Top DIY Cocktail Recipes for the Holiday Season
This holiday we’ve given a new twist on a few cocktail favorites and an array of tasty new options as well. Whether celebrating at home with family, or hosting a large party, you’ll certainly find yourself on Santa’s “Good” list when serving any of these!
SEASON’S MARGARITA
Ingredients
1 ½ oz Casa Mate Platinum Tequila
1oz PAMA pomegranate Liqueur
1 ½ oz Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz Agave syrup
1 oz Cranberry Juice
1 Teaspoon Cranberry Sauce
Directions
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a rock glass.
Garnish: Dried cranberries & lime wheel
SPICED COCONUT EGGNOG
Ingredients
2 tbsp. Conscious coconut oil
1 cup. Califia Farms Holiday Nog Almond Milk
2 tsp. Sugar Free Jordan's Skinny Mixes Sugar Cookie Syrup
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. rum or brandy (optional)
Directions
In pan over medium heat, combine first six ingredients; let simmer five minutes and whisk continually. Stir in rum or brandy.
CHRISTMAS SPICE MOSCOW MULE
Ingredients
1 Shot of Vodka
2 tbsp of Sugar Free Jordan's Skinny Mixes Cinnamon Christmas Spice
Ginger Beer
Directions
Pour Vodka and Syrup into a copper mug. Add Ginger Beer to top it off!
A VERY MERRYMOSA
by Melanie Cuartelon, sous chef, Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa in Jacksonville, Fla.
Ingredients Macerated Berries: 1 cup mixed berries
1 tsp. sugar Spritz of lemon juice
Mermosa Bubbles
Directions Stir to combine, berries, sugar and lemon juice, mashing berries slightly. Let sit for 20 minutes so those flavors blend. Pour 4 oz. of Mermosa Bubbles into your favorite glass & top with 1-2 tbsp. of the macerated berries. It's sparkling and oh-so-festive. This festive fizzy favorite pairs well with savory and sweet nibbles and is the perfect drink to share with friends and family and toast the New Year.
AGED EGGNOG
by Joel Ramirz, The Kirby Group
Ingredients
12 Fresh Egg Yolks
8 oz Cane Sugar
8 oz Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
32 oz Whole Milk
16 oz Heavy Cream
1-750ml bottle of spirit of choice (we recommend cognac or rum)
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 oz Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions
Whip yolks, sugars, and nutmeg until it ribbons. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a separate container and slowly whisk in the yolk mixture. Refrigerate and let sit for 2 weeks before serving.
GRAND BRULOT ESPRESSO MARTINI
Ingredients
2 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz Espresso
½ oz of Amaretto
Directions
Using a shaker, combine Grand Brulot, coffee and liqueur together. Shake (25 times) vigorously with ice and then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a few cracked coffee beans and an orange twist.
CANDELA MAMAJUANA'S COQUITO
Ingredients
1 can, condensed milk
1 can, evaporated milk
1 can, coconut milk
1 can, coconut cream
1-2 cups Candela Mamajuana rum
Directions
Pour the 4 cans (coconut milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream of coconut) into a blender. Blend on low. Add 1-2 cups of Candela Mamajuana and blend. Serve chilled or on the rocks.
DESOLAS BLOOD ORANGE MEZCALITA
Ingredients
2 oz Desolas Mezcal
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz fresh blood orange juice
.5 oz Campari
.75 oz of Cointreau or agave nectar
Directions
Combine ingredients, shake & pour over ice. Garnish with tajin salt rim and/or orange wedge.
THE MOCHA MULLIGAN
Ingredients
1.5 oz Hercules Mulligan
4 to 6 oz hot cocoa
While you prepare the mocha hot cocoa below and an Irish Coffee mug warming with boiling water in it. When you've completed the hot Mocha Cocoa recipe, dump out the hot water and add 1.5 oz of Hercules Mulligan rum and rye old fashioned to the well heated mug. Top with 4 to 6 oz of Hot Mocha Cocoa and garnish with whip cream or marshmallows as desired.
HOT MOCHA COCOA
Ingredients
⅓ cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder or instant coffee crystals ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 4 cup half-and-half, light cream, or whole milk 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Stir 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder or instant coffee crystals into the sugar mixture. In a medium saucepan combine sugar and cocoa powder. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the half-and-half. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until well mixed just off a boil. Gradually whisk in the remaining 3 cups half-and-half. Heat through but do not boil. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
THE HOLIDAY THREE CHORD ESPRESSO YOURSELF
Ingredients
2 oz of Three Chord Bourbon Cream
2 oz of Three Chord Bourbon
2 oz of Coffee Liquor
Directions
Mix all ingredients, consume.
ROSA COSMO
Ingredients
2 oz Codigo 1530 Rosa
1 oz cranberry juice
.75 oz Triple Sec
.5 oz Lime juice
Directions
Add all ingredients to a shaker and strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with cranberries screwed on a rosemary sprig.
NOCHE BUENA COLLINS
Ingredients
2 oz Future Gin
1 oz pineapple juice
0.25 oz lemon juice
0.75 oz beet & cinnamon simple syrup
To make the beet & cinnamon simple syrup: In a pot, add 1 liter water, 1/2 a red beet-sliced, and 3 cinnamon sticks. Simmer for 20 minutes. Let mixture cool and then strain out the beets and cinnamon. Measure the liquid and add an equal amount white sugar, by volume.
Directions
Shaken / strained over ice in an Old Fashioned glass. Garnished with a pineapple half-wheel tucked into the glass.
FROSTY
Ingredients
2 oz Codigo Reposado
1 oz Lemon Juice .75 oz Agave .5 oz Blue Curacao
.25 oz Orgeat Garnish with a mint Sprig, Blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker and strain over crushed ice. Garnish with mint and berries. Dust with powdered sugar.
CLASSIC NEGRONI
Ingredients
1 oz Buchanan’s 18-Year-Old Special Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky
.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
.5 oz Italian Apéritif
Glassware: Rocks Glass
Garnish: Fresh Orange Peel
Directions
Combine Buchanan’s 18-Year-Old Special Reserve Whisky, sweet vermouth, and Italian aperitif into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain contents into a Rocks glass over one large, square ice cube. Garnish with fresh orange peel.
OLD PARR GINGER
Ingredients
1.5 oz Old Parr Aged 12 Years
3 oz Premium Ginger Ale
Squeeze of Orange
Glassware: Highball Glass
Garnish: Orange Wedge
Directions
Combine Old Parr Aged 12 Years, fresh blood orange juice, premium cherry liqueur and sweet vermouth. Shake with ice and strain into coupe glass. Garnish with brandied cherry
21ROCS PERSIMMON SNAP
Ingredients
2 slices Persimmon
4 slices Fresh Ginger
1 oz 21 ROCS Margarita
¾ oz Coconut Creamer
Directions
In mixing cup, 2 slices of Persimmon (Fuyu Persimmon or very ripe Hachiya Persimmon) and 4 Slices of fresh ginger. Add 1 oz 21ROCS Margarita, 3/ 4 oz Coconut Creamer. Muddle for 20 seconds. Add ice, shake, strain. Finish with 3 oz 21ROCS Margarita. Stir to incorporate ingredients. Rim Cocktail Glass with Sugar and Cinnamon Garnish with Persimmon wheel & dash of Cinnamon
CIROC FRENCH 75
Ingredients
1.5 oz CÎROC VS French Brandy
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
Champagne
Glassware: Flute glass
Garnish: Lemon twist
Directions
Add 1.5 oz CÎROC VS French Brandy, 0.5 oz lemon juice and 0.5 oz simple syrup in a shaker. Add ice and shake well until everything is chilled. Strain into a flute glass and garnish with lemon twist. Top with champagne.
THE VARA HEATMISER
Ingredients
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
¾ of an ounce of hot toddy syrup
¾ of an ounce of lemon juice
1 ½ ounces of Vara Alembic Brandy
Directions
Mix it all together in a toddy glass, top with 3 ½ ounces of hot water, garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel, and enjoy!
CHRISTMAS COQUITO (Vegan) Serves 8
Ingredients
1 can (11.2oz) Condensed Coconut Milk 1 can (13.5 oz) Cream of Coconut 1 can (13.5 oz) Canned Coconut Milk ½ cup Almond Milk 1 teaspoon Real Madagascar Vanilla Extract ½ teaspoon Nutmeg 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon 1 1/2 cup rum
Directions Blend all ingredients for 1-2 minutes in a blender. Chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. Serve in a glass with a cinnamon stick as a garnish
HOOKED ON CHRISTMAS
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Hooked Hand rum 1/2 ounce cranberry juice 1/4 ounce tart cherry juice 1/2 ounce demerara simple syrup 1 dash allspice 1 dash grated fresh ginger 1 dash nutmeg, freshly grated
2 ounces ginger ale
Directions
Mix ingredients. Serve
SPICY CRANBERRY MARGARITA
Photo by Ghost Tequila
Ingredients
2 oz. Ghost Tequila
4 oz. Cranberry Juice
3/4 oz. Agave Syrup
3/4 oz. Triple Sec
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
Fresh rosemary sprig
Fresh cranberries
Citrus Sugar
Directions
Add 2 oz. of Ghost Tequila, 4 oz. of cranberry, ¾ oz of agave syrup, ¾ oz. of Triple Sec and ¾ oz. of lime juice to shaker. Shake vigorously. Pour into glass of choice. Garnish with Fresh Rosemary Sprig, Limes, and Fresh Cranberries. Rim with Citrus Sugar
SPARKLING APPLE PIE
Ingredients
3 oz Smirnoff ICE Red, White & Merry Orchard Punch
1 oz Smirnoff Vanilla
3 oz Apple Cider
Apple slice (garnish)
Directions
Stir together Apple Cider with Smirnoff Vanilla and pour into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with Smirnoff ICE Red, White & Merry Orchard Punch. Garnish with a thin apple slice.
BOOZY CARAMEL HOT COCOA
Photo by The Rogue Brussel Sprout
Ingredients
Mug of your favorite hot chocolate
1.5 oz Kōloa Kaua’i Dark Rum
1-3 tsp caramel sauce
Whipped cream for garnish
Additional caramel drizzle for garnish
Directions
Make a big mug of hot chocolate however you like it: homemade or store-bought, with milk or nut milk or just water, sweet or less sweet. Stir in the dark rum and caramel (to taste), mixing well so that the caramel dissolves fully. Garnish the mug with whipped cream (or coconut whipped cream) and another drizzle of caramel, then enjoy in front of the fire!
SPICED CRANBERRY OLD FASHIONED
by Restaurant Olivia in Denver, CO.
Photograph by Austin Carson
Inredients
2 oz *Cranberry-Bourbon
2 dashes Black Walnut Bitters
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass, top with ice and stir. Strain into an old fashioned glass over a large cube and enjoy.
*Cranberry-Bourbon
1lb fresh or frozen cranberries
1L of your favorite Bourbon
1c brown sugar
zest from one orange
1 cinnamon stick
0.25 oz Angostura bitters
Directions
Add cranberries and sugar to a saucepan over medium high heat. As cranberries start to burst, they begin stirring occasionally to integrate the sugar. Once the sugar is completely dissolved remove from heat and add orange zest, cinnamon, bitters and bourbon. Transfer to an appropriate container and refrigerate, agitating occasionally, for 24-48 hours. Strain and keep refrigerated.
CINCORO REPOSADO SPICED OLD FASHIONED
Ingredients
2 oz Cincoro Reposado
.25 oz 1:1 Cinnamon Syrup*
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters
Build in glass.
Glass: Rocks
Ice: Yes
Garnish: Grapefruit peel, expressed & inserted & cinnamon stick
Directions
*1:1 Cinnamon Syrup - Combine 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup water and whisk/stir until fully dissolved. Add two cinnamon sticks and blend on high until cinnamon is broken up thoroughly. Fine strain cinnamon out. Label, date & keep in refrigerator.
HOT APPLE CIDER
Ingredients
2 fl oz Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum or Sliced Apple
6 fl oz fresh apple cider
Garnish w/cinnamon stick and apple slice
Directions
Combine Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum or Sliced Apple and apple cider in small pot and heat over the stove. Being careful not to spill or burn yourself, pour hot drink into mug and garnish with cinnamon stick and apple slice.
THE GRANADA NAVIDEÑA
Ingredients
1 cup of water
1 hand of hibiscus flower
1 cup of sugar
Boil the water and put aside, add sugar and hibiscus and let it seat, still thill perfectly mixed. Let it cool
1.5 oz Amaras Espadín Reposado
1.5 Pomegranate juice
.5 oz lemon juice
.5 oz Hibiscus Syrup
Directions
Add all ingredients in a shaker, and pour over a chilled and half sugar rimmed Cupe glass. Garnish with a lemon peel
CUT ABOVE ZERO PROOF GIN COBBLER
Ingredients
1 tsp powdered sugar
2 oz club soda
2 oz Cut Above Gin
Directions
Dissolve sugar and club soda in a goblet, then fill with ice and add gin. Stir and garnish with cranberries and a rosemary sprig.
PECAN VANILLA DESSERT
Ingredients
For Pecan Spiced Whisky:
1cup toasted pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2cups Buchanan’s Special Reserve 18 YO Scotch Whisky
Infuse for 2 days for optimal flavor
For brown sugar simple syrup
1cup brown sugar
1cup water
For toasted pecans
1 cup pecans
1 tablespoon melted butter
¼ teaspoon sea salt
For cinnamon cold foam
½ cup half & half
1 teaspoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 oz pecan-spiced whisky
1 oz Irish cream liqueur
3 oz milk
½ oz brown sugar simple syrup
Cinnamon cold foam
1 Teaspoon Maple Syrup
Glassware: Rocks Glass
Garnish: Cinnamon
Directions
Toasted Pecans:
In a bowl, add pecans, butter and sea salt. Mix together to coat evenly.
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread pecans to a single layer.
Bake at 350F for 7-10 minutes, until toasted.
Brown sugar simply syrup:
Combine water and brown sugar into a saucepan and boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Spiced-Pecan Whisky:
Place toasted pecans and vanilla bean in a jar with a lid. Pour Buchanan’s Whisky over pecans. Place on lid and swirl gently to mix. Close with lid and swirly gently to combine. At room temperature, allow Buchanan’s to infuse for at least two days. For stronger flavor, infuse longer.
Cinnamon cold foam:
Add half & half, cinnamon and brown sugar to a bowl. Mix together and froth with a hand mixer.
Final cocktail:
In a rocks glass, add whisky, Irish cream, milk, simply syrup and stir. Top with cinnamon cold foam.
And for something a little different…
MOTHER OF PEARL MOCKTAIL (makes 1 gallon)
Ingredients
Good Pharma No Worries infuser bags
½ gallon boiling water
Ice
2 c. Passion Fruit Juice
Lemons
Blood Oranges
Mint Leaves
Directions
Place 9 Good Pharma No Worries infuser bags into a dispenser (do not open the white infuser bag) Pour 1/2 gallon of boiling water into dispenser, submerging infuser bags.
Steep for 5 minutes (stir lightly then remove all infuser bags with strainer spoon)
Fill with ice (to 1 gallon). Top with two cups of passion fruit juice (we like Ceres)
Garnish with lemons, blood oranges and mint leaves.
For those looking for alcohol free drinks to serve, these are tasty options!