5 Easy Christmas Cocktails for Festive Gatherings

Five measured Christmas cocktails for gatherings or quiet nights: a Spiced Old Fashioned, Cranberry Gin Fizz, Hot Buttered Rum, Mistletoe Martini and Mulled Wine Punch. Exact measures, clear methods. Related: Winter Warmers, how to batch cocktails, and the Seasonal Drink Pairing Guide. See the full collection in the Recipe Index.

1. Spiced Old Fashioned

Servings: 1
Prep time: 4 minutes
Glassware: Rocks glass
Taste profile: Spirit-forward, cinnamon, orange, warm

Ingredients:

• 60 ml bourbon or rye
• 5–7.5 ml brown sugar syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Orange peel
• Cinnamon stick

Method:

1. Stir whiskey, syrup and bitters with ice for 20–30 seconds.
2. Strain over a large cube.
3. Express the orange peel over the surface and drop it in. Add the cinnamon stick.

Garnish: Orange peel and cinnamon stick.
Substitutions and variations: Use maple syrup instead of brown sugar. Classic technique is in the Old Fashioned Makeover.

2. Cranberry Gin Fizz

Servings: 1
Prep time: 4 minutes
Glassware: Highball glass
Taste profile: Bright cranberry, light citrus, herbal rosemary, bubbly

Ingredients:

• 50 ml gin
• 30 ml cranberry juice (100%)
• 15 ml fresh lemon juice
• 10 ml simple syrup
• Soda water to top
• Rosemary sprig

Method:

1. Gently press the rosemary with the syrup (do not pound).
2. Add gin, cranberry and lemon. Shake hard with ice for 10 seconds.
3. Strain over fresh ice and top with soda.

Garnish: Rosemary sprig and a few cranberries.
Substitutions and variations: Use vodka for a cleaner profile. Drop the syrup if the cranberry is already sweet.

3. Hot Buttered Rum

Servings: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Glassware: Mug or heatproof glass
Taste profile: Rich, spicy, buttery, warming

Ingredients:

• 50–60 ml dark or spiced rum
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• Pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove
• Hot (not boiling) water to fill

Method:

1. Combine butter, sugar and spices in the mug.
2. Add the rum and top with hot water.
3. Stir until the butter melts. Add a cinnamon stick.

Garnish: Cinnamon stick.
Substitutions and variations: Use whiskey instead of rum. Soften the butter with the sugar first so it dissolves evenly.

4. Mistletoe Martini

Servings: 1
Prep time: 3 minutes
Glassware: Chilled coupe or martini glass
Taste profile: Bright, lightly sweet, floral, celebratory

Ingredients:

• 50 ml vodka
• 20 ml elderflower liqueur
• 30 ml cranberry juice

Method:

1. Shake all ingredients hard with ice for 12 seconds.
2. Double-strain into a chilled coupe.

Garnish: Sugared cranberries or a small rosemary sprig.
Substitutions and variations: Use pomegranate juice instead of cranberry. Reduce elderflower to 15 ml for less sweetness.

5. Mulled Wine Punch (serves 6–8)

Servings: 6–8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Glassware: Mugs or heatproof glasses
Taste profile: Warm spice, red wine, orange, lightly sweet

Ingredients:

• 750 ml red wine
• 1 orange, sliced
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 cloves
• 30 ml sugar or maple syrup (adjust to taste)
• Optional 30–60 ml brandy

Method:

1. Gently heat all ingredients except brandy in a pan. Do not boil.
2. Simmer 15–20 minutes.
3. Add brandy off the heat if using. Serve warm.

Garnish: Orange slice and a cinnamon stick in each mug.
Substitutions and variations: Skip the brandy for a lighter pot. Related batching advice is in How to Batch Cocktails for a Crowd.

Festive cocktail menu for 4–8 guests

A simple two-drink menu works well for most gatherings. Offer one spirit-forward option and one longer, lighter option, plus the mulled wine if people are staying longer.

• Welcome drink: Cranberry Gin Fizz or Mistletoe Martini
• Main drink: Spiced Old Fashioned
• Later or for a crowd: Mulled Wine Punch
• Non-alcoholic option: Cranberry-ginger mocktail (see below)

For 6 guests making two drinks each, plan for roughly 12 measured serves across the menu. Keep a jigger and ice ready so pours stay consistent.

Shopping quantities (example for 6 guests, two drinks each)

• 360 ml bourbon or rye (for Spiced Old Fashioneds)
• 300 ml gin (for Cranberry Gin Fizzes)
• 180 ml cranberry juice
• 90 ml lemon juice
• 60 ml simple syrup
• 1 bottle red wine + spices for mulled wine
• Orange peels, rosemary, cranberries, cinnamon sticks
• Large ice cubes

Adjust upward if guests will have more than two drinks. Full batching guidance is in the linked batching post.

Make-ahead instructions

• Day before: Make brown sugar syrup. Juice lemons. Bottle the still parts of the Cranberry Gin Fizz (gin, cranberry, lemon, syrup) if you prefer. Chill vermouth if using any stirred drinks. Prepare mulled wine base (wine, orange, spices, sugar) and refrigerate; reheat gently before serving and add brandy off the heat.
• Morning of: Set out garnish tray. Chill glasses. Confirm ice supply.
• Service: Stir or shake to order. Add soda or garnish at the glass. Keep mulled wine warm in a slow cooker or on the lowest heat.

Non-alcoholic alternative

Cranberry-Ginger Mocktail (1 serving)
60 ml cranberry juice
15 ml fresh lemon juice
10 ml ginger syrup
90 ml soda water
Build over ice, stir once. Garnish with rosemary and cranberries. This matches the colour and festive feel of the Gin Fizz without the alcohol. Multiply as needed and keep the soda separate until serving.

These five cover spirit-forward, bubbly, hot, elegant and shareable. Measure carefully so the holiday flavours stay balanced. One glass is one drink.

These are full-strength serves for adults of legal drinking age. One is a drink, not a starter. If you are driving, pregnant, or on medication, skip the alcohol.

For more seasonal pairings and the full collection of recipes, see the Seasonal Drink Pairing Guide and the Recipe Index.