Here are some fantastic Christmas cocktails that are sure to get you feeling festive!
Classic Snowball
This is a super quick and easy classic which should be a part of any festive cocktail menu.
What you need…
- 50ml advocaat
- 50ml sparkling lemonade
- Ice, to serve
- 1 maraschino cherry
How to…
- Mix the advocaat and lemonade in a tall glass filled with ice. Stir gently until the outside of the glass feels cold.
- Garnish with the maraschino cherry, simple quick and so easy!
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Salted Caramel Pecan Sour
A modern version of a classic cocktail and perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth!
What you need…
- 100g pecans finely chopped
- 160g golden caster sugar
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- Reyka 300ml vodka
- 3 egg whites
- 120ml fresh clementine juice (about 2-3 clementines)
- 18 drops chocolate bitters (we used Fee brothers Aztec chocolate bitters)
- ice
- 6 dehydrated orange slices, to serve
- good grating of nutmeg to serve
How to…
- Toast the pecans in a dry saucepan for 1-2 mins, then take off the heat.
- Quickly add the sugar and 80ml water, stir rapidly to dissolve the sugar, add the salt, then leave the mixture to cool completely. Pour through a sieve to remove the pecans.
- Pour the pecan salted caramel syrup, vodka, egg whites, clementine juice and bitters into a cocktail shaker. Shake hard for 30 secs to add volume to the egg white.
- Add some ice and shake again for a further 15 secs, then strain into rocks or coupe glasses.
- Garnish each with a dehydrated orange slice and grate fresh nutmeg over, to taste. Serve immediately.
Gingerbread Espresso Martini
Add a little festive spirt to a classic favorite!
What you need…
- 25ml espresso
- 10ml gingerbread syrup
- 40ml gin
- 15ml cream
- Sprinkle of ground nutmeg
How to…
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add your espresso, gingerbread syrup and gin. Shake well.
- Strain into a martini or coupe cocktail glass. Remove the ice from your shaker and rinse, then add the cream and shake for a minute, so it goes a little frothy. (That bit is optional!)
- Gently pour your cream over the back of a teaspoon so it floats on top of your drink.
- Sprinkle with a little ground nutmeg (cinnamon or ginger will also work here). Serve immediately!
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Chilled Mulled Elderflower Wine
A great alternative drink for the festive season!
What you need…
- white wine 3 bottles, such as soave
- cloudy apple juice 500ml
- elderflower cordial 250ml
- lemons 2, then juiced
- vanilla pods 2, split down the centre lengthways
- golden caster or granulated sugar 200g
- soda to serve
- ice to serve
How to…
- If you don’t have a big enough saucepan or casserole, you can split the ingredients into 2 batches and make them separately. Otherwise, put all the ingredients into your largest pan (a preserving pan is good), then bring very gently to a simmer. As soon as the liquid reaches simmering point, turn off the heat and leave the mixture to infuse as it cools to room temperature.
- Once at room temerature, decant into a large glass drink dispenser, jug, or back into the wine bottles, and chill until ready to serve. To serve, fish out the vanilla pods, pour into tumblers with lots of ice, and top up with soda water, if you like.
Chai White Russian
Colder months call for the warming spices of chai.
What you need…
- Chai-tea infused milk 75ml, cooled
- vodka 50ml
- coffee liqueur 25ml
- ice
How to…
- Put the coffee liqueur in a glass and fill with ice.
- Mix the vodka with the chai tea and pour over the top.
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Marmalade and Mandarin Mojito
A delicious jammy cocktail that only takes five minutes.
What you need…
- marmalade 1 rounded tsp
- dark rum 2 tbsp
- mandarin 1, plus 1 slice
- star anise 1
- ice or chilled tonic water to serve
How to…
- Put the marmalade, dark rum, mandarin juice and slice, and the star anise in a jar, screw on the lid and leave until ready to serve.
- To finish, add some ice to the jar, screw the lid back on and shake well to mix and chill everything. Top up with tonic, then serve.
White Sparkle Champagne Cocktail
A great sparkling Christmas party cocktail
What you need…
- egg white 1
- sugar coloured or granulated
- white grape juice 300ml
- Cointreau 150ml
- lime cordial 75ml
- sparkling wine or champagne 750ml, chilled
How to…
- Decorate the glasses for an extra special touch. Put the egg white and the sugar in two separate small bowls. Dip the rims of the glasses in the egg white and then in the sugar, so you have an even coating on the rim of each glass. Leave to set.
- Mix the grape juice, cointreau and lime cordial in a jug. Chill until needed.
- Divide the cocktail base between your glasses to come about ⅓ of the way up the glass.
- Top up with chilled sparkling wine or Champagne and serve.
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Christmas Cake Martini
All of the flavours of a traditional Christmas cake in liquid form.
What you need…
- whisky 50ml
- almond-flavoured sugar syrup 5ml
- cherry brandy 5ml
- cognac 5ml
- lime juice 5ml
- cherry to serve
- ground cinnamon to serve
How to…
- Put all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with some ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Decorate with a cinnamon-dusted cherry.
