Some Great Holiday Drinks and Cocktails

By Sherril Steele-Carlin

Holiday cocktail parties are all the rage today, and luckily, there are plenty of wonderful cocktail recipes to keep your guests from getting bored at the bar. Here are a few of the best recipes for cocktails this holiday season.

Holiday Hug

30ml Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
15ml vodka
60ml cream

Blend all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain. Pour into glass.

Christmas Hug Shooter

1/3 ounce Parfait Amour
1/3 ounce cherry brandy
1/3 ounce Irish cream Liqueur

Layer ingredients in a shot glass and serve.

Champagne Cocktail

Champagne
Dash of Cognac
1 lump sugar
3 drops bitters
Lemon twist

Add Cognac, sugar, and bitters to a champagne glass. Fill with champagne, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Christmas Martini

3 ounces gin
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
1 tsp. peppermint schnapps
Miniature candy cane

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the miniature candy cane.

In The Pink

1.25 ounces vodka
3 ounces cranberry juice
1 ounce lemon juice
.5 ounces simple sugar syrup
Soda water

Shake all ingredients except soda water in a cocktail shaker and strain into glass. Top with soda water, and garnish with an orange slice.

Mulled Wine

1/2 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 fresh orange (with peel)
A few cloves (stick through orange peel)
4 cinnamon Sticks
1 lemon (zest only)
1 bottle of good red wine
One ounce good brandy

Mix together and rest overnight (or 18 hours). Add one ounce of brandy before serving. Strain and serve warm. Serves 8-10 people.

Naughty Eggnog

2 ounces Cognac
12 ounces eggnog
2 ounces Frangelico

Add the Frangelico and cognac to the eggnog. Mix well, and serve in small glasses. You can add or subtract the Cognac and Frangelico to your own taste.

Champagne Punch

1 lg. bottle champagne
1 qt. ginger ale
3/4 cup vodka
1 cup apricot brandy

Mix champagne, vodka and brandy. Add ginger ale just before serving. Place in punch bowl with ice ring to keep cool.

Berry Patch

4 ounces cranberry juice
1 ounce raspberry liqueur
1 ounce vodka

Pour cranberry juice, raspberry liqueur and vodka over crushed ice in brandy snifter. Serves 1.

Sherbet Punch

2 lg. cans Hawaiian Punch
1 lg. can orange juice
1/2 can water
1/2 qt. ginger ale or 7-Up
2 cups apricot brandy
2 cups vodka

Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl. Scoop balls of lime, orange, raspberry sherbet ice cream on top.

Wassail

2 (32 oz.) jars low-calorie cranberry juice cocktail
2 cups water
1 (6 oz.) can frozen pineapple-orange or orange juice concentrate, thawed
12 sticks cinnamon – 1-inch long
3 whole cloves
1/2 cup whiskey or bourbon (optional)
Orange slices
Stick cinnamon

In large kettle, combine first 5 ingredients. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon and cloves. Stir in whiskey, if desired. Serve warm with orange slices and cinnamon stick. Makes 20 servings.

Homemade Eggnog

1 doz. eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 qt. heavy cream, whipped
1 pt. whiskey

Beat 1 dozen egg yolks with all the sugar until creamy. Slowly add the whiskey and 1 quart whipped cream. Beat egg whites. Gently fold egg whites into mixture. Pour into punch bowl and serve.

Christmas Slush

9 cups water
4 tea bags
2 cups sugar
12 ounces frozen orange juice
1 pt. Southern Comfort
1 cup Squirt
1 cup 7-Up

Heat water and make tea. Stir all contents together (except Squirt and 7-Up) and freeze until slushy. When ready to serve, add Squirt and 7-Up and garnish with raspberries or strawberries.

All or any of these would make a great addition to your holiday party. Keep it simple and choose only one or two to serve to your guests, along with beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. Be sure to have a designated driver for each group at your party, too!