Tis the season! I’ve teamed up with Vital Proteins to give you 12 yummy holiday drink recipes for your next family gathering or get-together with friends! I’ve included some hot and cold drinks that are really easy to make and will be sure to delight any crowd.
Don’t forget to mix in a spoonful of Vital Proteins for a healthy spin! Vital Proteins restores and enhances skin, hair and nails, naturally. Collagen helps restore the skin’s moisture, improving the elasticity, tone and vibrance that’s already within you.
Winter Sangria
Serves: 10
INGREDIENTS
1 bottle of sweet red wine
1 bottle sparkling cran-apple cider
2 clementines, sliced thin, peel on
2 granny smith apples, cored and diced
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
1 cup cranberries sliced in half
Rosemary to garnish each glass
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix wine, cider, and fruit in a large pitcher.
2. Serve over ice and garnish with rosemary.
Cranberry Mimosas
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 lime, halved
2 tbsp. sugar
1 c. sweetened cranberry juice
1 bottle champagne
12 fresh cranberries
4 small sprigs fresh rosemary
DIRECTIONS
1. Rub rims of champagne flutes with lime and dip in sugar.
2. Pour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into each glass and top off with champagne.
3. To make the garnish, use a toothpick to poke hole through cranberries. Thread rosemary skewer through cranberries and garnish mimosas.
Gingerbread Eggnog White Russian
Serves: 2
INGREDIENTS
1/2 tsp. cinnamon for rimming glasses
2 tsp. sugar for rimming glasses
4 oz. eggnog
4 oz. vodka
4 oz. Kahlua
3 tsp. 3 teaspoons molasses
1/8 tsp. ginger
Whipped cream for topping
Molasses drizzle for topping
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix cinnamon and sugar, then pour onto a plate.
2. Wet rims of each glass and dip them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
3. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour eggnog, vodka, Kahlua, molasses, and ginger. Shake to combine.
4. Pour into glasses and top with whipped cream, then add a light drizzle of molasses
Hot Peppermint Rod
Serves: 1
INGREDIENTS
vodka
peppermint schnapps
grenadine syrup
hot water
whipped cream
peppermint rod
DIRECTIONS
1. Fill Irish coffee mug with two parts vodka, two parts peppermint schnapps, two parts grenadine syrup.
2. Add hot water to fill mug and top with whip cream.
3. Garnish with a peppermint rod and grenadine drizzled over the whipped cream.
Salted Caramel Eggnog
Serves: 1
INGREDIENTS
caramel sauce, warmed
4 oz. eggnog
1 oz. spiced rum
kosher salt
whipped cream
nutmeg, freshly grated
DIRECTIONS
1. Coat inside of Irish whiskey glass with warm caramel sauce.
2. Add eggnog, spiced rum, and a pinch of salt and stir.
3. Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel, and freshly grated nutmeg.
Candy Cane Hot Chocolate
Serves: 1
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 candy cane
3 tbsp. sipping chocolate
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 oz. Kahlua
whipped cream
candy canes
DIRECTIONS
1. In a saucepan over low heat, warm whole milk and heavy cream.
2. Add 1 candy cane and stir until melted.
3. Stir in sipping chocolate and vanilla extract.
4. Remove from heat, stir in Kahlua, and pour into glass.
5. Garnish with whipped cream and candy canes.
Rosemary-Infused Honey Sidecars
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
3 sprig fresh rosemary
¼ c. sugar
1 c. honey
2 c. VSOP Cognac
1 c. lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium pot, bring 2 2/3 cups water and 3 rosemary sprigs to a boil. Boil 1 minute and set aside to steep until water cools to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Discard rosemary sprigs and pour infused water into 2 ice-cube trays and freeze.
2. Place sugar in a small, shallow dish. Using your finger, coat rims of eight 8-ounce tumblers with honey and immediately press the rims into sugar to coat. Set aside.
3. In a pitcher, combine Cognac, lemon juice, and remaining honey. Add rosemary-infused ice cubes and stir vigorously until honey dissolves and liquid is well chilled. Pour through a strainer into prepared glasses; discard ice.
4. Garnish each glass with a rosemary sprig and serve immediately.
Cranberry Gimlet
Serves: 1
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces gin
1 ounce unsweetened cranberry juice
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
whole cranberries, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in gin, cranberry juice, lime juice and simple syrup.
2. Shake until ice cold and strain into a martini or coupe glass.
3. Garnish with whole cranberries.
Christmas Cranberry Juleps
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
¾ cup sugar
2 strip fresh orange peel
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup Kentucky bourbon
8 sprig fresh mint
DIRECTIONS
1. In 2-quart saucepan, heat water, sugar, and orange peel to boiling on high. Add cranberries and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until cranberries pop and split but still hold their shape. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold. (Syrup and cranberries can be refrigerated up to one week.)
2. When ready to serve, strain cranberry syrup through sieve set over 1-quart liquid measure; discard solids. Spear 3 raw cranberries on each of 8 toothpicks. Stir bourbon into syrup.
3.Fill 8 glasses with crushed ice. Divide bourbon mixture among glasses.
4. Garnish with cranberry spears and mint.
Ginger Bell Cocktail
Serves: 2
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces bourbon
2 springs of fresh mint
1/2 lemon, cut into discs
2-inch piece freshly-skinned ginger, cut into small pieces
1 bottle ginger beer
ice
DIRECTIONS
1. In a cocktail shaker, add the bourbon, mint, lemon and ginger.
2. Firmly muddle until pieces break down.
3. Add ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds, then strain into coupe glasses.
4. Top with ginger beer, and garnish with a couple cranberries.
Spiked Apple Cider Cocktail
Serves: 2
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 cup apple brandy
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
6 apple slices, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Chill cocktail glasses in freezer.
2. Fill a tall cocktail shaker half full with ice. Add cider, brandy, lemon juice and maple syrup. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
3. Pour mixed and chilled ingredients through strainer of cocktail shaker and into chilled cocktail glasses.
4. Cut a thin slit into each apple slice and perch onto the rim of each glass for garnish.
Warm Apple Pie Cocktail
Serves: 1
INGREDIENTS
6 oz. apple cider (heated)
2 oz. Tuaca liqueur
whipped cream
pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
1. In a glass coffee mug or heat-resistant goblet, combine your heated cider and Tuaca.
2. Top with whipped cream.
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Add cinnamon stick.
This post is sponsored by Vital Proteins, all opinions are my own. Thank you to my amazing sponsors for supporting The LA Girl!