Whether you need a great recipe for a fun holiday party.. oh wait, no parties this year… well, that doesn’t mean you can’t make fun recipes at home to try with your honey, or by yourself to enjoy in a nice bath after the kids go down. Is that just me? Here are 10 yummy holiday beverage recipes you must try this year!
Let’s start easy. Any of these are fun, festive and take almost zero effort. And they can easily be made virgin for the kids to enjoy as well.
Holiday Egg Nog
2 oz Captain Morgan or Southern Comfort. Add egg gog. Best served over ice and garnished with nutmeg.
Holiday Apple Cider
2 oz Captain Morgan or Southern Comfort. Add apple cider – try supporting local by buying apple cider from Louisburg Cider Mill! Best served warm and garnished with cinnamon.
Holiday Hot Chocolate
2 oz Peppermint Schnapps. Add hot chocolate – and don’t forget the marshmallows!
OK, now for a little more complex…
White Russian
My husband has been making this on the regular lately. It’s pretty easy to make, and it tastes nice and light.
2 oz Vodka
1 oz Kahlua
Splash of Heavy Cream
Serve over ice and garnish with cinnamon.
Mulled Wine
Tastes great and for an added bonus will make your house smell good, too!
1 Bottle Red Wine – recommend Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Syrah
2 Oranges
3 Cinnamon Sticks
10 Cloves
½ cup Brown Sugar
Place all the ingredients (except orange) in a pot. Peel the orange. Add juice of orange. Add a few orange peels. Over warm heat, simmer for 30 minutes. Serve warm and garnish with the orange peels and cinnamon sticks!
Hot Buttered Rum
2 oz Rum
½ Tbsp Spiced Butter*
6 oz Boiling Water
*Spiced Butter
6 Tbsp Salted Butter
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp All Spice
Cream butter, then add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice. Stir with spatula so all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Combine rum, boiling water and add butter. Serve warm!
Vodka Cranberry… and Ginger, too!
2 oz Vodka
½ oz Ginger Liqueur
1-2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
½ oz Ginger Simple Syrup*
4 oz Pure Cranberry Juice (not the cocktail stuff)
*Ginger Simple Syrup
½ Water
½ Cup Raw Sugar
5-6 Slices of Ginger
Simmer until ingredients are fully dissolved. Cool and refrigerate.
Combine all ingredients and serve over ice. Garnish with cranberries and enjoy!
Classic Champagne Toast
Perfect for jazzing up a simple glass of champagne.
1 Glass Champagne
5 Dashes Angostura Bitters
1 Sugar Cube
Squeezed Lemon Peel
Place sugar cube at the bottom of the glass. Add bitters to the sugar cube. Peel a small strip of lemon and squeeze the skin into the glass. Pour in Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist (ie, curl the lemon skin and drop it in!).
Cranberry Mule
2 oz Absolut Elyx
Fresh Cranberries
Ginger Beer
Lime
Ice
Muddle cranberries at bottom of glass – I like to cut them in half and wash them first. This will remove the seeds, which cause the bitter taste. Add ice and pour other ingredients. Garnish with cranberries and enjoy!
Holiday Greyhound
4 oz Vodka
5 oz Pink Grapefruit Juice
1 oz Maple Syrup – use the real stuff!
Pour over ice and garnish with 1 sprig of rosemary.
Hopefully you’ll enjoy making one (or all!) of these fun drinks this holiday season. And.. if you’re just too tired to make these.. check out these local spots!
- Miracle Kansas City – pop up Christmas bar, by reservation only
- Mean Mule Distilling Co. – delivering Christmas drink kits right to your door!
- Julep Cocktail Club – pick up Sippin’ Santa To Go Orders
