The holiday season is upon us, and we know your nights will be filled with Christmas cheer, your favorite LBD and all the popping, fizzing and clinking. And we’ve got a lineup of 8 holiday recipes to help you dress up your cocktail table with cheery, boozy bubbly you and your guests will love.
Sparkling Cranberry Mules
From Sweet C’s Designs
Spice up your go-to mules with this cranberry-topped holiday recipe including cranberry juice and vodka. Your copper mug won’t know what hit it.
Vanilla Hot Buttered Rum
From Heartbeet Kitchen
Warm your guests up with hot buttered rum! Made with dark brown sugar, a vanilla bean and a pinch of cinnamon, this recipe is perfect for after-dinner drinks or a festive fireside chat.
Lemon & Rosemary Bourbon Sour
From Foxes Love Lemons
Have leftover rosemary in the garden? Pick a few sprigs for this bourbon sour! Made with homemade rosemary simple syrup, this lemon-and-rosemary combo will bring just the right amount of kick to your cocktail menu.
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
From The View From Great Island
Serve a sophisticated drink full of cinnamon, cloves and allspice berries. You can make this warm dose of European-inspired cheer in a crockpot and invite guests to fill their own glasses and mugs.
Blood Orange Champagne Punch
From Spoon Fork Bacon
Looking to fill your punch bowl with something different? This sparkling blood orange punch combines white wine, champagne and fresh-squeezed blood orange juice. This recipe serves 3-5 people — perfect for your next get-together. (Or, double the recipe and invite twice the friends!)
Peppermint White Russian
From A Beautiful Mess
Not only is this drink totally festive, it is super easy to make (and you probably have most of these ingredients on hand)! Combine Bailey’s, peppermint schnapps, half and half and ice. Garnish with crushed peppermint (using honey to make the pieces stick) or a full-sized candy cane.
Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail
From Creative Culinary
This Bourbon Apple Cider cocktail is a great way to incorporate apple cider into your adult drinks. The recipe only takes 20 minutes to make, and combines bourbon, apple cider and ginger ale into a sparkling, seasonal cocktail. Add an apple slice to the rim for an extra dose of holiday.
Fireball-Spiked Eggnog
From Cassandra Monroe
This rich, cinnamon-topped eggnog mixed with cinnamon whiskey is a great way to throw your guests a curve ball on traditional eggnog. Plus, you can line the rim with your favorite Christmas sprinkles for a very Instagram-worthy winter drink.
What cocktail recipe are you surprising your guests with this year? Tell us in the comments below!