Festival Cocktail Ideas | Holiday Cheers

Festive cocktail ideas get you ready for any holiday party, bringing smiles from all who partake in the fun. These drinks are all about making an impression, From cranberry mimosa and peppermint martini to spiced sangria and mulled wine.

Or simply having fun. Whether you are hosting a holiday party, New Year,r’s bringing in the new year, or a small party at home to celebrate an anniversary, the right cocktail sets the mood for a happy time.

With seasonal flavors like cinnamon, citrus, pomegranate, and ginger, these festive cocktails not only taste delicious but are great to look at in holiday glassware, too. These creative and great-tasting drinks are just right for raising toasts to good times, adding an extra shot of vivid imagery to each sip of your holiday moments.

Festive Cocktail Ideas

Absolutely! Here are 40+ festive cocktail ideas perfect for holiday parties, celebrations, and special occasions. These range from fruity and refreshing to warm and cozy:

Christmas & Winter Cocktails

1. Cranberry Moscow Mule

2. Spiked Eggnog

3. Peppermint White Russian

4. Hot Buttered Rum

5. Mulled Wine

6. Candy Cane Martini

7. Christmas Sangria (with red wine and fruit)

8. Gingerbread Old Fashioned

9. Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour

10. Apple Cider Mimosa

11. Fig & Bourbon Smash

12. Pomegranate Gin Fizz

13. Spiced Pear Martini

14. Toasted Marshmallow Cocktail

15. Winter Margarita with Blood Orange

Fall & Thanksgiving Cocktails

16. Pumpkin Spice White Russian

17. Apple Cider Mojito

18. Spiced Apple Bourbon Cocktail

19. Maple Manhattan

20. Caramel Apple Mule

21. Pear and Sage Gin Cocktail

22. Bourbon & Brown Sugar Hot Toddy

23. Cran-Apple Sangria

24. Pumpkin Pie Martini

25. Autumn Mimosa (apple cider + champagne)

New Year’s Eve & Glamorous Cocktails

26. French 75 with Champagne

27. Gold Dust Martini

28. Blackberry Sparkler

29. Sparkling Pomegranate Punch

30. Raspberry Champagne Cocktail

31. Midnight Mule (black vodka + ginger beer)

32. Champagne Margarita

33. Strawberry Basil Bubbly

34. Lemon Elderflower Spritz

35. Prosecco and St-Germain Cocktail

Tropical Holiday-Inspired Cocktails

36. Pineapple Coconut Mojito

37. Mango Rum Punch

38. Tropical Christmas Punch

39. Cranberry Piña Colada

40. Hibiscus Holiday Cooler

41. Coconut Margarita with Lime

42. Passionfruit Martini

43. Frozen Watermelon Daiquiri

44. Guava Ginger Spritz

Recipes

1. Cranberry Moscow Mule Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• ½ oz cranberry juice
• ½ oz lime juice
• Ginger beer (to top)
• Fresh cranberries and lime wedge for garnish
• Ice

Steps:

1. Place ice into a copper mug or glass.
2. Pour the vodka, cranberry juice, and lime juice.
3. Top with ginger beer and stir well.
4. Garnish the drink with cranberries and a wedge of lime.
5. Your drink is now ready in a few minutes.

2. Spiked Eggnog Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz spiced rum or bourbon
• 4 oz eggnog (store-bought or homemade)
• Ground nutmeg for garnish
• Ice

Steps:

1. Put ice, rum (or bourbon), and eggnog into a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake until well blended.
3. Strain into an ice-filled glass. (Or serve it on the rocks.)
4. Lightly sprinkle a few grates of nutmeg on top.

3. Peppermint White Russian Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz coffee liqueur (like Kahlúa)
• 1 oz peppermint schnapps
• 2 oz heavy cream or milk
• Crushed peppermint candies for garnish (optional)
• Ice

Steps:

1. Take a plain glass and fill it full of ice.
2. First, put 1 ounce of vodka into the glass, then add 1 ounce each of Kahlua and peppermint schnapps.
3. Pour a little half and half over the top.
4. If you’re feeling fancy, you can sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top as a garnish.

4. Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz dark rum
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
• ¾ cup hot water

Steps:

1. In a mug, combine Butter, brown sugar, and spices.
2. Pour in dark rum
3. Top with really hot water and stir until everything melts, adding fresh water if it cools before you have finished-sipping.
4. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if you will.

5. Mulled Wine Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1bottle off red wine (750 ml)

• ¼ cup brandy

• ¼ cup honey or sugar

• 1 orange, sliced

• 4 whole cloves

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 star anise

Steps:

1. Then add orange slices, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon.
2. Now Heat gently for 20-30 minutes (don’t let it boil).
3. When ready to serve, strain and garnish each cup with an orange slice.

6. Candy Cane Martini Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vanilla vodka

• 1 oz peppermint schnapps

• 1 oz white crème de cacao

• Crushed candy canes for rimming

• Ice

Steps:

1. First, crush candy canes until you have enough to go around the glass lip of a martini glass or similar container.
2. Next, fill a cocktail shaker with ice, vanilla vodka, peppermint schnapps, and creme de cacao.
3. Then, shake vigorously and strain this mixture into the waiting glass.
4. Finally, garnish with a small pasta candy cane if you wish.

7. Christmas Sangria (with red wine and fruit) Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of red wine (750 ml)

• ½ cup brandy

• ¼ cup orange liqueur (like Cointreau)

• 1 cup orange juice

• 1 cup sliced apples, oranges, and cranberries

• 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

Steps:

1. In a large pitcher, put together wine, brandy, orange liqueur, and orange juice.
2. Add cut-up fruit.
3. If not sweet enough, sweeten with sugar.
4. Chill well. It needs to be prepared at least 2 hours ahead to be served properly.

8. Gingerbread Old Fashioned Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon
• ½ oz gingerbread syrup (store-bought or homemade)
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Ice
• Orange peel for garnish

Steps:

1. Rock Ice: Add gingerbread syrup and bitters in a rocks glass.
2. Then, bourbon and mix.
3. Fill the glass with ice and mix again.
4. Garnish with orange peel.

9. Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon

• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice

• ¾ oz maple syrup

• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

• Ice

Steps:

1. Fill a shaker with ice, bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, and a dash of ground cinnamon.
2. Shake well and strain into a glass with fresh ice.
3. Stir in a cinnamon stick or strip of lemon peel if desired.

10. Apple Cider Mimosa Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 oz apple cider

• 3 oz champagne or sparkling wine

• Cinnamon sugar for rimming (optional)

• Apple slice for garnish

Steps:

1. For garnish, rim a champagne flute with cinnamon sugar.
2. Pour apple cider, half full if desired, into the flute.
3. Top up with champagne.
4. Garnish the drink with a slice of apple, then serve immediately.

11. Fig & Bourbon Smash Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 fresh figs, halved
• 2 oz bourbon
• 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup (adjust to taste)
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or mint (optional)
• Ice cubes
• Club soda (optional, for topping)
• Fig slice or herb sprig, for garnish

Instructions

• In a cocktail shaker, fresh figs and herbs (if using) were well broken.
• Add bourbon, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup to the shaker.
• Fill the shaker with snow and shake loudly for about 15 seconds.
• Double stress in a glass of snow-filled rocks.
• Alternative: Top with a splash of club soda for a light version.
• Garnish with a fig slice or herbs.