Move over, mulled wine, nothing sums up the festive spirit like an on-point glass of erm… spirits. Yes, the Christmas cocktail is here to stay. Forget the gloopy, mysterious eggnog and dubious punch, bars across the land are pouring some seriously elegant drinks to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.
The best part? You don’t even have to leave the warm comfort of your own home to experience them. We’ve got our hands on the best recipes around so you can whip them up to make your party a cut above the usual glass of lukewarm prosecco or enjoy them on a quiet evening away from the festivities. It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas…
Frankincense Fizz
Celebrate with this decadent golden fizz, inspired by the aromatic and exotic scent of frankincense.
Ingredients
40ml Fords gin
15ml Quaglia Chinotto liqueur
25ml orange juice
1 egg yolk
20ml (1:1) sugar syrup
20ml lemon juice
5ml frankincense water
1 orange slice
Top soda water
Garnish: edible gold spray
Method
Add all ingredients to shaker except soda, shake over cubed ice and strain into Champagne flute. Top with soda and garnish with edible gold spray!
Geese A-Laying
This simple vodka cocktail uses plum jam for a nod towards the traditional plum pudding, but in a light, modern and delicious drink.
Ingredients
20ml Grey Goose Vodka
10ml Cointreau
20ml plum jam
10ml lime juice
Top with prosecco
Method
Shake all ingredients (except the prosecco) over ice. Strain into a Champagne flute and top with prosecco.
Snowball
This very retro festive offering is pleasingly simple to knock up at home (and nothing says “Christmas is here” quite like a Snowball).
Ingredients (serves 1)
50ml Warninks advocaat
25ml lime juice
A dash of lemonade
Cinnamon stick
Method
Shake the advocaat and lime juice and strain into a glass. Top with lemonade and garnish with cinnamon stick.
Boozy Hot Chocolate
This Boozy Hot Chocolate (chocolate! rum! full-cream milk!) will knock your novelty Christmas socks off.
Ingredients (serves 4)
250g full-cream milk
100g Original Beans 55 per cent Femmes De Virunga chocolate
100g Original Beans 70 per cent Cru Virunga
Pinch of Sea Salt
100ml Spiced Rum
Method
In a medium saucepan, add milk, chocolate and salt and place over a low to medium heat to melt slowly, stirring occasionally with a whisk. Try not to boil. Once completely melted, remove from heat and use an immersion blender to fully emulsify. Add rum and serve up.
Hot Buttered Sherry
Sherry is no longer regarded solely as the go-to winter warmer for the elderly and infirm. Go full Father Christmas with this hot buttered version.
Ingredients (serves 1)
20ml fino sherry
5ml PX sherry
2 tspn brandy butter
3 tspn (or one teabag) mulling spices
10ml sugar syrup
75ml cider
Garnish: star anise and lemon twist
Method
Add all ingredients to a pan, heat until simmering and then strain into a glass.
