15 Cozy and Festive Winter Cocktails

This post is all about winter cocktail recipes!

There’s something so magical about sipping a carefully crafted cocktail while watching snowflakes fall outside your window.

After spending years perfecting these recipes (and hosting countless winter gatherings!), I’m excited to share my collection of winter cocktails that will make your season merry and festive.

Before we dive into the recipes, let me share some winter cocktail wisdom I’ve gathered over the years.

The key to creating the perfect winter cocktail is understanding the balance between warmth and refreshment.

Winter drinks can be served hot or cold, but they should always evoke that cozy feeling we crave during the chilly months.

Setting Up Your Winter Bar

Before you start mixing these delightful beverages, let’s make sure your home bar is properly equipped for winter cocktail crafting.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Essential Tools:

• Cocktail shaker
• Mixing glass
• Bar spoon
• Jigger
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Muddler
• Various glassware (coupes, martini glasses, rocks glasses, copper mugs) Blender (for frozen drinks)
• Ice molds for large cubes Microplane or grater for garnishes

Winter-Specific Ingredients to Stock:

• Various spirits (vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, etc.)
• Winter liqueurs (coffee liqueur, chocolate liqueur, amaretto)
• Cream-based liqueurs Fresh citrus fruits
• Winter spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise)
• Quality mixers Fresh herbs (mint, rosemary)
• Garnishing supplies

The Art of Winter Garnishing

Let’s talk about making those gorgeous garnishes that take these cocktails from lovely to absolutely amazing!

Sugared Cranberries

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar (plus extra for coating) Instructions:

1. Make a simple syrup by heating water and sugar until dissolved
2. Let cool slightly, then add cranberries
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and roll in additional sugar
4. Let dry for 2 hours before using

Sugared Rosemary

• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• Simple syrup
• Fine sugar Instructions:

1. Dip rosemary in simple syrup
2. Shake off excess
3. Sprinkle with sugar
4. Let dry on parchment paper for 30 minutes

Crystallized Violets

• Edible violet flowers
• 1 egg white, beaten
• Superfine sugar Instructions:

1. Paint flowers with egg white using a small brush
2. Sprinkle with sugar
3. Let dry for 24 hours

Let’s Get Into The Recipes

Each recipe makes one serving unless otherwise noted.

I’ve tested these proportions countless times (tough job, but someone had to do it!), and they’re perfectly balanced for maximum deliciousness.

1. Alpine Dream

• 1½ oz vanilla vodka
• 1 oz white chocolate liqueur
• ½ oz peppermint schnapps
• 1 oz heavy cream
• Garnish: crushed candy canes for rimming, whipped cream
• Instructions: Rim a chilled martini glass with crushed candy canes. Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into glass, top with whipped cream.

2. Fireside Fashioned

• 2 oz bourbon
• ½ oz maple syrup
• 3 dashes chocolate bitters
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Garnish: flamed orange peel
• Instructions: Stir ingredients with ice in mixing glass, strain over large ice cube, add garnishes.

3. Winter’s Kiss

• 4 oz Prosecco
• 1 oz white cranberry juice
• ½ oz St. Germain
• Garnish: 3 sugared cranberries, rosemary sprig
• Instructions: Build in champagne flute, starting with St. Germain, then cranberry juice, top with chilled Prosecco.

4. Nutcracker’s Nightcap

• 1½ oz spiced rum
• 1 oz amaretto
• 4 oz eggnog
• Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg, star anise
• Instructions: Shake rum, amaretto, and eggnog with ice, strain into glass, top with garnishes.

5. Frost Queen Martini

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz white crème de cacao
• ½ oz heavy cream
• Garnish: shimmer sugar rim
• Instructions: Rim martini glass with shimmer sugar. Shake ingredients with ice, fine strain into glass.

6. Northern Lights

• 1 oz blue Curaçao
• 1 oz coconut rum
• 2 oz pineapple juice
• ½ oz shimmer gin
• Instructions: Layer ingredients in order listed over crushed ice. Pour shimmer gin last for aurora effect.

7. Cabin Fever

• 2 oz dark rum
• 1 oz butterscotch schnapps
• 6 oz hot apple cider
• 1 pat cinnamon butter (½ tbsp butter mixed with ¼ tsp cinnamon)
• Instructions: Build in a heated mug, top with cinnamon butter pat.

8. Snow Angel

• 1½ oz Irish cream
• 1 oz Kahlua
• ½ oz vodka
• Garnish: whipped cream, mint, cocoa powder or shaved chocolate
• Instructions: Shake ingredients with ice, strain into coupe glass, top with garnishes.

9. Winter Wonderland Fizz

• 1½ oz gin
• ¾ oz elderflower liqueur
• ½ oz fresh lemon juice
• 2 oz sparkling wine
• Garnish: sugared rosemary sprig and lemon
• Instructions: Shake first three ingredients with ice, strain into flute, top with sparkling wine.

10. Mistletoe Mule

• 2 oz cranberry vodka
• ½ oz fresh lime juice
• 4 oz ginger beer
• Garnish: sugared cranberries, mint sprig
• Instructions: Build in copper mug over ice, stir gently to combine.

11. Polar Bear’s Punch

• 1½ oz coconut rum
• 1 oz white chocolate liqueur
• 2 oz cream of coconut
• 1 cup ice
• Garnish: toasted coconut flakes
• Instructions: Blend all ingredients until smooth, pour into hurricane glass.

12. Sweater Weather Sangria

• 1 bottle white wine
• 2 cups apple cider
• ½ cup brandy
• 1 diced pear
• 1 diced apple
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise pods
• Instructions: Combine all ingredients in pitcher, refrigerate 4+ hours. Serves 6-8.

13. Jack Frost’s Julep

• 2 oz white whiskey
• ½ oz mint simple syrup
• ¼ oz blue Curaçao
• Garnish: generous mint bouquet
• Instructions: Build over crushed ice in julep cup, stir until frost forms.

14. Sugar Plum Dreams

• 2 oz plum wine
• ½ oz violet liqueur
• 3 oz champagne
• Garnish: crystallized violet
• Instructions: Build in champagne flute, top with crystallized violet.

15. Hygge & Happiness

• 1½ oz aquavit
• ½ oz honey syrup
• 4 oz hot black tea
• Garnish: star anise pod, cinnamon stick
• Instructions: Build in heated glass mug, stir to combine.

Winter Spice Simple Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise pods
• 4 whole cloves
• Instructions: Bring to boil, simmer 10 minutes, strain, store in fridge up to 2 weeks.

Mint Simple Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 bunch fresh mint
• Instructions: Bring to boil, simmer 5 minutes, let steep 20 minutes, strain, refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

This post was all about winter cocktail recipes!

I hope you enjoyed these recipes. They’re absolutely perfect for winter celebrations like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s or just a cozy night in!

Remember to adjust measurements to taste – these are starting points that I love, but feel free to make them your own!