35 Fun Christmas Cocktails and Drinks

Need a Christmas cocktail that’s quick and easy? My Christmas Moscow Mule is a spin on the classic that's a zingy, festive combination of cranberry juice, vodka, peppermint schnaps and ginger beer. It’s so simple you can build it right in the glass, no cocktail shakers required! 

This cranberry Aperol spritz recipe is sweet tart, fruity, and even tastier than a standard Aperol spritz (in my opinion). It’s simple to make and looks stunning. Everyone loves a spritz as a signature drink for parties.

This Christmas martini is a great signature Christmas cocktail: sweet tart, drinkable and festive! This martini is the perfect fit for entertaining. It’s easy to mix up and the color is brilliant from the cranberry juice. You can also make it as a pitcher for easy prep.

Try this Christmas Punch: fruity and delicious, with a sparkle from ginger ale. You can make it with rum or omit it for a non-alcoholic drink. Either way, it tastes sweet tart and looks lovely with sliced citrus, rosemary, and cranberries. The big bowl is great for serving a crowd.

Meet another of my favorite Christmas cocktails, the Christmas Margarita! This bright red drink has a bright color and a crisp, sweet tart flavor. It’s got all the character of the classic margarita, but decorated up for the holidays.

This pomegranate mojito is bright and beautiful, with a tangy minty flavor! Starring mint and bright red pomegranate juice, it makes a big pitcher that’s perfect for Christmas. This is one of my favorite mojito variations!

This Gingerbread Martini is a fun, festive Christmas drink: just sweet enough and packed with cozy cinnamon, allspice and ginger. It tastes like a liquid gingerbread cookie: it’s only 3 ingredients and a festive cocktail for holiday entertaining. 

This Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail is one of my favorite signature drinks: balanced, sweet-tart, and complex, with fruity notes and depth from sweet vermouth. It's a a great celebratory Christmas cocktail that bourbon lovers will appreciate. The vermouth adds an herbal complexity that keeps it interesting.

Here’s a delightful signature drink: try the Peppermint Martini! This drink is creamy and minty fresh, a tasty combination of peppermint schnapps and chocolate liqueur. Cozy up with one by the fire, or drink it as a fun Christmas cocktail with appetizers.

The bubbly apple cider spritz is another personal favorite and one of the easiest Christmas cocktails, pairing Aperol with apple cider and Prosecco. Build it right in the glass and top with an apple slice, and it’s perfect for any party.

The Poinsettia is a fun cranberry champagne drink that my family has been making for Christmas for years! Its brilliant color and cozy vibe makes it the perfect for holiday parties and Christmas Eve. It uses only a few simple ingredients.

There’s nothing better at taking the chill off than a homemade Spiked Hot Chocolate! This mug of liquid cocoa is rich and creamy, with an intense depth in chocolate flavor. A hint of aged rum or bourbon gives it a warming complexity with notes of vanilla and oak.

Looking for non-alcoholic Christmas drinks? This cranberry mocktail with ginger beer and orange is sweet tart and delicious with only 3 ingredients! It’s easy to whip up for parties and everyone raves.

What better way to start a holiday party than a great Mulled Wine? Make up a big pot, and it fills your kitchen with an intoxicating aroma of toasted allspice and cinnamon. This recipe is just sweet enough, balancing the bold fruity wine with mulling spices, citrus, and oak and vanilla notes on the finish. 

This holiday punch is bright and bubbly, topped with citrus fruits, berries, and fresh herbs that make it look like a work of art. Sparkling wine makes sweet-tart bubbles, and the flavor comes from ginger ale, orange liqueur, and pineapple juice. I love serving this at parties because it looks fancy but comes together quickly.

Even just saying the words "hot buttered rum" makes you warm inside! This historic drink has been around for centuries and is often enjoyed during the Christmas season. This version is subtly sweet, cozy-spiced with cinnamon and allspice, and spirit-forward with boozy dark rum.

This seasonal margarita is tangy and balanced, ]pairing the spicy notes of tequila and citrusy lime with the sweet cider. Top it off with a cinnamon sugar rim, and every sip is a delight. You can make it in a pitcher for Christmas parties!

The Pomegranate Gin Fizz is another one of my favorite signature drinks for Christmas. The pomegranate adds a fruity sweet tart flavor and gives the drink a brilliant jewel-toned color! It impresses everyone every time we serve it.

Why not wake up on Christmas morning to a Christmas Mimosa? Rich pomegranate juice contrasts with the citrus sweetness of orange, topped off with a profusion of bubbles. This one is a fun tradition for Christmas breakfast or brunch with gingerbread waffles or snowman pancakes.

This ruby red Pomegranate Punch stars pomegranate juice and fresh citrus with a hint of maple syrup for natural sweetness. It's not overly sweet like many punches, and the flavor is complex and sophisticated. I serve it in a large punch bowl with ice and lots of garnishes: it's a real showstopper!

Try this vibrant Christmas Sangria, a festive pitcher for a crowd with cozy flavors of cranberry and apple. You'll be amazed by how this Christmas cocktail is cozy and refreshing all at once. The fruit soaks up the wine and becomes boozy and delicious: I always make sure to serve the fruit along with the drinks.

A hot toddy is one thing, but even better is an Apple Cider Hot Toddy! Apple cider is the ideal balance in a hot toddy: it brings just the right sweet-tart nuance to the flavor. The combination of bourbon, lemon, honey, and cider is pure comfort. It's simple to make a big batch for guests at your holiday party.

This cozy-spiced Christmas coffee is such a fun holiday drink. I mix up a homemade gingerbread syrup with brown sugar and whole spices to infuse the hints of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into every sip. Spike it with Baileys for a Christmas cocktail, or drink it straight for non-alcoholic. It's great for Christmas morning when you're opening presents or as an after-dinner drink with dessert.

This famous French cocktail stars black currant liqueur and sparkling wine, and the berries and bubbles suit each other perfectly. Its deep burgundy color is gorgeous in champagne flutes, and it feels elegant without any fuss since you can build it right in the glass.

Here's a spin on the classic whiskey sour that will have everyone talking: this cranberry orange whiskey sour! This fruity combination is perfect for winter and fall cocktails, and the bright berries add a tart intensity to the finish of each sip. The cranberry-orange combo is festive but simple!

Here's a cozy Christmas cocktail that makes your kitchen smell like a holiday wonderland: spiked and spiced apple cider! It's very easy to make, and the rum complements the cinnamon, cloves, and star anise perfectly. For non-alcoholic, try my favorite Mulled Cider.

The Peppermint Patty is hot chocolate spiked with not one but two liqueurs, adding both mint and chocolate flavors to the rich body of this drink. It's delicious with homemade hot chocolate, but you can also make it with purchased hot cocoa mix for a quicker version. The combination of peppermint and chocolate is classic for a reason: it just works!

Cider pairs perfectly with sweet and spicy bourbon in this sophisticated Christmas cocktail! It's got a hint of lemon and sweet vermouth rounds out the flavors into a meld that's intriguing, complex, and highly drinkable. Maple syrup adds just a touch of sweetness.

This Christmas cocktail looks like snow in a glass: milk punch! A cousin of eggnog, this tasty drink is one of the oldest cocktails there is, featuring brandy, bourbon, milk and sugar. The creamy, cool milk is ideal paired with the spice of the brandy and the nuance of vanilla extract.

The combination of sweet-tart pomegranate, orange perfume, and airy bubbles is one of the most satisfying in all my cocktail recipes. It's perfect for holiday brunch or an evening Christmas cocktail. The pomegranate seeds floating in the glass add visual appeal and little bursts of flavor as you drink.

Here’s a fun Christmas cocktail ideal for any whiskey lover: try the Apple Cider Old Fashioned! Swapping out the sugar for apple cider syrup infuses fruity, spiced seasonal flavor into this classic drink. Each sip has notes of apple and orange, cinnamon and spice, and vanilla and oak.

The French 77 is a spin on the classic French 75 that adds St Germain elderflower liqueur. It’s bubbly and effervescent, with the floral undertones, a botanical pop from the gin and the zing of fresh lemon juice. If you need a signature cocktail to impress, this is the one.

The Brandy Hot Toddy is a spin on the classic hot toddy that pairs the fruity, sweet taste of brandy with apple and cinnamon. Adding hot water opens up the flavor of the liquor so you can appreciate the complexity in each sip. I love serving this in a big batch for parties!

This drink has loads of sweet-tart flavor, balancing crisp cranberry with tangy lime and spicy ginger. Sip it out of an ice-cold copper mug, and it's the ideal Christmas cocktail for a crowd. I make these (and my other seasonal mule recipes) by the dozen at holiday parties!

Want a sweet, sumptuous hot drink for Christmas? This creamy drink is full of big flavor: deep chocolate, vanilla notes, and the rum and caramel finish of Kahlua. The Kahlua is nuanced and subtle, adding a warming effect to each sip. If you’re a fan of this coffee liqueur, this is the Christmas cocktail for you.

Want a Christmas cocktail that’s sweet and creamy? This Peppermint White Russian has a bright, minty finish that melds into the Kahlua and cream perfectly. The peppermint takes the classic White Russian and gives it a festive holiday twist.