Cocktails for Christmas

Nia Thomas

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A staple in the run-up to Christmas is consuming more than your fair share of festive tipples. Here are some recipes for my favourite Christmas cocktails to rustle up when impressing guests, or if you simply fancy something a little different.

While you can’t go wrong with a mug of mulled wine or a bubbling buck’s fizz, these recipes offer some alternatives to the seasonal staples.

Snowball

Ingredients

15ml lime juice

50ml advocaat

50ml lemonade

To Serve

Ice

Maraschino cherries

Method

1. Pour the lime juice into your glass with ice.
2. Add the advocaat and lemonade and stir until the glass feels cold to touch.
3. Garnish with the maraschino cherry.

Eggnog

Ingredients

1 vanilla pod

4 separated eggs

100ml sugar syrup

100ml double cream

500ml milk

100-150ml brandy

To serve

Ice

Method

1. Combine the vanilla seeds, egg yolks and syrup in a bowl and beat until pale (approximately 2-3 minutes).
2. Add the milk, cream and brandy and mix until combined.
3. After cleaning your whisks, beat the egg whites to soft peaks in a clean bowl.
4. Fold one third of the egg white into the cream mix. Once combined, add the rest. Fold gently until whole mixture is smooth.
5. Chill until ready to serve, mixing with ice before pouring.

Hot Buttered Rum

Ingredients

1 tbsp soft light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

100ml dark rum

2 tbsp melted unsalted butter

To Serve

Cinnamon sticks

Method

1. Combine the sugar with the ground spices.
2. Gradually add the rum and melted butter.
3. Serve in heat proof glasses, topped up with 100ml boiling water.
4. Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Christmas Mocktails

Of course, not everyone has to drink to have a good time at Christmas! Whether you’re designated driver, teetotal or simply sober-curious, you deserve delicious festive drinks too. Here, I’ve curated some of my favourite winter mocktails.

Cranberry Spritz

Ingredients

100ml cranberry juice

Juice of half an orange

6 sage leaves

80ml sparkling white grape juice/white grape sparkling water

Method

1. Pour 50ml cranberry juice into two champagne flutes.
2. Divide the orange juice between the glasses.
3. Add 3 sage leaves and 1-2 ice cubes to each glass.
4. Top with the sparkling grape.

Clementine No-jito

Ingredients

1 clementine

1/2 tsp demerare sugar

1 lemon wedge

Ice

Small handful of fresh mint leaves, no stalks

Sparkling water

Method

1. Juice half the clementine, chopping the other half into small pieces.
2. Combine equally into a glass with the sugar and lemon and crush with a muddler.
3. Add a handful of ice and some mint.
4. Top with sparkling water.

Mulled Tea

Ingredients

1 tbsp dried rose petals

4 cloves

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

2 handfuls frozen mixed berries

1 tsp cranberry sauce

1/2 orange, sliced into quaters

1 green tea bag

Method

1. Add all of the ingredients except the tea bag into a saucepan with 1 litre of water.
2. Occasionally stir until boiling.
3. Add tea bag to steep for 3-4 minutes.
4. Strain with a sieve into a heatproof jug.
5. Serve warm with a curl of orange peel.

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Featured image courtesy of Dio Septian via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to the image.