The holiday spirit abounds from the time Thanksgiving weekend begins to the time New Year counts down.  Cocktail parties for the office, friends and neighbors provide occasions for gatherings with differing needs.  One might need punches and coffees for neighbors stopping in for a moment or two with greetings.   Family and friend type holiday parties require classic cocktails and specifically chosen martinis to suit particular palates since the gathering means hours of nibbling finger food and chatting over good times.  Office parties might suggest simpler martinis and cocktail recipes with fewer ingredients that still keep within the classic style yet appeal to a broader audience.

Put a little Holiday Cheer into your season with a few of the seasonal drink recipes below. Stay tuned to The Intoxicologist site for more festive cocktail recipes for all your party needs.

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15 Jingle Bell Christmas Cocktails

Christmas Fizz

2 ounces Right Gin

2 teaspoon Cranberry Jam

1 ounce Sweet Vermouth

1 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 ounce Simple Syrup

1 Egg White

1 dash Peychaud’s Bitters

2 ounces Sparkling Water

Lemon Wedge and Cranberry Garnish

Place all liquid ingredients except sparkling water in mixing glass with ice.  Shake vigorously until frothy.  Add sparkling water to highball glass over fresh ice. Top with strained cocktail shaker mixture. Garnish with lemon wedge and cranberry.

Jack Frost

2 ounces Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey

2 Tablespoons Cherry Juice or Grenadine

1/4 cup Orange Juice

1/4 cup Sour Mix

Maraschino Cherries Garnish

Combine all liquid ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to chill. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with maraschino cherries.

Never buy artificial cocktail cherries at the store again. Luxardo Maraschino Cherries are hands down the BEST way to go. They seem expensive, but these little cherries pack a punch. They’re used in the best bars across the world.

p.i.n.k. Christmas Cocktail

1-1/2 ounce p.i.n.k. Vodka

1-1/2 ounce Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur

1 ounce Half & Half Cream

Splash of Frangelico

Splash of Chambord

Red Raspberries Garnish

Combine liquids in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake vigorously until frothy. Pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with skewered red raspberries.

Holiday Sangria – created by Chef Ryan Scott

1 bottle Dry Red Wine

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup Orange Juice

1 Orange, thinly sliced

1 Lemon, thinly sliced

2 whole Pink Grapefruit, peeled, seeded and segmented

1 Papaya, diced

1 Mango, diced

3/4 cup Red Grapes, halved

2 bottles Zipang Sparkling Sake

4 cups Ice cubes

Place wine and brown sugar in large pitcher.  Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.  Add in orange juice and fruits.  Let mixture stand for 30 minutes.  Divide between 8 serving glasses. Pour over fresh ice.  Top with sake.

Corzo Holly

1-1/2 parts Corzo Reposado Tequila

3/4 part Fresh Lime Juice

1 part Simple Syrup

3 Fresh Strawberries – Quartered

3 Fresh Basil Leaves

1/8 part Balsamic Vinegar

Fresh Strawberry Garnish

Muddle strawberries, basil leaves and vinegar in mixing glass. Add remaining liquid ingredients with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with fresh sliced strawberry.

Cazadorez Mistletoe Margarita

1-1/2 parts Tequila Cazadores Reposado

2 parts Pomegranate Juice

1/2 part Sour Mix

1/2 part Triple Sec

1/2 part Grenadine

Splash Fresh Lime Juice

Lime Wedge Garnish

Salt for Rim

Rim edge of rocks glass with salt if desired. Set aside. Combine all liquid ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill.  Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with lime wedge.

Silent Dos Lunas Night

1 ounce Dos Lunas Silver Tequila

1 ounce Pomegranate Juice

Chilled Champagne

Place tequila and pomegranate juice in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to chill. Strain into chilled champagne flute. Top with champagne. Stir gently.

42Below Holiday Punch

1-1/2 parts 42Below Passionfruit

1 part Fresh Lime Juice

1/2 part Martini Rosso

1/2 part Benedictine

1 part Red Wine

1 part Spiced Syrup* (cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, orange peel, clove and star anise)

2 part Pink Grapefruit Juice

Garnish with fruits of choice.

*Spiced Syrup – 2 parts Sugar, 1 part water: Dissolve over low heat with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, orange peel, clove and star anise spices added in. Allow to cool.

Place all ingredients in large pitcher. Stir. Add large block of ice. Serve immediately.

G’ingle Bell

1 ounce G’vine Nouaison

1/4 ounce Lillet Blanc

1/2 ounce Apple Liqueur

1/2 ounce Simple syrup

1/4 ounce Lime Juice

Place ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into cocktail glass.

Sleigh Ride

4 ounces Hot Apple Cider

1 ounce Averna

2 ounces Whiskey

1/2 teaspoon Honey

Cinnamon Stick

Place Averna and whiskey in heat proof mug.  Add hot cider and honey.  Stir with cinnamon stick.  Allow cinnamon stick to infuse into drink for a few minutes before serving.

Christmas Snowball

1/4 ounce Anisette or Pernod Absinthe

1/4 ounce Crème de Violette

1/4 ounce Heavy Cream

1/4 ounce White Crème de Menthe

1 ounce Plymouth Gin

Place all ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly to blend and chill. Strain into chilled champagne flute.

Tinsel Bellini

2 ounces HPNOTIQ

1 ounce Limoncello

1 ounce Champagne

Splash of lime juice

Sugar for Rim

Rim chilled champagne flute with sugar. Set aside. Place Hpnotiq, limoncello and lime juice in mixing glass with ice. Stir or shake to chill. Strain into sugar rimmed champagne flute. Top with champagne.

White Christmas

1 ounce Right Gin

1 ounce Baileys Irish Cream

1/2 ounce Bénédictine

1/2 ounce Half & Half

Fresh Grated Nutmeg and Cinnamon Garnish

Place all liquid ingredients in mixing glass with ice.  Shake to blend and chill.  Strain into cocktail glass or dessert wine glass.  Dust with nutmeg and cinnamon.

Candy Cane Swirl

1 ounce SKYY Infusions Raspberry

3 ounces Cranberry Juice

1/2 ounce Grenadine

1/2 ounce Peppermint Schnapps

Sprite or 7Up

Candy Canes

Rim chilled martini glass with crushed candy cane.  Combine SKYY Vodka, Peppermint Schnapps, Cranberry Juice and Grenadine into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously to chill. Strain into candy cane rimmed martini glass.  Top with splash of Sprite.  Garnish with small peppermint candy cane.

Berry Merry Christmas

1-1/4 ounce Right Gin

3/4 ounce Pomegranate Liqueur

2 ounce Pomegranate Blueberry Juice

1/4 ounce Blueberry Syrup

3 dashes Blood Orange Bitters

2 wedges Lime (squeezed)

1 ounce Sparkling Wine

Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries Garnish

Place all liquids except sparkling wine into cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to chill. Strain into highball glass over fresh ice. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with sliced strawberries and blueberries.

All content ©2009 Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist. All Rights Reserved. Chat with Cheri @Intoxicologist on Twitter and facebook.com/Intoxicologist or str8upcocktails@gmail.com