40+ Christmas cocktails to to enjoy this festive season

Christmas cocktails are a sure fire way to get everyone into the festive spirit. Christmas drinks are the perfect excuse to get out the cocktail shaker, and serve canapes to friends and family but in a less formal manner than a dinner party.

We have plenty of Christmas cocktail recipes from classics to Christmas gin cocktails and even recommendations on where to buy the best pre-mixed cocktails.

First of all, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the snowball – an acquired taste maybe, but if mixed well, this drink which uses Advocaat, is a wonderfully refreshing long festive drink. Serve with a glace cherry of course.

Christmas gin cocktail fans will love our pomegranate gin fizz – it’s so simple to make and includes gin, pomegranate juice and prosecco.

Prosecco based Christmas cocktails are some of the easiest to make – a spiced orange fizz is like a Buck’s Fizz but infuse the juice with spices such as cinnamon, star anise and cloves then top with prosecco.

Christmas cocktails can also make a thoughtful homemade Christmas gifts. You can make your own espresso martini liqueur or even a gingerbread cream liqueur and, presented in a pretty bottle, will make a wonderful stocking filler.

If you would prefer to take the easy entertaining route then the Good Housekeeping Institute has tested and reviewed the 12 best bottled Christmas cocktails that can be purchased from the supermarket including the best non-alcoholic spirits or the best alcohol-free beer. Cheers.

Watch magic happen before your eyes as this tequila-based cocktail changes colour.

Recipe: Northern Lights Cocktail

Also lovely as a mocktail, just leave out the vodka and make sure your ginger beer is booze-free too. The dipped crunchy rims make these extra special

Recipe: Spiced Apple Ginger

This rosolio, or lighter Italian liqueur, is flavoured (amongst other things) with bergamot, chamomile, aromatic herbs and rose petals. It has a balance of honeyed sweetness with bitterness, a great new one to try in a spritz.

Recipe: Italicus Spritz

Both refreshing and boozily warming!

Recipe: Knickerbocker

A wonderful Christmas cocktail to celebrate the season with! Try our spiced twist on a negroni.

Recipe: Winter Spiced Negroni

One for a cosy winter night. This traditional Mulled cider cocktail recipe is sure to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Recipe: Mulled cider

Try our rich and warminghot buttered rum Christmas cocktail. Butter, lemon and sugar are heated together and then finished off with a glug of rum. Delicious!

Recipe: Hot buttered rum

Mix on-trend Negroni with seasonal blood orange juice for a bitter-sweet take on the classic Buck’s Fizz. Make sure everything is well chilled .

Recipe: Negroni fizz

The mulled orange syrup is quick to make – and even easier to drink. Use any fizz you like in this seasonal delight.

Recipe: Spiced Orange Fizz

This Christmas cocktail usually takes a lot of time and effort to make – try this quick-and-easy recipe for a deliciously festive drink.

Recipe: Easy eggnog

Christmas champagne cocktails are a great way to add a little festive magic to your celebrations, and a great way to treat your guests too.

Recipe: Sloegasm cocktail

A twist on a classic short and strong cocktail to marry with the flavours of our menu. Top up with more soda water if you prefer a longer drink.

Recipe: Honey and Pear Brandy Old-Fashioned

Famed for his early morning tipple of whisky and soda, it’s well documented that Churchill liked a drink! A punchy warmer, with a cinnamon stick cigar – an homage to Winston’s legacy.

Recipe: Churchill's Breakfast

With a subtle hint of winter spice, this cocktail is a lighter festive twist on the traditional Moscow Mule.

You'll need:

25ml Vodka

20ml Tangerine Juice

5ml Sugar Syrup

2 drops Chocolate Bitters

London Essence Ginger Beer

Method

Mix together in a highball glass and serve with a tangerine wedge.

A refreshing and delicately light cocktail - the ideal Christmas morning aperitif.

You'll need:

60ml Sauvignon Blanc

2 dashes Peychauds Bitters

10ml Peach Syrup

London Essence Grapefruit & Lemon Verbena Crafted Soda

Method

Mix together in a highball glass and serve with lemon zest garnish.

A lighter alternative to the traditional winter warmer that embodies the true essence and festive flavours of Christmas.

You'll need:

25ml Aged Rum

15ml Lime Juice

5ml Cinnamon Syrup

30ml Cloudy Apple Juice

London Essence Classic Tonic Water

Method:

Mix together in a highball glass and serve with a cinnamon stick.

With the rising popularity of pink cocktails, this serve is a sophisticated combination of fresh fruit flavour and warm pink peppercorn notes.

You'll need:

25ml Pink Gin

50ml Pink Grapefruit Juice

5ml Pink Rose Syrup

London Essence Pomelo & Pink Pepper Tonic Water

Method:

Mix together in a highball glass and serve with a grapefruit wedge garnish.

Pour 60ml of Cream Sherry and 140ml of ice tea into a tumbler with ice. Garnish with a slice of orange.

Pour 60ml of Manzanilla and 140ml of lemonade over ice. Cut a lime and squeeze into the glass. Stir before garnishing with a slice of lime and 3 mint leaves.

This versatile apple and ginger tipple can be served chilled or as a Winter warmer.

Recipe: Apple and ginger cocktail

This simple berry liqueur only requires 4 ingredients and 5 minutes of your time.

Recipe: Merry Berry liqueur

If you can’t get enough of Christmas pudding, why not try it in cocktail form?

Recipe: Christmas pudding vodka

The combination of berry and cinnamon gives this gin cocktail a real taste of Christmas.

Recipe: Spiced blackberry gin

This apple and cinnamon cocktail is a festive option for Martini lovers.

Recipe: Spiced apple Martini

Who doesn’t love a little sparkle during the Christmas festivities? This orange and basil cocktail is a refreshing treat for your guests.

Recipe: Orange and basil sparkler cocktail

This Christmas cocktail is a delicious alternative to mulled wine.

Recipe: Mulled cranberry and raspberry punch

This tasty vodka cocktail is bursting with festive flavours.

Recipe: Orange spiced vodka

Gin cocktail meets mulled wine in this unique Christmas drink.

Recipe: Mulled gin

This sparkling raspberry and orange drink makes a thoughtful handmade gift for liqueur lovers.

Recipe: Raspberry orange liqueur

Time to party with this simple Champagne cocktail recipe that's ideal for a New Year's Eve party. Let's celebrate!

Recipe: Twinkle cocktail

A sparkling gin cocktail that's perfect for a festive party.

Recipe: Pomegranate gin fizz

A sparkling gin cocktail that's perfect for a festive party.

Recipe: Pomegranate sparklers

Make sure to mature and store this gin in a cupboard or dark place – light will turn its pretty ruby colour to a muddy brown.

Recipe: Apple and blackberry gin

Rich Hunt, previously Head Bartender at Milk & Honey, Mahiki and Hawksmoor, as well as former winner of Bartender of the Year, is here to tell us how to make the perfect Bellini...

Recipe: Peach Bellini

The mix between tarty orange flavours and herby thyme makes this cocktail the perfect aperitif.

Recipe: Sparkling clementine and thyme cocktail

Recipe by Heather Christo

If you love tequila and Christmas, you’ll LOVE this margarita.

Recipe: Cranberry Orange margaritas

Recipe by Half Baked Harvest

A family-favourite dessert and seasonal blood oranges come together to create a festive delight!

Recipe: Blood orange meringue pie cocktail

Aside from the complementary apple and gin flavours, this cocktail requires sweet cranberry ice cubes.

Recipe: Gin and appletiser cocktail

Recipe by Fuss Free Flavours

A Snowball is a classic Christmas cocktail and easy to make.

Recipe: Snowball

Champagne and vermouth make up this delightful cocktail, but it’s actually the marshmallow reindeer we’re in love with!

Recipe: Rudolph Cranberry Fizz

Recipe by U Try It

Created by Richard Woods, Head of Spirit & Cocktail Development at Duck & Waffle, this cocktail is part of the restaurant’s ‘12 Drinks of Christmas’ menu. But you can make this one at home!

Recipe: Panettone Flip

Recipe by Duck and Waffle

Try drizzling over your favourite ice cream, stir a little into hot chocolate or simply serve over ice.

Recipe: Espresso Martini Liqueur

This gingerbread cream liqueur is a smooth after-dinner tipple or add a dash to hot chocolate - it's a perfect homemade Christmas gift.

Recipe: Gingerbread Cream Liqueur