Mixing up a drink on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day is never a bad idea, whether you’re staying home, hosting or attending a gathering. Here, you’ll find our most popular seasonal drinks for the season, including festive cocktails AND Christmas mocktails. These Christmas drink recipes bring seasonal taste to the table and are perfect for the whole family.
‘Tis the season for a festive drink!
There’s something so much fun about mixing and sipping a custom cocktail or mocktail at a Christmas gathering, whether you’re at home with your people, hosting a get-together or even hosting the big Christmas dinner.
No matter the occasion, having a drink recipe that calls for simple ingredients that you love is a great thing to have in your back pocket.
It’s also a lovely way to spread the cheer of the season and a great option to serve before a big meal or to serve at a handful of gatherings, including a Christmas party, cookie swaps or decorating parties, a gingerbread house party and more.
So whether you’re looking for a classic cocktail or a non-alcoholic drink, we’ve got a variety here for you to choose from here!
(And if you’re paying super close attention, you’ll notice that this list is pretty similar to my Thanksgiving mocktails and cocktails round-up. There’s a lot of overlap between these chillier holidays, so if none of the recipes below speak to you, head over there and see if one of those sounds better.)
This depends on when festivities begin, and the people you’re with and their habits.
When I’m serving people before a large meal or a holiday gathering, like Christmas dinner, I like to have enough ingredients on hand for everyone to ideally enjoy TWO beverages.
I also tend to choose one recipe to become our signature drink. This means I won’t have to mix individual drinks or worry about multiple ingredients as I finish preparing our food.
Another option is to serve a big batch cocktail, like a pitcher drink. You can do this in a massive pitcher or a punch bowl for a crowd.
You could also offer the option for guests to mix their own signature cocktail. For this, I print out the recipe, set out the ingredients and tools for my guests, and let them mix their own.
White Christmas Martini
Occasions for Christmas drinks
Beyond Christmas dinner, there are so many occasions you can serve up these Christmas cocktails and mocktails.
For example, you can serve them…
Serve as a sipper for cookie swaps or gingerbread house decorating parties. (If there are kids for these, I’d make non-alcoholic drinks for all. A hot chocolate bar would be brilliant for these gatherings.)
Holiday office parties and holiday parties. I’d share a Christmas mocktail if I were bringing something to this.
The night before Christmas. This is great if you are having company and want to mix up a libation!
While preparing the Christmas meal —sometimes, you need to sip on a Christmas cocktail or a non-alcoholic version of one as you prepare the feast.
Throughout the holiday season, just because
Many of these easy drinks also double as New Year’s sippers, so the holiday season can be a test run for other events you might have coming up.
Citrus Cranberry Sangria
Mixers
Obviously, this depends on what recipe you’re mixing to share with your people, but here are some popular ingredients you might come across in the following recipes:
Fruit juices, like apple cider, cranberry juice, pineapple juice or pomegranate juice
Citrus juice, like lemon juice, orange juice and lime juice
Ginger beverages, like ginger ale or ginger beer
Sparkling drinks, like sparkling water, lemon lime soda, club soda, etc.
Alcohol (or zero proof spirits)
Sparkling Ginger Cranberry Mocktail
Garnishes for holiday drinks
In addition to what you’re mixing into your elegant drinks for Christmas and beyond, you’re going to need some festive garnishes, too.
Keep in mind that you should tie your garnish with what is actually IN the drink you’re serving. I love to utilize seasonal ingredients for both the drinks and the garnish because they add an extra festive touch.
Here are a few ideas:
Citrus, like fresh orange slices (blood orange or navel oranges), lime wedges or lemon slices
Fresh apples to make apple slices
Cinnamon sticks or even ground cinnamon to rim a glass
If you’re bringing these Christmas sippers on the go, make sure they’re safely packaged. Nobody wants drinks to spill in transport or those drinks to be sopping into the mats of your car! And nobody wants an open bottle of booze or liquid rolling around the backseat of their car, either.
Here is how I would prepare and then transport ingredients with me to wherever I’m going:
Make any syrups or garnishes beforehand. This includes simple syrup, sugared cranberries, etc.
If possible, make the pitcher drink(s) at home and transport in large sealed jars. This way, you won’t have to bring several bottles and a pitcher with you to your destination.
Package everything in a cooler. This way, it’ll stay chilled and also in one sealed place. If there are spills, they will not happen on the floor or seat of your car.
Don’t forget the tools! Don’t assume that your host will have the various tools you need (like a cocktail shaker, strainer, etc.) Bring those along with you in a separate bag or in the cooler with the ingredients.
Cranberry Moscow Mule (Yule Mule)
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
It’s fun to have boozy and non alcoholic Christmas drinks to mix on the day to celebrate the flavors of of the season and to pair with some really good food, too.
These are a great addition to a round of appetizers, but they can be served into the evening as a night cap, too.
Please note that these drinks aren’t just for people who drink alcohol. There are ways to make some of them into non-alcoholic cocktails and there are some specific Christmas mocktail recipes found below.
Drinks should’t clash with the recipes you’re serving at dinner, even if they come beforehand. Try to aim for a variety of flavors to complement what you will be serving.
Don’t forget to plan out how to serve each drink. This includes thinking through what glasses you’ll use, as well as what you need to mix and garnish them.
Plan to mix more than you expect. Sometimes, if a drink is excellent, people will want more. Which is fantastic! But you’ve got to have extra ingredients to mix more if your guests love it. I always make a double batch of simple syrup and make sure to have other ingredients on hand, should we want to mix more.
Here are some of our favorite Christmas drink ideas to serve throughout this festive season:
Christmas Cocktails
If you're looking for an alcoholic drink to serve throughout the Christmas Season, we have lots of ideas for you in this section! From bourbon drinks to vodka ones, rum and more, there's a little something for everyone.
1
Peppermint White Russian
A Peppermint White Russian is a fun twist on a classic cocktail. Combining just three ingredients, this peppermint schnapps drink is easy to make and even easier to sip. It’s perfect for the holidays with a candy cane rim!
Slightly tart and sweet with a hint of cinnamon, this Citrus Cranberry Sangria is perfect for the holidays! Whether you’re making a batch for Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday parties or anything in between, this winter sangria is wonderful for sharing.
Love amaro and bourbon? This Amaro Cocktail, which we lovingly call the Busted Pipe, is similar to an Old Fashioned and a Paper Plane. It’s a warming, sweet and bitter drink that’s perfect for sipping.
The Pomegranate French 75 makes a perfect celebratory cocktail to sip while ringing in the new year! A twist on a classic French 75, this recipe calls for prosecco or champagne, gin, freshly squeezed lime juice and Sprouts Pomegranate Italian Soda. The resulting drink is light, herbaceous and slightly sweet and a little tart. The effervescent Pomegranate French 75 would be a beautiful mixed cocktail to serve at a New Year’s Eve party!
This Cranberry Moscow Mule is a lovely Christmas sipper. Also known as a Yule Mule, this twist on the classic cocktail highlights cranberry juice! Makes 1 drink, but can easily be made into a pitcher.
Get in the holiday spirit by making homemade Peppermint Vodka. It's easier than you think! Candy canes dissolve in a jar of vodka to create this simple infused alcohol. Mix Candy Cane Vodka into seasonal mixed drinks at holiday parties or add a shot to your hot chocolate for even more festive flavor. This infused alcohol creates so many unique cocktails for the season and is sure to add good cheer when shared with friends and family!
A seasonal twist on the classic whiskey cocktail, the Toasted Pecan Old Fashioned is a perfect cocktail for a chilly winter night. Toasted pecans soak in whiskey for days before the infused alcohol is poured atop a sugar and bitter mixture to make an Old Fashioned.
If you’re looking for a festive margarita that tastes amazing, this Homemade Pomegranate Margarita is it! Perfectly sweet and tart with a little bitterness, this 5-ingredient margarita is festive and delicious.
Winter citrus season is upon us… and what better way to enjoy the fruits of the season than by mixing up a pitcher of Winter Sangria? Full of pink grapefruit, cara cara or blood oranges, pears and pomegranates, this sangria is well-balanced and bursting with flavor.
‘Tis the season for all things GINGERBREAD! Get in the spirit by mixing up a spicy Gingerbread Mule. This cocktail starts with a ginger/cinnamon-infused vodka and a molasses simple syrup. When the ingredients are ready, mix with fresh lime juice and top with ginger beer before enjoying. With spice from the ginger, sweetness from the molasses, warmth from the cinnamon and acid from the lime juice, the Gingerbread Mule is balanced and spicy-sweet delicious!
Looking for a unique bourbon drink to enjoy during Thanksgiving, Christmas and other winter holidays? 100% pure cranberry juice mixes with bourbon, freshly squeezed lemon juice and homemade simple syrup to create this winter-flavored cocktail, called the Blizzard. Serve with frozen cranberries or ice, and enjoy this slightly sweet bourbon drink during the chilly months.
Winter sangria, chock full of orange and cranberry goodness, is combined with a favorite bottle of bubbly to create this cocktail. Spicy and not too sweet, Winter Sparkling Champagne Sangria is a perfect cold weather mixed drink!
The Cranberry Mule is a fun take on the more traditional Moscow Mule. Perfect as a Thanksgiving cocktail, this drink calls for cranberry, ginger beer and spiced rum, then is topped with sugared cranberries as garnish.
Need the perfect festive cocktail to serve this holiday season? A White Christmas Martini, rimmed with crushed candy canes is the perfect holiday dessert drink! Learn how to make this simple white chocolate cocktail recipe for easy entertaining and more!
Instead of milk and cookies for Santa, leave him a glass of Vegan Bourbon Pecan Milk Punch this Christmas. This twist on the classic New Orleans cocktail is VEGAN. Homemade pecan milk, made with pecans, rice, cinnamon and maple syrup, serves as the base of the drink. Combine the pecan milk with bourbon, amaretto, maple syrup and a little vanilla extract before shaking to combine. Serve cold with a favorite cookie throughout the chilly winter months.
If you're looking for an everyone-friendly drink to serve during Christmas, we've got several favorites here that are great for kids AND adults!
16
Sparkling Ginger Cranberry Mocktail
Serve up a Sparkling Ginger Cranberry Mocktail this New Year's Eve! This sparkling mocktail, which features tart unsweetened cranberry juice and spicy ginger beer, is a flavorful mixed drink to serve to individuals or a crowd. With options to make this drink as tasty as possible, it's perfect for both adults and children!
Light and bubbly, Blood Orange Mocktail Mules make a delightful sipper to serve during the winter months. Made with a few simple ingredients, this nonalcoholic drink is perfect for sharing.
Fresh cranberries, maple syrup, white grape juice and club soda make this delightful Cranberry Sparkler Mocktail into a holiday treat! Perfect for kids, expectant mamas and folks who don't drink to still feel celebrated.
This four-ingredient Pomegranate Ginger Orange Sparkling Mocktail recipe are easily made for an individual or a crowd. Perfect for the holidays, these mocktails are a fun, delicious sipper for all!
If you’re looking how to make a nonalcoholic margarita or a virgin margarita, you’re in the right place! This 4-ingredient mocktail is simple to make at home and doesn’t require any specialty ingredients!
Looking for a cozy cocktail or a mocktail to serve? Here are a few of our favorites…
21
Slow Cooker Hot Cocoa
Looking for the perfect snow day activity? Make Slow Cooker Hot Cocoa! Learn how to make hot cocoa that heats up quickly and tastes perfectly sweet. Great for sharing, this 4-ingredient hot cocoa recipe is simple to make and easy to enjoy!
Creamy and decadent, Baileys Coffee is a simple after dinner coffee cocktail to make at home. Calling for three ingredients, this coffee drink is a restaurant-quality treat!
Looking for a delicious warm drink to serve this winter? The Peppermint Patty Cocktail is it! Calling for just three ingredients, this hot chocolate cocktail is minty, sweet and perfect for all occasions.
A classic cocktail, Irish Coffee is easy and delicious to serve at home. Made with just four ingredients—coffee, Irish whiskey sugar and sweetened whipped cream—this coffee cocktail is perfect for any occasion.
Change up your hot cocoa game by adding vanilla sugar to a homemade cocoa mix for elevated flavors! This easy to make Gourmet Hot Chocolate is comforting and delicious.
Keep warm this winter with a mug of creamy Strawberry White Hot Chocolate! This twist on a classic hot cocoa calls for just four ingredients and gets its sweetness from strawberries and white chocolate chips. Top mugs of foamy strawberry hot chocolate with marshmallows, strawberries and extra white chocolate chips and enjoy. Whether you’re serving Strawberry White Hot Chocolate for Valentine’s Day or a snow day, it’s perfect for young and old!
Curl up with a mug of Pomegranate Hot Buttered Rum this winter. Traditional Hot Buttered Rum is given a facelift with pomegranate, thanks to homemade pomegranate rum and pomegranate juice. This mixed drink starts with a combination of softened butter, dark brown sugar and spices, then add boiling water, infused rum, pomegranate juice and a little maple! Perfect for a crowd or individual, this Pomegranate Hot Buttered Rum the ultimate cozy drink.
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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