Food and Recipes Holiday and Occasion Food 35 Christmas Cocktail Recipes We Love A signature holiday cocktail is a must. By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photographer: Frederick Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley We love raising a glass during the holidays–who doesn't? But it can be challenging to sift through the many Christmas cocktail recipes out there to find the best ones that fit your holiday party needs. So we've done the work for you and collected our favorite festive holiday cocktail recipes that guests will be begging you to show them how to make. From classics like Milk Punch with fresh nutmeg to a spicy, impressive Gingerbread Martini, we've picked the best for your holiday cocktail entertaining needs. We've got holiday mocktails for festive toasts with little ones and a big-batch options for your Christmas Day brunch cocktails. With these options, you will find an easy holiday cocktail to enjoy this season. 01 of 35 Retro Rum Punch Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower/Claire Spollen This not-too-fruity cocktail is going to be a crowd-pleaser. Mix dark spiced and white rums with various juices to get this sweet and refreshing drink. Garnish with frozen cranberries and sliced pineapple. 02 of 35 Williams Family Wassail Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis This quick wassail recipe is a family tradition and will warm you to the toes. Plus, this drink makes your kitchen smell incredible at the same time. Before serving, add cinnamon sticks and lemon slices and serve warm. 03 of 35 Rosemary Collins Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Have all the fixings for this easy cocktail on the bar cart this holiday season to ensure you're always ready for drop-in guests. This classic cocktail combines gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, club soda, and ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig for a sophisticated presentation. 04 of 35 Berry Juniper Fizz Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Believe it or not folks, this is a mocktail. However, you could easily add gin to make this drink that looks like it should be served at a fancy hotel. 05 of 35 White Chocolate Martini Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly Food Stylist: Ali Ramee This cocktail is a dessert and drink wrapped into one. This smooth and creamy martini is the elegant dessert cocktail you should try this holiday season. Top with shaved dark chocolate. 06 of 35 Triple B Milk Punch Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke The three b's in this Southern holiday drink are buttermilk, bourbon and brandy. This Southern trifecta is what Southern drinker's dreams are made of. If you are tired of rich eggnog, you might want to try Milk Punch which is the holiday drink's Southern cousin. 07 of 35 Montgomery Punch Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Julia found this recipe in a cookbook by the Junior League of Montgomery, Alabama, where the punch is a town staple. In addition to the ice ring, orange and lemon slices and cranberries float beautifully in this big punch bowl. 08 of 35 Ambrosia Cocktail Photo: Hector Sanchez This cocktail is from the kitchen of Amy Mikkelsen, Atlanta, Georgia. Add some marshmallows and cherries for a festive garnish for this cocktail inspired by the Southern side dish popular during the holidays. 09 of 35 Sparkling Punch Photo: Jennifer Davick When serving these signature cocktails, you'll see smiles all around at your festive gathering. Cranberries are one of the unofficial fruits of the holidays, so this inspired punch is a perfect fit. Serve with or without alcohol. 10 of 35 Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch Ralph Anderson This warm whiskey cocktail will keep you cozy on cold nights. Topped with a maple-cream mixture and fresh nutmeg, it may taste more like a dessert than a cocktail. 11 of 35 Merry Berry Christmas, Sugar! Ralph Anderson Make the kids feel like a part of the festivities with this mint and berry "mocktail." With fresh raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, Merry Berry Christmas, Sugar! party beverage is also great in the summertime, but its vibrant red color makes it ideal for Christmas. 12 of 35 Mississippi Bourbon Punch Photo: Ralph Anderson Muscadine wine is the star of this spirited concoction. Combine grenadine, bourbon, and a variety of fruit juices and sodas for a flavorful holiday cocktail. 13 of 35 Vanilla-Rosemary Lemonade Ralph Anderson This cocktail is exceptional when made with freshly squeezed lemon juice. It's worth it to take the time to squeeze fresh lemons for this drink. Vanilla beans, rosemary sprigs, and lemon slices blend perfectly in this lemonade. 14 of 35 Peppermint Martini Photographer: Frederick Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Trim the tree and get in the holiday spirit with a classic Peppermint Martini. Instead of olives, top this cocktail with a candy cane or mint. The splash of Irish cream liqueur keeps this cocktail smooth and creamy. 15 of 35 Gingerbread Martini Photo: Ralph Anderson Re-invent a favorite flavor of the holiday season into a tasty cocktail. Carry the taste further by dipping martini glasses in ginger liqueur and crushed gingersnaps. 16 of 35 Spiffed-Up Orange-Rosé Spritzer Add a touch of sparkle to your white wine with this easy Wine Spritzer recipe. Photo Courtesy: Shannon Graham For a light version of a classic summer Spritzer, try this sparkling rosé and orange juice option, ideal for its festive colors. Garnish with orange slices, or try this recipe with other juices you prefer. 17 of 35 Pomegranate Mimosas Chef Mo Pomegranate juice adds a festive—and healthy—splash of red to your holiday cocktails. Make our mimosas by mixing to taste with Champagne, sparkling water, or a lemon-lime soft drink such as Sprite. 18 of 35 Cherry Bourbon Cheerwine Becky Luigart Stayner Celebrate in style with this holiday beverage. This vintage-inspired cocktail uses Cheerwine soft drink and a variety of additional cherry flavorings. Fresh lemon juice and a lemon wedge garnish are the perfect complements. 19 of 35 French 75 Photo: Charles Walton IV When made with high-quality ingredients, this is the perfect sipping cocktail. Gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup combine for this classic drink. 20 of 35 Cherry Blossom Cocktail Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee This festive red cocktail is perfect for Christmas. It's fruity and slightly tart but sweet from the grenadine. Fresh or frozen cranberries make this drink look more holiday-themed. 21 of 35 The Best Classic Eggnog Traditional eggnog that comes together with only five ingredients—sign us up. Mix the ingredients and let guests choose which spirit to include. Serve it cold, sprinkled with nutmeg. 22 of 35 Cranberry Mojito Photo: Iain Bagwell Introduce the tart fall flavor of cranberries to your favorite minty cocktail. This classic mojito gets a holiday makeover by adding a tablespoon of cranberry reduction. Make the cranberry reduction up to a week ahead of time to have on hand. 23 of 35 Blushing Mimosas Photo: Ralph Anderson; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine The classic mimosa is equal parts orange juice and Champagne. In this cocktail recipe, pineapple juice and grenadine add a twist of flavor and color. 24 of 35 Coquito Oana Ennis/Allrecipes A traditional Christmas punch in Puerto Rico, this coconut and rum cocktail might be your new favorite. It's similar to eggnog but uses coconut milk and unsweetened coconut cream. Garnish with nutmeg or any other spices you prefer. 25 of 35 Texas Santa Punch Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham When it comes to making a good cocktail, a fresh squeezed lime can make all the difference, and it's true for this Santa Texas Punch recipe. Just a few simple ingredients including pomegranate juice, lime and tequila make this drink outrageously delicious, but take the time to juice those limes yourself. 26 of 35 Big Batch Bourbon Ginger Ale Punch Caitlin Bensel Easily double or triple this punch recipe, depending on your party size. This bourbon-flavored cocktail combines chilled ginger ale, Champagne, bourbon, and lime syrup for a refreshing drink in five minutes. 27 of 35 Aperol-Bourbon Fizz Becky Luigart Stayner Bourbon fans will love this cocktail. Using an orange peel to twist around the glass adds a sophisticated touch to this beverage. 28 of 35 Lemon-Lime-Rosemary Punch Caitlin Bensel While this drink might start off as a non-alcoholic punch, just add a bit of your favorite spirit of choice to get you and your guests into the holiday spirit. This classic, Southern punch recipe is transformed into something elegant with the addition of rosemary sprigs. 29 of 35 Cranberry Sangría Punch Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith No party is complete without a glass of sangria, and this one was made for the holidays. With so many fresh flavors of the season all topped with Champagne, you simply cannot go wrong with this drink. 30 of 35 Spiced Orange-Bourbon Punch Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith Few things in life look more festive than this bourbon punch. The simple syrup is made of all the spices of the season from clove to star anise to allspice, making it an ultimate seasonal savor. 31 of 35 Mint-and-White-Chocolate Milk Punch Iain Bagwell Yes, we already have one Milk Punch on this list, but this recipe is not one to miss. The combination of mint and white chocolate tastes like a winter wonderland, and who doesn't love that? 32 of 35 Hot Bourbon-Orange Tea Toddy Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas You can't have the holidays without a hot toddy in hand. If you are feeling a little bit under the weather while prepping your next holiday party, make sure to put this drink on your menu. With tea, lemon and honey, it's essentially a cure any and all seasonal ailments you may be experiencing. 33 of 35 Cran-Raspberry-Vanilla Punch Alison Miksch This festive drink really packs a punch. We love the festive color of this drink, making it the perfect pairing for any holiday spread. All you need to do is add your spirit of choice to make a cocktail your guests won't soon forget 34 of 35 Espresso Martini Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Sometimes, we just need a little holiday pick-me-up, and this recipe will do it! With a shot of espresso, this martini is sure to give you the wake-up-call you are looking for. 35 of 35 Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail Southern Living Pomegranate anything is delicious and the bright red color makes this drink perfect for the holidays. The turbinado sugar cube in this drink adds a sweet, almost brown sugar flavor to this cocktail, too. Pair those perfect holiday cocktails with these 20 Easy Finger Food Appetizers To Serve This Christmas. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit