12 Winter Cocktails To Keep You Warm On A Cold Night
On a cold, snowy winters night, sometimes hot cocoa doesn’t do the trick. Cocktails in the winter are the easiest way to warm you up from the inside out. They’re also extremely pretty to look at! Whether you’re enjoying one by yourself, or with the comfort of company, a winter cocktail is the easiest, most delicious way to warm you up on a cold night. As snow gently falls, and Christmas lights twinkle from all around, a winter cocktail will fit in perfectly to complete the holiday mood. There are an abundance of winter cocktails that will not only entertain your guests, but will surely leave a smile on your face and warmth in your heart. Here 12 winter cocktails to keep you warm on a cold night.
Cranberry Gin Cocktail
Makes 1 Serving
- 1 oz. gin
- 5 oz. cranberry juice
- 2 oz. lemon juice
- Ice cubes
- Fresh cranberries, for garnish
- Mint leaves, for garnish
1. Fill a tumbler glass with ice cubes and add gin and lemon juice.
2. Top with the cranberry juice and stir. Taste and adjust the quantities how you’d like.
3. Garnish with a few cranberries and mint leaves.
Mistletoe cocktail
Makes 1 Serving
- ¼ tsp. lime juice
- ½ tsp. honey
- 3 mint leaves
- 1 oz. vodka
- Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic)
- 5 cranberries (3 for garnish)
- 1 sprig of rosemary, for garnish
- White sugar, for garnish
1. Place mint leaves, 2 cranberries, honey and lime in a dish and use a muddler to mash and set aside.
2. Squeeze lime juice into a small dish and sugar into another, big enough for the rim of the glass, and dip the rim of the glass in the lime then in the sugar to rim the glass.
3. Place the mash mixture in bottom of the glass, add ¾ the glass of crushed ice and vodka over the ice, add ginger beer to just below the rim of the glass.
4. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and 3 cranberries.
Christmas Sangria
Makes 6 Servings
- 1 bottle (750 ml) red wine
- 2 c. pomegranate or cranberry juice
- ½ c. apple cider
- ½ c. brandy
- ¼ c. honey
- Arils from 1 pomegranate
- 1 c. cranberries
- 1 green apple or green pear, chopped
1. Combine wine, cranberry juice, apple cider brandy, and honey in a separate pitcher, then add fresh fruit and stir to combine.
2. Refrigerate until cold. The longer the sangria sits, the more flavor it will have, so it is recommended to make it the night before (or even a full day ahead).
The Grinch Cocktail
Makes 4 Serving
- 4 oz. peach schnapps
- 4 oz. Bacardi rum
- 12 oz. orange juice
- 4 oz. lemon-lime pop
- 4 oz. blue curacao liquor
- Maraschino cherries and orange slices, for garnish
1. In large pitcher, add peach schnapps, Bacardi rum, orange juice, lemon-lime pop, and blue curaçao liquor.
2. Stir well. Pour into glasses, then add garnish.
Vanilla Berry Mimosa
Makes 1 Serving
- 1 ½ oz. vanilla vodka
- 1 ½ oz. cranberry juice
- Sparkling wine (champagne, prosecco, cava)
- Fresh cranberries, for garnish
1. In a cocktail shaker, combine vanilla vodka, cranberry juice, and ice.
2. Shake vigorously, then strain into a champagne flute. Fill the glass to the top with sparkling wine. Garnish with fresh cranberries.
Jingle Juice Holiday Punch
Makes 20 Servings
- 1 bottle (750ml) whipped vodka
- 1 bottle Pink Champagne or Sparkling Rosé
- 1 (2 liter) bottle Cherry 7-Up
- Cranberries, for garnish
1. In a punch bowl or large pitcher filled with ice, combine whipped vodka, Champagne/Rose, and Cherry 7-Up.
2. Stir well. Serve over ice and garnish with cranberries.
Cinnamon Apple Old Fashion
Makes 1 Serving
- 1 T. apple butter
- 2 oz. Bourbon
- 6 drops bitters
- 1 c. ice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Club soda
- Apple slice, for garnish
1. Combine apple butter, bourbon, bitters, ice, and cinnamon stick in a shaker. Shake well.
2. Pour into glass and add a splash of club soda. Garnish with an apple slice.
Gin & Apple Christmas Cocktail
Makes 1 Serving
- 3 oz. gin
- 8 oz. Appletiser original, chilled
- Wedge of lime
- Cinnamon stick, for garnish
- Apple slice, for garnish
1. Pour gin into a glass, top with Appletiser, add ice cubes, cinnamon stick and apple.
2. Give the lime wedge a gentle squeeze and then add to the drink.
Peppermint Patty Christmas Cocoa
Makes 2 Servings
- 2 c. milk
- ½ c. hot chocolate mix
- ¼ c. peppermint schnapps, plus more as needed
- ¼ c. creme de cacao
- Whipped cream, for garnish
- Sprinkles, for garnish
1. In a saucepan, heat 2 cups of milk over medium heat, just until steamy. About 5 minutes.
2. Once milk starts to steam, whisk in hot chocolate mix. Continue cooking 2-3 minutes or until hot chocolate is desired temperature. Do not boil.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/4 cup of peppermint schnapps. Taste. If desired, add more schnapps.
4. Ladle mixture into glasses, top with whipped cream and sprinkles.
White Christmas Mojito
Makes 1 Serving
- Juice of 1 lime
- 8 leaves mint
- 1 T. sugar
- 2 T. white rum
- 1 T. coconut rum
- ¼ c. canned coconut milk
- Sparkling water
- Pomegranate arils, for garnish
1. In a glass, muddle lime juice, sugar and mint leaves until the leaves have broken down. Fill the glass half way with ice.
2. In a blender, combine white rum, coconut rum, and coconut milk and pulse until smooth. Pour over the ice and stir to combine.
3. Top with sparkling water, mint and pomegranate.
Slow Cooker Spiced Wine
Makes 6 Servings
- 1 (750ml) bottle red wine
- 2 c. apple cider
- ¼ c. honey
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
- 5 whole cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 whole star anise
- ¼ c. brandy
- Orange slices, for garnish
- Cinnamon sticks, for garnish
1. Add wine, cider, honey, orange zest, and orange juice to a 3-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir to combine.
2. Add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise.
3. Cook on low until warm, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in the brandy.
4. Ladle into mugs and serve with an orange slice and cinnamon sticks.
Winter Wonderland Cocktail
Makes 1 Serving
- 1 oz Cream of coconut (such as CocoLopez)
- 1½ oz. vanilla vodka
- 1½ oz. creme de cocoa
- Ice
1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine cream of coconut, vanilla vodka and creme de cocoa.
2. Shake until well chilled and combined. Strain into an ice filled glass.
Please enjoy all winter cocktails responsibly. All recipes and pictures for these winter cocktails can be found on Pinterest.
