It’s the Christmas season, and it’s the perfect excuse to gather your family and friends and enjoy an evening of cosy fireside cocktails. Whether you have a mixology degree or you just love stirring and shaking, preparing cocktails is a fun and creative way to celebrate and get into the festive spirit. Here is some inspiration to get that party started!
Cherry Bakewell Amaretto Sour
Christmas is a time for fun kitsch drinks that might not be cool or glamorous, but taste great. The cherry bakewell cocktail is one such beverage that fits this description! It is made from amaretto, a sweet Italian liqueur that has a fruity and nutty almond flavour. Mix it with a tablespoon of freshly squeezed orange juice and good quality lemonade.
To make, combine the amaretto, cordial and lemon juice in a jug and pour it between tall glasses with plenty of ice. Top up the glasses with lemonade and stir well. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
White Christmas Margaritas
Margaritas are an ever-popular cocktail, and you can adapt them perfectly to the season with some simple twists. Make a punch bowl of White Christmas Margaritas with a can of coconut cream, two tablespoons of cream of coconut and 12 oz of blanco tequila. Add in 8 oz of triple sec and the juice of a quarter of a lime.
Serve in short tumblers and garnish with some cranberries and sprigs of rosemary for an attractive and delicious yuletide drink.
Rum and ginger punch
This is another excellent choice if you are having a few guests over, because it can easily be mixed up into a bowl for everyone to help themselves. It makes an perfect accompaniment to a mince pie or two.
To make, you’ll need dark rum, spiced rum, grenadine, the juice of four limes, one litre of ginger beer and 10 slices of orange. Fill up a large jug with ice and add the two rums, the grenadine, the lime juice and the orange slices, and stir well. Then simply top up the mixture with the ginger beer, and serve with plenty of ice.
Pomegranate martini cocktail
Add a twist to the classic martini recipe with this fun fruity version. You can use store-bought pomegranate juice or even press your own. Use a good quality vodka, triple sec, and a splash of lemon juice. Pour all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake well with ice. Serve in a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a slice of lemon.
Hot buttered rum
This is a lovely drink to round off a shared meal. To make, you’ll need dark rum, soft light brown sugar, unsalted butter, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks to garnish.
Melt the butter and stir it into a small bowl with the sugar and spices, and add in the rum. Divide it between heatproof glasses and top up with boiling water. Cheers!
