11 Christmas Cocktails Almost Too Beautiful To Drink (*Almost*)

The holiday season heralds many things, and that includes basically becoming a full-time party host. Whether you want to impress your guests or just need a beautiful little drink to take the edge off when the in-laws are in town, consider serving up these Christmas cocktails all winter long.

White Christmas Mojito

In a glass, muddle the juice of one lime, 6-8 mint leaves, and 1 tbsp sugar until leaves break down. Fill glass half full of ice. In blender, combine 1/2 oz coconut rum, 1 oz white rum, and 1/4 cup canned coconut milk. Pulse till smooth. Pour mixture in glass, top with sparkling water, and garnish with pomegranate.

Negroni Warmer

Pour 3/4 oz each of Hernö Old Tom gin⁠, Antica Formula Vermouth⁠, Carpano Botanic Bitter⁠, water, and sugar into a saucepan and gently heat. Pour into a glass, top lightly with whipped cream, and garnish with orange zest.

Pomegranate Rosemary Spritz

Pour 1 cup water and 2-3 rosemary sprigs into small pan over heat. Once boiling, add 1/2 cup sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat, strain rosemary sprigs. Pour Prosecco into 4 glasses. To each, add 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 oz pom juice, 1/2 oz peach schnapps, and 1/2 oz rosemary simple syrup. Add 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds, garnish with rosemary.

Blue Glacier Cocktail

Pour granulated sugar on a plate, moisten the rim of a glass, and turn glass upside down on plate to sugar rim. In shaker filled with ice, mix 2 oz white rum, 2 oz white cranberry juice, 1 oz Blue Curacao, and 1 oz lime juice. Shake for 20 seconds. Strain into glass.

Christmas Gin

Peel 3 clementines, keeping the strips of zest and removing any white pith from segments. Add peels and segments to a bottle of gin, along with 3 tbsp caster sugar and 50 g ginger (sliced and bashed). Let infuse for 3 days, serve with tonic and garnish with clementines and rosemary.

Snowball Cocktail

Fill a glass with ice and add up to 1/2 oz lime juice or lime cordial (to your liking). Pour 1 1/2 oz advocaat and 1 1/2 oz sparkling lemonade over the ice, stir gently until the glass feels cold, and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Peppermint Martini

Crush one candy cane and use crumble to rim a martini glass. Fill a cocktail shaker 2/3 to capacity with ice. Add 2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz green crème de menthe, and 1/2 oz peppermint schnapps, and shake until cold. Strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with a candy cane.

Spiked Eggnog

In a lowball glass, mix favorite store-bought eggnog with preferred dark-spiced brand of rum. Add a dash of ground nutmeg and cinnamon on top, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

The Winter White

Chill a 6 oz glass for at least 15 minutes, then rim glass with sanding sugar. Fill shaker with ice, then pour into shaker 1 1/2 oz RumChata, 1 oz Frangelico, 1/2 oz vanilla vodka, and 1 oz heavy cream. Shake until very cold. Strain into glass and serve immediately.

S’mores Martini

Slowly pour 1 oz chocolate liqueur into martini glass. In shaker, mix 1/2 oz vanilla or marshmallow vodka and 3/4 oz heavy cream. Pouring slowly, add this mixture to the glass. Toast a marshmallow on a bamboo stick, then place stick with marshmallow atop glass.

Mulled Wine

In saucepan, combine 1 bottle dry red wine, 1/4 cup brandy, 1 orange (sliced into rounds), 8 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 3 tablespoons sugar. Cook on medium-high heat to light simmer, reduce, let simmer up to 3 hours. Strain, garnish, and serve.