Cocktail & Other Recipes Occasion Christmas

The 30 Best Christmas Cocktails

These festive drinks are made for the holidays.

Red Cranberry Ginger Mimosa in flute glass with speared sugared cranberries on marble surface

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is...a delicious cocktail! Scroll through this list for timeless holiday classics like Eggnog and Hot Buttered Rum; boozy versions of hot chocolate; and new riffs on classics like our Cranberry Ginger Mimosa and a Negroni that tastes like a Christmas tree. We’ve also included decadent after-dinner drinks and punches for a crowd.

Looking for non-alcoholic cocktails? We’ve got those! And if you want to focus on evergreen classics like the Martini and Manhattan, take a look at the two dozen classic cocktails every home bartender should know how to make.

Here are 30 festive cocktails that are sure to be a hit at your next holiday party.

  • Eggnog

    Eggnog

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    You won’t go back to store-bought after trying this delicious recipe with your choice of rum, bourbon, or brandy. Beating the egg yolks and whites separately before recombining them makes for an extra-luscious texture.

    Get the recipe.

  • Boozy Hot Chocolate

    Boozy Hot Chocolate

    Liquor.com / TIm Nusog

    When hot chocolate cravings strike, skip the powdered stuff and make this recipe with high-quality semisweet chocolate and milk. Spike with your spirit of choice (we recommend aged spirits like a dark rum or añejo tequila).

    Get the recipe.

  • Cranberry-Ginger Mimosa

    Cranberry-Ginger Mimosa

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This simple recipe might become your go-to drink for Christmas brunch. Just top cranberry juice and ginger beer with Champagne, then garnish with sugared cranberries.

    Get the recipe.

  • Brandy Alexander

    Creamy Brandy Alexander cocktail in a coupe glass with angular etching, and a dusting of nutmeg

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This decadent classic combines cognac, dark creme de cacao, and cream. Serve with—or in lieu of—dessert.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 5 of 30 below.
  • Coquito

    Coquito in rocks glass on tan marble countertop, with cinnamon stick garnish

    Liquor.com / Carson Downing

    Similar to Eggnog, rum-based Coquito calls for cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk. It’s often made for sharing, and this version of the classic Puerto Rican recipe, from bartender Giuseppe González, serves at least 16.

    Get the recipe.

  • Hot Buttered Rum

    Hot Buttered Rum

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Our recipe for this winter classic has an unexpected ingredient: softened vanilla ice cream. Combined with butter, sugar, and spices, the ice cream creates a smooth batter that won’t become lumpy when you blend it with rum and boiling water. 

    Get the recipe.

  • Irish Coffee

    Irish Coffee

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    The ultimate after-dinner drink might also be the simplest. Top Irish whiskey and two teaspoons of brown sugar with freshly brewed coffee, then garnish with freshly whipped cream. 

    Get the recipe.

  • Apple Cranberry Moscow Mule

    Apple Cranberry Moscow Mule

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    If you already have Moscow Mule supplies on hand, you don’t need much for this seasonal upgrade. Just add cran-apple juice to the classic combination of vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer, then garnish with fresh cranberries and an apple slice. 

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 9 of 30 below.
  • Glögg

    Glogg cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Try Scandinavia’s answer to mulled wine with this warming big-batch drink. Dried figs and raisins add nutty complexity to a mix of red wine, port, vodka, light brown sugar, oranges, and holiday spices.

    Get the recipe.

  • Hot Toddy

    Hot Toddy

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    A Hot Toddy is traditionally made with whiskey, but any brown spirit can work, including añejo tequila and dark rum. The simple and warming classic also includes hot water, lemon juice, sugar, and spices.

    Get the recipe.

  • Espresso Martini

    Espresso Martini in ornate footed cocktail glass, with three espresso beans as garnish

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Make this eternal crowd-pleaser for your holiday parties or gatherings with vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and simple syrup. Cold brew concentrate is a good substitute if you don’t have an espresso machine.

    Get the recipe.

  • Naughty or Nice

    Naughty or Nice punch

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Let your guests decide. This inventive punch from Seattle bar pro Jamie Boudreau serves two. The combination of London dry gin, maraschino liqueur, chardonnay, pinot noir, and ginger ale can also be scaled up or down in volume as you please.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 13 of 30 below.
  • Pear Tree Martini

    Pear Tree Martini

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This refreshing drink includes spiced pear vodka, St-Germain liqueur, lime juice, and Angostura bitters. Christmas carols optional.

    Get the recipe.

  • Wassail

    Wassail cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This rich and nutty take on the Christmas classic from bartender Chantal Tseng calls for a base of brown ale and oloroso sherry. The big-batch drink for a crowd of 10–12 also includes apples, lemon zest, brown sugar, and plenty of warming holiday spices.

    Get the recipe.

  • Tom & Jerry

    Tom & Jerry cocktail in clear coffee mug with metal spoon and dusting of nutmeg on top

    Liquor.com / Carson Downing

    This classic recipe dates to 1820s England, but its cozy appeal has lasted well into the 21st century. The irresistible drink combines a rich batter made from eggs, dark rum, and vanilla extract with boiling water, dark rum, cognac, and whole milk.

    Get the recipe.

  • Christmas Punch

    Christmas Punch

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This fruit-forward and spicy drink combines light rum, cranberry and tart cherry juices, ginger ale, rich simple syrup, fresh ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Make a batch for the kid’s table: It’s equally flavorful without the booze.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 17 of 30 below.
  • Golden Cadillac

    Golden Cadillac cocktail

      Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Cap off a special meal with this retro drink. Equal parts anise-flavored Galliano liqueur, white creme de cacao, and heavy cream create a rich, herbaceous, and timeless cocktail.

    Get the recipe.

  • Chocolate Martini

    Chocolate Martini cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Shake together vodka, chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao, and heavy cream and you have a drinkable dessert. Looking for a more festive drink? Rim the glass with chocolate syrup and crushed-up candy canes.

    Get the recipe.

  • Stranger in the Alps

    Stranger in the Alps cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Consider this drink a Christmas tree Negroni. A juniper-forward gin and an alpine amaro add piney and herbaceous notes to the classic mix of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. For added depth, the glass is rinsed with a special fir brandy.

    Get the recipe.

  • Pink Squirrel

    Pink Squirrel in an ornate coupe glass with lightly separate layer of pink foam and nutmeg dusting

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Fans of the Brandy Alexander or Grasshopper might find a new favorite in the Pink Squirrel, which combines almond-flavored creme de noyaux, white creme de cacao, and heavy cream. In a pinch you can substitute amaretto for the creme de noyaux, though you won’t get the signature pink hue.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 21 of 30 below.
  • Rosemary-Pomegranate Soda

    Rosemary Pomegranate Soda non alcoholic cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This drink is spirit-free, but it will bring plenty of holiday spirit, thanks to an herbaceous rosemary simple syrup, pomegranate juice, and soda water. If you also want to serve a traditional cocktail, you can use the homemade syrup for a Rosemary Paloma.

    Get the recipe.

  • The Nice List

    The Nice List cocktail

    Thompson Hotel Savannah

    Making one of these may be the easiest way to gain a spot on the nice list. A spiced cranberry syrup adds festive notes to this Cosmopolitan-esque mixture of vodka, peach mead, and Cointreau.

    Get the recipe.

  • Bring Me Back Something French

    Bring Me Back Something French

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Add an ounce of absinthe to homemade hot chocolate for a grown-up twist on the classic. Vanilla whipped cream, sprinkles, and Pocky garnish keep things playful.

    Get the recipe.

  • Spiced Eggnog

    Spiced Eggnog
    Jeffrey Morgenthaler

    Bar pro Jeffrey Morgenthaler of our 2023 Best New Bar Pacific Standard loves all Eggnog, “even the crappy stuff from the grocery store,” he says. There’s nothing crappy about his upgraded version, which he makes in a blender with eggs, brandy, spiced rum, whole milk, heavy cream, and superfine sugar.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 25 of 30 below.
  • Porto Flip

    Porto Flip

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Port is often consumed as an after-dinner drink, but this festive flip cocktail from bar pro Allen Katz is an even more special option. He combines ruby port, cognac, heavy cream, and a whole egg, then tops the drink with a barspoon of Yellow Chartreuse for herbaceous notes. 

    Get the recipe.

  • Under the Mistletoe

    Under the Mistletoe cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Gin drinkers will embrace this cocktail, which also includes muddled cranberries and oranges, cranberry juice, and soda water. It makes a festive alternative to typical cranberry-juice drinks like the Cape Codder.

    Get the recipe.

  • Tea & Krampus

    Tea & Krampus cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Make this holiday-themed cocktail for tropical-drink fans. The recipe from Martin Cate of Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco includes two rums, blackberry liqueur, allspice dram, lime and pineapple juices, vanilla syrup, and Angostura bitters.

    Get the recipe.

  • Love & Murder

    Love & Murder Cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    For a loose take on a red-and-green cocktail, mix up this herbaceous combination of Campari, Green Chartreuse (or one of our favorite substitutes), fresh lime juice, and simple syrup from Porchlight bar director Nick Bennett. The secret ingredient: a touch of salt.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 29 of 30 below.
  • Bourbon Milk Punch

    Bourbon Milk Punch

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Craving the richness of Eggnog but short on time? You can make this New Orleans classic right in the shaker with bourbon, whole milk, simple syrup, and vanilla extract.

    Get the recipe.

  • Ponche Navideño

    Ponce Navideno

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This fragrant and warming punch is a Christmas staple in Mexico. Wherever you are in the world, bring its flavors home with a list of ingredients that includes light rum, apples, pears, tamarind paste, piloncillo, spices, raisins, and dried hibiscus flowers.

    Get the recipe.