Holiday Signature Cocktails!

If you're throwing a holiday party this year, or even just having company, you’re probably thinking of all the special details you want to add. We’re sure one of those details is what kind of drinks to offer your guests!

Not to worry, we have all the cocktail inspiration you'll need right here. We like to keep things simple and delicious. Here are some of our holiday cocktail picks and recipes.

Kir Royale

• 3 to 4 tablespoons Crème de Cassis, Crème de Framboise or Chambord

• 1 (750 ml) bottle dry sparkling wine or Champagne, chilled

• 1/4 cup fresh raspberries, optional

Add 2 to 3 teaspoons Crème de Cassis to each flute. Drop in 3 to 4 raspberries. Fill each flute with sparkling wine. Serve immediately.

Moscow Mule

• 2 oz. vodka

• 1/2 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed

• 6 oz. ginger beer

• Fresh mint (optional)

Squeeze lime juice into a copper mug (or a Collins glass) and drop in the spent shell. Add ice cubes, then pour in the vodka and fill with cold ginger beer. Stir and serve.

Rosemary & Thyme Lemon Cocktail

• 5 fresh rosemary sprigs

• 5 fresh thyme sprigs

• 1 bottle (1-3/4 liters) lemonade

• 2 ounces carbonated water, chilled

• 1-1/2 ounces vodka

• Lemon zest strips and fresh rosemary sprigs

Make ahead: In a 2-qt. pitcher, muddle rosemary and thyme; add lemonade. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain lemonade; discard herbs.

To prepare cocktail: In a mixing glass or tumbler, combine 1/2 cup lemonade and vodka. Place ice in a highball glass; add lemonade mixture. Top with carbonated water. Garnish with a lemon zest strip and rosemary sprig if desired.

French 75

• 1 ounce gin

• 1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed

• 1/2 ounce simple syrup

• 3 ounces Champagne (or other sparkling wine)

• Garnish: lemon twist

Add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a Champagne flute. Top with the Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Mistletoe Margarita (can be made in batches)

• 1 1/2 ounces tequila

• 1/2 ounce cranberry juice

• 1 ounce lime juice

• 1 ounce orange liqueur (like Cointreau)

• 1 ounce club soda

• fresh cranberries and lime wedges (for garnish)

Combine the tequila, cranberry juice, lime juice, orange liqueur and ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with skewered cranberries and lime wedges. Rim margarita glasses with salt, if desired. If making in batches do not add ice until serving individual cocktails.

Spiked Eggnog (can be made in batches)

• .5 oz Brandy

• .5 oz dark rum

• 3 oz store bought eggnog

• Dash nutmeg & cinnamon

• 1/8 tsp sugar

• 1 cinnamon stick, for garnish (optional)

Mix the brandy, rum and eggnog in a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar to a small plate. Wet the rim of a glass with rum. Roll the rim of the glass in the spices. Strain the cocktail into the glass. Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail (can be made in batches)

• 1 ½ ounces bourbon

• 1 ounce sweet red vermouth

• 2 ounces orange juice

• cranberry juice

• Ice

• For the garnish: fresh or frozen cranberries, rosemary sprigs

Place the bourbon, sweet vermouth, orange juice and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill it with ice and shake until cold. Strain the drink into an ice-filled lowball glass. If desired, garnish with fresh or frozen cranberries and rosemary sprigs.

*Pitcher variation (8 servings): Add 1 ½ cups bourbon, 1 cup sweet vermouth, 2 cups orange juice, 1 cup cranberry juice.. Add 2 handfuls ice and stir until cold.

The Maple Old Fashioned (classic with a twist!)

• 2 ounces bourbon

• ½ to 1 teaspoon maple syrup, to taste

• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

• Ice

• Orange peel, for garnish

• Optional: 1 maraschino cherry or other cocktail cherry, for garnish

In a lowball glass, pour in the bourbon, ½ teaspoon maple syrup and a couple dashes of bitters. Stir to combine.

Add a large ice cube or several small, and gently stir in a circular motion until the drink is very cold, about 20 seconds. Taste, and stir in ¼ to ½ teaspoon more maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter drink. Use a vegetable peeler to remove a hefty strip of orange peel. Gently twist it, skin side down, over the drink to release the oils. Then place the orange peel in the glass. Sip and enjoy!!

Merry Mojitos (huge crowd favorite!)

SINGLE SERVING:

• 10 fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish

• 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) white rum

• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) fresh lime juice

• 2–3 teaspoons honey simple syrup (see below), to taste

• Ice

• club soda

• Splash of cranberry juice (optional)

PITCHER FOR A CROWD (8 SERVINGS):

• 80 (roughly) mint leaves, plus more for garnish

• 2 cups white rum

• 1 cup fresh lime juice

• 1/3 cup honey simple syrup (or more/less to taste)

• Ice

• club soda

• ¼ cup cranberry juice (optional)

For A Single Serving: Add the mint leaves, rum, lime juice and honey simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Muddle the mint (using a cocktail muddler or a wooden spoon) to release its flavors. Add 1 cup of ice. Then cover the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 15 seconds, until chilled. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with club soda, as well as extra mint or lime wedges for garnish, if desired.

For A Pitcher: Add the mint leaves, rum, lime juice and honey simple syrup to a large pitcher. Muddle the mint (using a cocktail muddler or a wooden spoon) to release its flavors. Fill the pitcher most of the way full with ice. Top with club soda. Serve in tall glasses filled with ice, then garnish with extra mint or lime wedges, if desired.

How To Make Honey Simple Syrup: Combine equal parts honey and water in a saucepan. Then heat until the mixture nearly reaches a simmer, then whisk together until the honey melts into the water. You can refrigerate the mixture in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Mudslide (basically liquid booze dessert – we’re not complaining)

• 1 part Kahlua

• 1 part vodka

• 1.5 parts Bailey’s Irish Cream

Add the Kahlúa coffee liqueur, Absolut Vodka and Irish cream liqueur into a shaker. Add in lots of ice and shake together. Serve in a rocks glass with fresh ice.

Pro tip – make sure you really shake it! At least 20 seconds. It gives it that foamy, frothy smoothness!

We hope you love these holiday cocktails as much as we do! If you make any of these we’d love to know! Have a blast, drink responsibly and have a fabulous holiday season!

- xxoo Julia & Melissa