Christmas Cocktail Recipes

5 Festive Christmas Cocktail Recipes to Try This Year

By Eloise Brooks

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Reading time: 5 min

The Festive Edit · Christmas Entertaining

Five festive cocktails to make Christmas gatherings feel a little more special.

Whether you're planning Christmas Eve drinks, a dinner party or a relaxed celebration at home, a well-made cocktail can help set the scene. These five Christmas cocktail recipes range from a spiced Negroni and cranberry Old Fashioned to a fresh pomegranate fizz and an apple Margarita.

Some are ready to mix in minutes; others reward a little preparation. Pick your favourite below, gather your ingredients and enjoy the festivities.

01 Make-Ahead Favourite

Festive Spiced Negroni

A Christmas twist on the classic Negroni. Whole cinnamon, star anise and cloves give the gin a warming festive character, while Campari keeps the finish pleasantly bittersweet.

Festive spiced Negroni cocktail
Photo source: Food Magazine

Ingredients

For the spiced gin

  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 200ml gin

For each cocktail

  • 25ml spiced gin
  • 25ml red vermouth
  • 25ml Campari
  • Ice
  • Orange slice and fresh bay leaf

How to Make It

  1. Place the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom and peppercorns in a dry frying pan. Toast gently for around five minutes until fragrant, then leave to cool.
  2. Transfer the spices to a clean jar, add the gin and seal. Refrigerate for 48 hours to infuse, then strain through a fine sieve.
  3. For each drink, stir 25ml infused gin, 25ml red vermouth and 25ml Campari with ice. Serve over fresh ice and garnish with orange and a bay leaf.
Myza Serving Tip: Make the spiced gin two days ahead. Keep it chilled until you're ready to mix the cocktails.
02 Quick & Sparkling

Pomegranate & Prosecco Fizz

Bright, ruby-red and beautifully simple, this sparkling cocktail adds a little festive colour to a Christmas drinks table without complicated preparation.

Pomegranate and Prosecco festive fizz
Photo source: Our Balanced Bowl

Ingredients

For one glass

  • 30ml pomegranate liqueur or juice
  • 120ml chilled Prosecco, Cava or Champagne
  • A dash of cocktail bitters (optional)
  • Pomegranate seeds, to garnish

How to Make It

  1. Pour the pomegranate liqueur or juice into a chilled Champagne flute.
  2. Slowly top with chilled sparkling wine.
  3. Add bitters if using, then scatter in pomegranate seeds before serving.
Myza Serving Tip: For an alcohol-free version, use pomegranate juice with alcohol-free sparkling wine. Omit the bitters unless they're alcohol-free.
03 Warm & Spiced

Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned

This winter-inspired Old Fashioned pairs bourbon with a cranberry syrup infused with cinnamon, star anise and cloves. A lovely choice for anyone who enjoys a richer, spirit-forward cocktail.

Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned cocktail
Photo source: Burrata and Bubbles

Ingredients

For the cranberry syrup

  • 240ml water
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 200g fresh cranberries
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tsp whole allspice
  • 1 tsp whole cloves

For each cocktail

  • 30ml spiced cranberry syrup
  • 60ml bourbon
  • 2 dashes cocktail bitters
  • A splash of soda water, if desired
  • Ice
  • Orange peel and maraschino cherry
  • Sugared cranberries or cinnamon stick (optional)

How to Make It

  1. Add the water, sugar, cranberries and whole spices to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for four to five minutes, until some cranberries burst and the liquid turns deep red.
  2. Allow the mixture to cool, then strain out the fruit and spices. Refrigerate the syrup promptly in a clean, covered container.
  3. For each cocktail, add the bourbon, cranberry syrup and bitters to a glass with ice. Stir, add a splash of soda water if you like, and finish with your garnish.
Myza Serving Tip: Prepare the cranberry syrup ahead of time. Add the bourbon and ice immediately before serving.
04 A Winter Classic

Merry Manhattan

An elegant, whiskey-led cocktail with red and dry vermouth, orange bitters and an optional touch of spiced syrup. Serve in a chilled glass for a festive aperitif.

Merry Manhattan Christmas cocktail
Photo source: Foodess

Ingredients

For one cocktail

  • 50ml rye whiskey
  • 12.5ml red or sweet vermouth
  • 12.5ml dry vermouth
  • 2 dashes orange bitters
  • A little spiced simple syrup, to taste
  • Ice
  • A strip of orange peel, to garnish

How to Make It

  1. Pour the rye whiskey, both vermouths, bitters and a little spiced syrup into a mixing glass filled with ice.
  2. Stir until cold, then strain into a chilled Martini or coupe glass.
  3. Twist a strip of orange peel over the glass to release its oils, then add it as a garnish.
Myza Serving Tip: Use a small amount of spiced syrup initially. You can always add more, but the whiskey and vermouth should still shine through.
05 Bright & Zesty

Apple Cider Margarita

Fresh lime, tequila and cloudy apple juice make this an autumn-meets-Christmas take on the Margarita. A cinnamon-sugar rim adds the festive finishing touch.

Apple cider Margarita with cinnamon-sugar rim
Photo source: Erin Lives Whole

Ingredients

For one cocktail

  • 45ml blanco or reposado tequila
  • 60ml cloudy apple juice
  • 22ml Triple Sec or Cointreau
  • 22ml fresh lime juice
  • Ground cinnamon and caster sugar, for the rim
  • Ice
  • Star anise or cinnamon stick, to garnish

How to Make It

  1. Mix cinnamon and sugar on a small plate. Rub lime around the rim of your glass, then dip it into the mixture.
  2. Add tequila, cloudy apple juice, orange liqueur and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well.
  3. Strain into your prepared glass over fresh ice and garnish with a cinnamon stick or star anise.
Myza Serving Tip: In American recipes, "apple cider" usually means cloudy, unfiltered apple juice. Use that rather than alcoholic British cider.

Helpful Answers

Christmas Cocktail FAQs

Which Christmas cocktail is easiest to make?

The Pomegranate & Prosecco Fizz is the quickest option. Simply combine pomegranate juice or liqueur with chilled sparkling wine and finish with a garnish.

Which festive cocktails can I prepare ahead?

You can infuse the Negroni gin 48 hours in advance and prepare the spiced cranberry syrup before your gathering. Add ice and sparkling ingredients just before serving.

Can I use Champagne instead of Prosecco?

Yes. Champagne or Cava can replace Prosecco in the pomegranate fizz. Choose the sparkling wine you enjoy and serve it well chilled.

What does apple cider mean in a Margarita?

American apple cider usually refers to cloudy, unfiltered apple juice rather than alcoholic British cider. Cloudy apple juice is the intended ingredient in this recipe.

Can I make Christmas cocktails without alcohol?

Yes. Try pomegranate juice with alcohol-free sparkling wine and pomegranate seeds. You can also experiment with non-alcoholic spirit alternatives.

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Please enjoy alcohol responsibly. Ensure Myza has permission to reuse the credited cocktail photographs.

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