5 Christmas Cocktail Ideas to Refresh Your Guests

Impress your guests this holiday season with these 5 delicious and fun Christmas cocktails!

1. Sugar Cookie Martini Recipe (wholefully.com)

Ingredients:

• Vanilla frosting and sprinkles, for rimming the glass
• 1 1/2 ounce vanilla vodka
• 1 1/2 ounces Irish cream
• 2 ounces whole milk
• 1 ounce amaretto
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Spread the frosting along the rim of a martini glass (you can also dip it into the frosting, if you prefer). Pour the sprinkles into a shallow dish or saucer, and dip the frosting-covered glass into the sprinkles. Set glass aside.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the vanilla vodka, Irish cream, milk, amaretto, powdered sugar, and ice. Close the lid and shake for at least 15 seconds to mix and chill.
3. Pour into the prepared glass. Serve immediately.

Notes:

If you choose not to rim the martini glass with frosting, add an extra teaspoon of powdered sugar to the cocktail. I love a good White Russian, especially around the holidays. I’m not a huge fan of eggnog, so I enjoy this instead.

2. Peppermint White Russian (The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie)

Ingredients:

• ¾ oz Kahlúa
• ¾ oz Vodka
• ¾ oz Peppermint Schnapps
• Half and half
• ice

For the Garnish (optional)

• Crushed candy canes
• Clean corn syrup

Instructions:

1. Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice (rimmed with crushed candy cane, if desired). Pour in Kahlúa, vodka, and Peppermint Schnapps. Top off the glass with half and half to fill.

To garnish glasses:

1. Lightly dip the edge of the glass into corn syrup, then dip the glass into crushed candy canes to garnish.

3. The Grinch Cocktail (The Toasty Kitchen)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ ounces Midori liqueur
• 1 ounce clear rum or triple sec (Triple sec can also be used in place of the rum if you’d like a fruitier tasting drink)
• 5 ounces lemon-lime soda
• 1 maraschino cherry

Instructions:

1. Fill a lowball glass with ice.
2. Add midori liqueur and rum.
3. Top with lemon-lime soda and stir gently to combine.
4. Top with a maraschino cherry and enjoy.

Notes: 

For a lighter version, replace the lemon-lime soda with lemon-lime club soda instead.

4. Jack Frost Cocktail (Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons)

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup Blue Curacao liquor
• 1/2 cup light rum
• 1/2 cup cream of coconut
• Light corn syrup
• Coconut flakes

Instructions: 

1. Pour a small layer of corn syrup onto a shallow plate. Place the flaking coconut in another small dish.
2. Dip the cocktail glasses into the light corn syrup, then in coconut flakes.
3. In a blender filled with crushed ice, combine pineapple juice, Blue Curacao liqueur, rum, and cream of coconut. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour the mixture into prepared cocktail glasses. Serve immediately.

5. Mistletoe Margarita (Half-baked Harvest)

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups silver tequila
• 2 cups no sugar added cranberry juice
• 3/4 cup Cointreau  (orange liquor)
• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/4-1/2 cup honey, use more or less to your taste
• zest from 1 orange
• 3-4 cups ice
• rosemary and sugared cranberries, for serving (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine the sugar and salt on a shallow plate. Rim each glass in salted sugar.
2. In a blender, combine tequila, cranberry juice, orange liquor, lime juice, cranberries, and honey. Add the ice and blend until slushy. Add the orange zest and blend to combine. Pour into your prepared glasses. Garnish with rosemary and sugared cranberries, if desired. Drink!

Sugared cranberries:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups fresh cranberries with 1/2 cup pure maple syrup. Let sit 10-15 minutes. Strain the cranberries, then add them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
2. Toss the cranberries with 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until all the cranberries are coated. Allow the cranberries to dry, in a single layer, for at least one hour.

KEEP READING: Party Perfect Holiday Dips From Rebecca Turner