colored flesh.

Cranberry-Mint Infusions Recipe

Combine mint tea, cranberry syrup, limoncello, and vodka in these classy cocktails that are perfect for a sophisticated holiday party.

Smuggler's Coffee Recipe

This double rum coffee is deliciously flavored with cinnamon and orange zest.

Mint-and-White-Chocolate Milk Punch Recipe

This frothy drink features all the flavors of the holiday season. For a wintry, festive rim to your milk punch, crush peppermint sticks, dip your cup in corn syrup, and dip again in the peppermint.

Pomegranate Prosecco Recipe

Utilize the winter season's bounty in a bubbly sipper featuring sparkling Italian wine.

Cranberry-Whiskey Sour Slush Recipe

Is it a drink or dessert? Who cares? It satisfies both cravings. Our garnet-colored slush has all the qualities of a delicious cocktail—a not-too-sweet combination of high-quality liquor and fruity tang.

Holiday Cosmopolitan Recipe

Infuse a traditional Cosmo with holiday cheer by using a rosemary and cranberry sauce reduction in place of cranberry juice.

Fresh Orange, Rosemary, and Sage Sparkling Wine Cocktail Recipe

Fresh Orange, Rosemary, and Sage Sparkling Wine Cocktail is a favorite holiday drink to get your party buzzing.

Poinsettia Punch Recipe

Chill the Champagne and juice in the refrigerator before the party; then mix the Poinsettia Punch right before serving.

Eggnog Cocktail Recipe

If you’re into eggnog for the bourbon, here’s a drink that’ll give you exactly what you want. Kahlua and bourbon balance out the eggnog, and the fresh ground nutmeg and warm cinnamon on top bring everything together. Go ahead and double this recipe, because these eggnog cocktails go quickly. For extra fun, serve with a gingerbread cookie on the side.

Blackberry Cardamom Mulled Wine Recipe

A departure from traditional mulled wines that sugar and spice up a wine like a gingerbread cookie, this more delicate, floral mulled wine plays up the essence of a jammy Malbec or Zinfandel with blackberry and vanilla bean and adds hints of cardamom and cinnamon for a twist.

Coquito Recipe

This traditional Puerto Rican cocktail tastes like a very thick and creamy coconut eggnog. It's very rich, so you can serve it over ice, if preferred, to dilute it a little. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of rum depending on how strong you like it. The drink keeps in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Pro tip: It's great for gift-giving! Simply place in a decorative glass bottle with a stopper for a delightful Christmas gift. 

Fizzy Cider Punch Recipe

Sliced red and green apples give this Prosecco-topped drink a holiday touch. Swap brandy for bourbon, if you prefer.

Merry Manhattan Recipe

Cherry liqueur gives this classic cocktail a holiday feel. For a twist, try using maraschino cherries soaked in bourbon or Luxardo—both are available on Amazon.

Spicy Bourbon-Citrus Punch Recipe

This refreshing punch will make your next cocktail party or happy hour the talk of the town. Spicy ginger and bourbon (our Test Kitchen recommends using Bulleit Bourbon) give this big-batch cocktail a bite that’s balanced out by fresh orange and lemon juices and sparkling mineral water (such as Topo Chico). The homemade ginger syrup is easy to prepare and can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. There is no need to peel the ginger root because it will eventually be strained out of the cooked syrup, however, you should scrub the ginger clean if the skin is dirty. Be sure to squeeze fresh citrus instead of using the bottled stuff; it doesn’t take long and makes all of the difference in this recipe. Big-batch drinks like this one are ideal for entertaining because you can prepare them ahead of the party, and scale them up if needed. If you want to make Spicy Bourbon-Citrus Punch in advance, simply combine all of the ingredients except the sparkling water and orange slices in a large pitcher one day in advance. Store the punch in the refrigerator. When it is party time, add the orange slices and stir the punch (in the pitcher or transfer to a punch bowl) to combine all of the ingredients. Serve in glasses over ice. Cheers!

Eggnog Mudslide Recipe

If you’re in the mood to drink your dessert this holiday season (or you’re just tired of plain eggnog), this tall, creamy glass of sweet decadence—also known as an Eggnog Mudslide—is everything you’re looking for. 

Cranberry Sangría Punch Recipe

This wintry, ruby-red spin on sangría is a staff favorite but comes with a warning: It goes down easy. Make it a day ahead, and add the Champagne right before serving.

Hot Buttered RumChata Recipe

Here’s a creamy take on traditional buttered rum: Rumchata is a blend of rum, cream, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar. Essentially, it’s the Mexican drink, horchata, combined with rum. Even if you’re unfamiliar with horchata, the apple pie spice adds the coziness you know and love in a winter cocktail. The result is a combination of two super-comforting, homey drinks that’s perfect for sipping by the fireplace or on a rainy day.

Egg on Fire Recipe

For an extra festive holiday toast, try this easy recipe to liven up your store-bought eggnog. 

Warm Spiced (and Spiked) Cabernet Recipe

From the Kitchen of…Rachel Lasserre, Art Director

"If my cousin is in charge, then our warm wine punch goes especially boozy. Either way, it's got to have the oranges with the little cloves."

Garnish this punch with a cinnamon stick or orange slices.

Spiced Rum Milk Punch Recipe

Traditional milk punch is made with either brandy or bourbon. We switched those out for spiced rum to make a spiced rum milk punch that's just like homemade eggnog—just without the egg. This creamy cocktail is sweetened condensed milk and flavored with cinnamon sticks and vanilla. The best part? You can make the milk punch mixture ahead of time and store it in your fridge for future boozing. When you’re ready to serve the milk punch, just mix in the spiced rum and serve over ice. We sprinkled cinnamon sugar over top, but feel free to garnish with nutmeg, too.

Spiced Rum Milk Punch

Cinnamon Hot Toddy Recipe

Mulled cider and cinnamon whiskey unite to create a perfect winter sipper. The Fireball flavor may be subtle here, but there’s no doubt this cider is spiked. We prefer using refrigerated cider to shelf-stable cider. Depending on your preferred brand of cider, you may choose to omit the added sugar during the mulling step. This recipe makes 12 servings, but you don’t have to serve it all at once. You can mull the cider, serve what you want, and save the remainder in the fridge.

Eggnog Creamsicle Recipe

Even if you’re not the biggest fan of eggnog served straight, we’re willing to bet you might just love it in this dreamy holiday spin on a creamsicle.

Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch Recipe

We created this refreshing punch with tailgating in mind, but it would be a hit at fall gathering. Made with frozen cranberries, sparkling apple cider, honey, brown sugar, fresh lemon juice, and bourbon, it’s deliciously sweet and tangy. Frozen cranberries are best for this recipe; be sure to let them thaw before you add them to the food processor.

Rum-Spiked Horchata Recipe

This drink, a modern twist on the Latin American favorite, is fun and easy to make. In Mexico it's traditionally made by soaking or cooking rice and blending it into a milk. To save time, Gutierrez employs purchased rice milk. You can make this drink up to a week in advance; give it a good stir before serving to remix the superfine almond and rice solids.

Gingerbread Eggnog Martini Recipe

This dessert cocktail-inspired take on eggnog highlights traditional spiked eggnog’s flavor while adding hints of ginger and not being thick. Choose whichever brand or variation of eggnog works for your crowd. You can make these ahead of time as well, and then rim the glasses and store them in the freezer or fridge. Stir together eggnog, vodka, and ginger liqueur in a pitcher and store until it’s time to serve. Then, stir again before serving.

Cherry, Citrus, and Herb Whiskey Cocktail Recipe

There's nothing old-fashioned about this herb-and-citrus spin on a classic. To make a lemon peel twist, slice a piece of the peel off the lemon, Then, cut off the pulp and pith so you only have a long, thin strip of peel. Twist the peel into a curly shape and garnish at will. If you really dislike rosemary, you could use another strongly flavored herb, like thyme. The hardest part about this cocktail? The anticipation of waiting for the ice cubes to freeze so you can enjoy it.

Holiday Punch Recipe

Meyer Lemon Drop Recipe

When life gives you Meyer lemons, make this softened take on a lemon drop. Meyer lemons are in season from November to March, so the holidays are the perfect time to take advantage of these unique fruits. They’re considered a cross between a standard lemon and a mandarin orange, so their tartness is subdued. Place the candies in a Ziplock bag to finely crush. It’s easier to get a nice thick ring on the glass by holding it in one hand and sprinkling the candy dust on with the other.

Cider-Bourbon-Honey Punch Recipe

Make this cocktail the morning of—or the night before—the Thanksgiving feast, then let guests ladle out cups as they arrive. We like to keep the punch chilled using an ice ring with lemon and apple slices frozen inside.