Top 10: Festive Cocktail RecipesBy Francesca Brooking

In need of some cocktail-making inspiration this Christmas? From festive twists on cocktail classics to warming hot toddies, here are our favourite Christmas cocktail recipes you need to make at home this winter:

Gordon’s Hot Pink

Ingredients: 

– 50ml Gordon’s Premium Pink

– 150ml Cranberry Juice

– 1 Cinnamon stick 

– 1 Star anise

– 2 Cloves

– 1 Pinch ground ginger 

– 1 Pinch grated nutmeg

– 2 Raspberries, a star anise and a cinnamon stick to garnish

Method: 

Add the Gordon’s Premium Pink and cranberry juice to a small saucepan along with a cinnamon stick, a star anise, 2 cloves, a pinch of ground ginger and some freshly grated nutmeg. Gently heat through until piping hot, strain into a heatproof copa to remove the mulling spices and serve.

Chambord French Martini

Add a drop of magic to your French Martini with our secret ingredient, Chambord. An elegant and fruity drink, this cocktail is bound to be a fan favourite at any Christmas party you host. 

Ingredients: 

– 1 Part Chambord

– 2 Parts vodka

-3 Parts pineapple juice 

Method: 

Vigorously shake Chambord with vodka, pineapple juice and cubed ice and strain into a martini glass. 

Arctic Cheat’s Irish Coffee Cream

Arctic Cheat’s Irish Coffee Cream is an indulgent pudding of a cocktail. A perfect Christmas tipple, serve it up in front of your favourite festive film. 

Ingredients: 

– A 330ml carton of Arctic Iced Coffee latte

– 50ml Irish whisky

– Half tsp of vanilla essence

– Ice to serve

Method: 

In a clean jug mix the carton of Arctic iced coffee latte with the of Irish whiskey and vanilla essence. Stir very well and use a funnel to transfer into a sterilised clip top bottle. Keep in the fridge until required. To serve pour into a tumbler over ice, and pair with a warm mince pie.

WhistlePig Vermont Manhattan

The WhistlePig Vermont Manhatten is one of our most exciting Christmas cocktail recipes. Warming and spiced, the signature flavours of vanilla, cinnamon and tobacco is a testament to the Vermont Oak sourced on their farm. Enjoy it as a Christmas dinner digestif or a nightcap to conclude the festivities.

Ingredients: 

– 30ml WhistlePig 10 Year Straight Rye

– 30ml Red Vermouth

– 3 drops of WhistlePig Maple Bitters or alternative

– 1 Jack Rudy Bourbon Cherry to garnish

Method:

Add ice to glass and chill, discard excess water. Add all ingredients, stir to chill and dilute. Strain into frozen glassware. Place a cherry into the drink.

The Dingle Gin Negroni Cocktail

Guaranteed to warm the cockles of any heart this Christmas, the Dingle Gin Negroni is a festive twist on the classic Negroni cocktail. 

Ingredients: 

– 35ml Dingle Gin 

– 35ml Campari

– 35ml Martini Rosso 

– Ice 

– Orange peel to garnish

Method: 

Add all the ingredients to a glass, add ice and stir slowly and well to chill and dilute. Strain into a chilled whisky short, garnish with orange peel and serve immediately.

Gran Patrón Winter Rose

The Winter Rose is the perfect cocktail to sip while hosting a Christmas soiree. A twist on the classic Bellini, it’s decadent and exciting with a kick of Gran Patrón tequila. 

Ingredients: 

– 45ml Gran Patrón tequila

– 22.5ml Calvados

– 22.5ml Martini Riserva Speciale

– 15ml Martini Bitter

– Grapefruit zest to garnish

Method: 

Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir with ice to chill. Strain into a chill flute and garnish with the grapefruit zest.

Diablesse Winter Spiced Cocktail

Diablesse’s Winter Spiced cocktail is a concoction of chocolate orange goodness in a glass. Filled with decadent, warming liqueurs and a drop of Irish Cream, it’s one of our most indulgent Christmas cocktail recipes and we can’t get enough of it. 

Ingredients: 

– 40ml Diablesse Clementine Spiced Rum

– 20ml Irish cream

– 15ml Mozart white chocolate liqueur 

– 10ml Ginger liqueur

– 5ml Toasted almond liqueur

– All spice bitters 

Method: 

Shake all ingredients hard with ice and serve over ice cubes. Garnish with cinnamon powder.

The Little Yellow Door’s Mince Pie Whiskey Sour

The mince pie is a classic Christmas staple, and thanks to The Little Yellow Door in Notting Hill, you can now enjoy it in the form of a cocktail. It contains real mincemeat which balances beautifully with the malty richness of Balvenie 12 and Canadian Club. 

Ingredients: 

– 20ml Mince Pie Puree – made by blitzing a jar of mincemeat with 200ml of Orange Juice and 100ml of Lemon Juice 

– 25ml Egg White

– 20ml Lemon Juice

– 15ml Canadian Club

– 35ml Balvenie 12 whisky

– 10ml Simple Syrup

Method: 

Add all ingredients to tin along with two cubes of ice and shake vigorously. Add a scoop of ice and re-shake. Double strain into metal coupette and garnish with Holly Sprig, Angostura Bitters and Maraschino Cherry brine on top. Dust with Icing Sugar and serve with a mini mince pie.

CÎROC Hot Toddy

You can’t go wrong with a classic hot toddy this Christmas. Best enjoyed after a Christmas walk or snuggled under a blanket in the evening, CÎROC’s Hot Toddy is a balance of fruity apple, warming ginger and revitalising lemon. Delicious. 

Ingredients: 

– 50ml CÎROC

– 30ml lemon juice 

– 20ml ginger syrup 

– 20ml apple juice 

– 3 dashes angostura bitters 

– 25ml water

– Dried orange wheel to garnish

Method:

Heat ingredients with a coffee steamer and then add CÎROC.

Nine Elms No.18 Mulled Nine

Now for a hearty Christmas mocktail, Nine Elms 18 is a botanical infusion of 20 different herbs and spices and juice of 4 types of berry. This complex flavour profile makes Nine Elms No.18 ideal for a sophisticated non-alcoholic cocktail alternative. Perfect with mince pies, the Mulled Nine is a cosy winter warmer. 

Ingredients:

– 1 bottle Nine Elms No.18

– 5ml Gimber

– 1 whole dried chipotle, ancho or mulato chilli

– 1 cinnamon quill

– 2 whole star anise

– 7 whole dried allspice berries

– 3 cloves

– 60g light brown sugar 

– A large orange twist to garnish

Method:

Make a small incision in the chilli so that it’s smoky heat can more easily mingle with the liquid. Add all ingredients, including the chilli, to a heavy bottom pot. Gently bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Keep at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes or so. Ladle into heatproof glasses. Garnish with another orange twist. The chilli can be removed early if you are concerned that the heat will become too intense.