These festive holiday drinks are perfect for all your gatherings! Find both holiday cocktails and non-alcoholic options perfect for holiday parties, Christmas morning, or cozy winter evenings by the fire.
After years of hosting and entertaining, I’ve realized something: a great signature drink takes a party from meh to festive! I’ve tested dozens of holiday cocktails and mocktails to find out which ones actually taste good, are easy enough to make, and spark that “ooh, what is that?” reaction.
I’ve put together a list of all my favorite holiday drinks, whether you’re hosting Christmas dinner, need a signature cocktail for New Year’s Eve, or just want something festive to sip on a quiet evening. I’ve included everything from quick two-ingredient sparklers to more warm drinks that’ll make your house smell incredible. Let’s get to it!
My Top Festive Holiday Drinks
First up: the Poinsettia! This cranberry champagne cocktail has a brilliant color and cozy vibe that make it the perfect holiday drink to make any party more fun. It’s got just a few simple ingredients: cranberry juice, Cointreau, and champagne.
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A holiday drink perfect for a crowd is this Holiday Punch! It’s bright and bubbly, topped with citrus, berries, and herbs. Sparkling wine makes sweet tart bubbles, complemented by ginger ale, orange liqueur and pineapple juice.
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This mulled apple cider hits the top of our holiday drinks, and is one of the best non alcoholic Christmas drinks out there. Simmering it on the stove makes your house smell like a Christmas wonderland, with the cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and star anise.
Also try: Slow Cooker Apple Cider, Spiked Apple Cider, or Hot Apple Cider
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Meet everyone’s favorite holiday drink: the Christmas Margarita! This bright red drink is absolutely stunning to look at, and the sweet tart flavor is crisp and refreshing. It’s got all the character of the classic margarita, but a beautiful holiday look and nuance to the flavor.
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Another memorable signature holiday cocktail is the Christmas martini: 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.
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Here’s a delightful signature holiday drink: try the Peppermint Martini! Creamy and minty fresh, it’s a delicious combination of peppermint schnapps and chocolate liqueur. Cozy up with one by the fire, or drink it as a fun Christmas cocktail with appetizers.
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This cranberry Aperol spritz recipe is sweet tart, fruity, and even tastier than a standard Aperol spritz (we think)! It’s simple to make and looks stunning: the ideal signature drink for holiday parties or a cozy evening.
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Mulled wine is another fantastic holiday drink that’s so easy to make: all you’ll do is simmer dry red wine with orange zest, cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice and honey. This Christmas cocktail will warm you from the inside and out!
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This pomegranate mojito is bright and beautiful, with a tangy minty flavor. Starring fresh mint and bright red pomegranate juice, it makes a big pitcher that’s perfect for holiday entertaining.
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Need a great punch recipe for the holidays? This Christmas Punch is fruity and delicious, with a little sparkle from ginger ale. You can make it with rum for a punch with alcohol, or omit it for non alcoholic. Garnish it up with sliced citrus, rosemary sprigs, and cranberries.
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Here’s a great holiday drink that’s been around for centuries: the classic Hot Toddy! This historic drink used to be a cure for the common cold, and with one sip you’ll know why. A burst of warm bourbon or brandy melds seamlessly into the lemon and honey.
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Want non-alcoholic holiday 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!
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What’s more festive on Christmas morning than waking up to a Christmas Mimosa? This tasty drink is bubbly and perfect for the season. Rich pomegranate juice contrasts with the citrus sweetness of orange, topped off with a profusion of bubbles. Try it for holiday brunch with gingerbread waffles or snowman pancakes.
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The Pomegranate Gin Fizz takes the classic over the top with a pomegranate spin full of sweet tart flavor and a brilliant jewel-toned color! Topped off with an egg white foam, it will impress everyone at the holiday table.
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The bubbly apple cider spritz is one of the easiest holiday drinks, pairing Aperol with apple cider and Prosecco. Build it right in the glass and top with an apple slice, and it’s just right for holiday entertaining.
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There’s nothing quite like a hot beverage to beat the cold weather, so try a Gingerbread Latte: sweetly spiced with bold notes of ginger, cinnamon and allspice from the homemade gingerbread syrup. Add to that creamy, foamy steamed milk and it’s a cozy drink to savor.
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This apple cider sangria is a festive Christmas cocktail, pairing sparkling apple cider with red wine, orange and cinnamon. It’s just sweet enough, more like a traditional Spanish sangria. Pour it in layers to make a beautiful two-toned glass.
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This cozy-spiced Christmas coffee stars a homemade gingerbread syrup infused with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Top with whipped cream and festive sprinkles and serve at Christmas breakfast or brunch, or spike it with Baileys for a treat on Christmas Eve.
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Here’s a holiday drink that’s ideal for sipping with family and friends: Hot Buttered Rum! This version is subtly sweet, cozy-spiced with cinnamon and allspice, and spirit-forward with boozy dark rum. Oh: and there’s just enough butter to make it lightly creamy.
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This creamy Gingerbread Martini is just sweet enough and packed with cozy cinnamon, allspice and ginger. It tastes like a gingerbread cookie, but even better: with a little intrigue on the finish. It’s only 3 ingredients and the perfect festive cocktail for holiday entertaining.
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This easy pomegranate mocktail combines sweet-tart pomegranate juice with lime and ginger beer for a delicious non alcoholic drink. With a salt rim, it’s great as a Christmas mocktail to make the party more fun!
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This famous French cocktail stars black currant liqueur and sparkling wine: and the berries and bubbles suit each other perfectly. The best cocktail recipes are simple perfection, and there’s nothing better than this 2 ingredient combination.
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Here’s a creamy, cold cocktail that’s exceedingly delicious in as a holiday drink: Bourbon Milk Punch! You might not expect it, but the combination of milk and bourbon is cool, creamy and cozy. The richness of the milk compliments the oak and vanilla notes in the bourbon.
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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. It’s perfect for holiday entertaining!
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This Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail is one of my favorite holiday signature drinks: it’s balanced, sweet tart, and complex, with intriguing notes from sweet vermouth. Because it stars cranberry and bourbon it’s ideal for fall or winter entertaining, like Christmas parties!
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Try the Pomegranate Sparkler: a delicious combination of sweet tart pomegranate, orange perfume and airy bubbles! Call it a Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail for the evening, or it works as a Pomegranate Mimosa for brunch.
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This Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail is the perfect holiday signature drink! Cider pairs perfectly with sweet and spicy bourbon. It’s got a hint of lemon and a surprise ingredient that rounds out the flavors into a meld that’s intriguing, complex and highly drinkable!
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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.
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The St Germain champagne cocktail is sophisticated and refreshing: floral, botanical, tangy, and bubbly all at once! With its festive flair, it’s a lovely holiday drink and perfect for grazing on holiday finger foods. Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig and a few fresh cranberries,
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The Peppermint Patty is rich hot chocolate spiked with not one but two liqueurs, adding both mint and chocolate flavors to the rich body of this drink. It’s stellar with homemade hot chocolate, but you can also make it with purchased hot cocoa mix.
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What better holiday drink than spiked cider? This recipe is simmered with cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, then stirred together with a healthy swig of rum. The rum adds a warm roundness to this Christmas cocktail that’s like a warm and cozy hug.
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Here’s a stunning holiday drink that’s sweet and creamy: the Peppermint White Russian! This spin on the classic might be even more fun than the original. It’s got a bright, minty finish that melds into the Kahlua and cream perfectly.
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The Cranberry Moscow Mule 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 ideal for Christmas entertaining.
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This Apple Cider Hot Toddy has the ideal balance in this classic drink: the cider brings just the right sweet tart nuance to the flavor. Mix one up as a single serving, or make a big batch for guests like a spiked cider.
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This cranberry margarita is packed with sweet tart flavor and a brilliant bright red color! It’s fun and delicious holiday spin on the classic that will have everyone asking for the recipe.
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Want a Christmas cocktail that’s quick and easy? Try the Christmas Moscow mule! This spin on the classic Moscow mule is 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.
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The Cosmo’s bright red color makes it beautifully festive as a holiday drink! As a certified mixologist who has written loads of 300 cocktail recipes, I love this sour cocktail that pairs zingy cranberry and lime with vodka and orange liqueur.
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Try a classic Irish coffee for the holidays! There’s nothing more warming than the combination of bitter coffee, buttery whisky, and frothy whipped cream. This 1950’s drink is popular around the world, and has inspired many variations on the spiked coffee theme.
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Last up in my favorite holiday drinks: the Pomegranate Martini! It’s is a drink that works for anytime, but with its vivid festive color, it’s a great Christmas cocktail! It’s tangy and balanced with pomegranate, vodka, and Cointreau orange liqueur.
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Want specific types of liquor? Go to Winter Gin Cocktails, Vodka Christmas Cocktails or Winter Vodka Cocktails.
Making Holiday Drinks for a Crowd
When I’m entertaining, I find it’s nice to make batch cocktails or drinks that can be built right in the glass. Holiday punches are lifesavers because you can mix everything ahead of time and just add the sparkling element right before serving. The same goes for mulled cider or mulled wine: make a big pot and keep it warm throughout the party.
For build-in-the-glass drinks like mules or spritzes, I set up a little drink station with all the ingredients and let guests help themselves.
Balancing Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Options
I’ve learned to always have at least two non-alcoholic options available: not just because some guests don’t drink, but because even those who do appreciate having choices. My very favorites are this cranberry mocktail, pomegranate mocktail, and apple cider mocktail.
Many of the hot chocolate and coffee drinks in this collection can easily be made without alcohol, too. Serve the spirits on the side so guests can add them if they want.
Garnishing With Style
I used to skip garnishes to make things easier, but they’re especially important with holiday drinks to make them feel more special. The aroma also adds to the drinks, like fresh rosemary sprigs and citrus peels.
For hot drinks, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and orange slices do double duty as both garnish and flavor enhancers. For champagne cocktails, a lemon twist or a few cranberries transforms them to a beautiful presentation.
Storage and Prep Tips
Most of these drinks are best made fresh, but there are definitely ways to prep ahead. Batches of Cointreau and cranberry juice for Poinsettias can be mixed and chilled up to a day in advance: just add champagne when serving. Simple syrups like the gingerbread syrup for lattes can be made a week ahead and stored in the fridge.
Punch bases can be mixed hours ahead: just add the sparkling elements right before guests arrive.
40 Festive Holiday Drinks
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The best holiday drink? A Poinsettia! It’s a cranberry champagne cocktail that’s vibrant and refreshing.
Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 drink 1x
Category: Drink
Method: Stirred
Cuisine: Holiday
2 tablespoons cointreau, or other orange liqueur
4 tablespoons 100% cranberry juice
1/2 glass champagne (6 tablespoons)*
For the garnish: 1 rosemary sprig, whole cranberries
Place the cointreau and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 15 seconds until cold. Strain the liquid into a champagne flute. (You can skip this step if the cranberry juice is well chilled.)
Top off the glass with champagne (no need to measure). Garnish and serve. (Note: You can also make a large batch of cointreau and cranberry juice ahead if desired, then measure out 6 tablespoons per glass.)
Notes
*You’ll get about 8 to 10 drinks per 1 bottle of champagne. Make it non-alcoholic by using non-alcoholic sparkling wine.
Dining and Cooking