24 Festive Holiday Drinks to Sip All Season Long

'Tis the season for chocolate, cream, rum, bourbon, and warming spices.

By

Oset Babür-Winter

Updated on November 16, 2023

Coco Cafe Recipe — Photo:
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

Who says holiday drinks have to be warm? We're big fans of the frozen, festive cocktail, from a chocolaty, caffeinated Bushwacker to a bright green, frozen Grasshopper topped with delicate dark chocolate shavings. That said, it's hard to beat the warming force of a Tom and Jerry after a long day skiing or snowboarding, and you can be sure that we'll be making mugs of eggnog, too. Even mulled wine skeptics will fall for chef Amy Brandwein's Inverno Arancione. Read on for our editors' favorite holiday cocktails for hosting a couple or a crowd.

01 of 24

Frozen Grasshopper

Frozen Grasshopper Recipe — Photo by Victor Protasio / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Andrew and Briana Volk from Portland Hunt & Alpine Club in Portland, Maine, share their take on the classic Grasshopper. This frozen cocktail is infused with bracing aquavit, bringing a bite of caraway, fruity banana liquor, and cooling crème de menthe, for a balanced but strong drink.

02 of 24

Walker's Mulled Wine

Mulled Wine — Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele

This version of mulled wine, from Walkers Maine restaurant in Cape Neddick, Maine, is gently infused with nutmeg, vanilla, and star anise, then lightly sweetened with honey and maple syrup.

03 of 24

Matcha Highball

Matcha Highball — Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele

A little matcha goes a long way in this simple, festive highball recipe.

04 of 24

Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Punch with Toasted Spices

Sparkling Cranberry Ginger Punch with Toasted Spices — Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

This low-alcohol punch leans on tart cranberry juice and spicy ginger ale for big flavor, allowing the booze to take a back seat. Frozen cranberries stand in for a traditional punch ring, keeping this fizzy drink nice and cold.

05 of 24

Blackberry Kir Royale

Blackberry Kir Royale — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

This party-ready Champagne cocktail comes together in minutes.

06 of 24

Inverno Arancione

Inverno Arancione — Photo by Victor Protasio / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

"Spiced mulled cocktails are what I crave when I want to relax in the
colder months," says chef Amy Brandwein of Centrolina in Washington,
D.C. For this recipe, the usual red wine base is replaced with Pinot
Grigio to focus on citrus and ginger. "It almost plays off the flavors
of a classic panettone, which is a winter specialty in Italian culture,"
she says.

07 of 24

Anjou Punch

Anjou Punch — Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele

Bar director Leo Robitschek makes his perfect holiday punch with warming flavors of pear, cinnamon, and citrus.

08 of 24

Coco Café

Coco Cafe Recipe — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

Made with cold brew from French Truck coffee, this is a creamy, sweet, soothing drink that feels right at home in a glass tea cup, whether you’re sipping it in the morning (no judgment, here) or at the end of a big night out.

09 of 24

Grasshopper

Grasshopper Cocktail Recipe — Matt Taylor-Gross

Bright green, boozy, and creamy at the same time, this classic Grasshopper (for night when the frozen recipe just isn't in the cards) packs a festive punch with a peppermint rim to boot.

10 of 24

Buttered Rum

Buttered Rum — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall

This luxurious, velvety drink is just the thing to sip on a cool night — and using a slow cooker makes it especially easy to pull together. Heat the cream and butter first, slowly so that the mixture doesn't break. Then whisk in dark brown sugar, followed by spiced rum, salt, and a Moroccan spice mix. The end result is a richly flavored batch of drinks perfect for entertaining.

11 of 24

Tom and Jerry

Tom and Jerry — Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele

Typically made around Christmastime, the Tom and Jerry is a classic cocktail that looks and tastes a lot like eggnog. Its exact origins are unclear, but there's evidence to suggest that the drink's roots date back to England, in the 19th century. History aside, we'll be preparing a batch of Tom and Jerry batter and serving up mugs of this Cognac and rum-spiked treat all winter long.

12 of 24

Guava Ponche with Sweet Vermouth

Guava Ponche with Sweet Vermouth — DYLAN + JENI

Ponche Navideño is a Christmastime spiced tropical fruit punch that's served warm with a shot of tequila in Mexico. Recipe developer Paola Briseño González's chilled riff on this holiday classic pays homage to her love of vermouth.

13 of 24

Smoky Mezcal-Fig Sour

Smoky Mezcal-Fig Sour Recipe — Victor Protasio

Spicy-sweet fig-ginger syrup rounds out the smoky mezcal and bright lemon juice in this barely sweet cocktail that lets the liquor shine.

14 of 24

Homemade Eggnog

Eggnog — Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele

You'll need brandy, dark rum, and bourbon to make this rich, creamy eggnog. Be sure to chill it thoroughly before serving, and give it a final whisk to make sure everything is blended.

15 of 24

Pom Pom Spritz

Pom Pom Spritz — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell

With a bright red hue and plenty of pomegranate flavor, this cocktail is perfect for every party you'll host this holiday season.

16 of 24

Coquito

bottles of homemade Coquito — Photo by Jacob Fox / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Jessica Thomas and Susan Mitchell

Coquito, or "little coconut," is a traditional creamy rum punch served in Puerto Rico for Christmas and throughout the winter holidays. Some versions include eggs, but this recipe takes its richness and viscosity instead from coconut cream and three types of milk. Warming spices and white rum add aroma and flavor.

17 of 24

Apple Old Fashioned

Apple Old-Fashioned — Eva Kolenko

With a deep warmth from applejack, this variation on an Old Fashioned lets floral honey and fresh apple flavors shine without getting overpowered. For a hot drink, combine ingredients in a heatproof glass with 2 ounces boiling water.

18 of 24

Amaretto Sour

Amaretto Sour — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

This drink is nutty, tart, and sweet with a delicious frothy texture thanks to an egg white. Channel the '80s, but make it better and make this drink from scratch in lieu of overly-saccharine sour mix.

19 of 24

Mudslide

Mudslide — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

The trio of alcohol in this festive iced cocktail blends into a smooth and velvety cocktail just sweet and chocolaty enough without being cloying. A generous drizzle of chocolate syrup and a bright red maraschino cherry with a dusting of ground cinnamon top off each glass.

20 of 24

Earl Grey–Aquavit Spritz

Earl Grey-Aquavit Spritz — Victor Protasio

Honey simple syrup is even easier to prepare than standard simple syrup; just vigorously stir together honey and water until well combined. The mellow, floral sweetness of the honey syrup pairs perfectly with a touch of lemon in this tea-infused cocktail.

21 of 24

Bushwacker

Bushwacker — Matt Taylor-Gross

This chocolaty, caffeinated cocktail might look like an average milkshake, but it packs a deliciously boozy punch.

22 of 24

Apple-Brandy Hot Toddies

Apple-Brandy Hot Toddies — © Rob Howard

A hot toddy is basically a shot or two of any potent spirit added to a cup of hot water. We've put a French spin on this warming drink with a slug of apple brandy, which is complemented by honey and lemon juice and garnished with a cinnamon stick.

23 of 24

Champagne Holiday Punch

Champagne Holiday Punch — © Tina Rupp

Mixologist Erick Castro created this terrifically light sparkling punch. Malted grain–based genever adds whiskey-like depth while Créole Shrubb brings in warmly spiced orange notes.

24 of 24

Surprise Fix

Surprise Fix — Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Floral, sweet St-Germain and bittersweet fresh grapefruit juice round out a shot of Waterpocket Distillery's Long Lost Minthe, an unsweetened peppermint botanical spirit with minty, herbal, and citrus pith notes. It's only available at Utah state liquor stores or directly from the distillery, but it can be substituted with a range of liqueurs, including Vicario Monk's Secret and Dampfwerk Distilling's The Helgolander.

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