10 Christmas Cocktails That You Can Make With Less Than 5 Ingredients

Forget about those old boring drinks of yore – on Christmas day you want to be sipping booze from the fanciest glass you own as you lounge around the house.

Whether you’re hosting the soiree or simply a humble guest in someone else’s house, knowing how to make a delicious cocktail (or two) during the festive season is a huuuuge benefit and will earn you many a brownie point from suitably impressed relatives. 

You don’t have to suddenly turn into Tom Cruise from Cocktail either – we have a few recipes up our sleeves that are quick and easy to make, and amazing to drink.

You go Glen Coco, you go. 

1. Gingersnap

Curl up by the fire with this spicy and festive tipple. So cosy.

Ingredients:

• 30 ml amaretto, preferably Disaronno
• 60 ml ginger beer, chilled
• 1/4 teaspoon Angostura bitters

Method: Add the amaretto, ginger beer, and bitters to an old-fashioned glass filled with ice, and stir until combined.

2. Sparkling grapefruit cocktail

Light and refreshing, this is perfect for a pre-dinner welcome drink.

Ingredients:

• 60 ml Lillet Rosé
• 4 dashes grapefruit bitters
• 
120 ml brut Champagne or sparkling wine
• 
Orange twist

Method: Add the Lillet and grapefruit bitters to a Champagne flute or coupe. Top off with Champagne or sparkling wine, and garnish with an orange twist.

3. Pomegranate and rosemary gin fizz

This Christmas cocktail is a quirky one – add a candy cane as a stirrer for extra fun.

Ingredients:

• 60 ml gin
• 30 ml pomegranate juice
• 15 ml lemon juice
• Club soda
• Rosemary sprigs to garnish

Method: Shake everything up and strain into a glass. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

4. Homemade Butterbeer

This warm and comforting Harry Potter-esque drink has our hearts; we could drink this all year.

Ingredients:

• 350 ml pumpkin ale, like Brooklyn Brewery’s.
• 3 to 4 tablespoons butterscotch sauce

Method: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine beer and 3 to 4 tablespoons butterscotch sauce. Whisk occasionally, and cook until beer just begins to boil. Taste, and adjust with more butterscotch if necessary. Transfer to a mug/magical goblet.

5. Ave Martini

Forgive us our sins: we want to knock these back alllllll season.

Ingredients:

• 45 ml Sambuca
• 45 ml Tequila
• 2 tbsp. Coffee ice-cream/sorbet

Method: Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice, then garnish with ground cinnamon. 

6. Cognac sparkler

In case you’re wondering what makes a cocktail Christmassy – it’s lots n’ lots of bubbles.

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon cognac
• 3/4 cup chilled sparkling apple cider
• A few dashes bitters

Method: Pour the cognac into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with chilled sparkling apple cider, and finish with a few dashes bitters; stir and serve.

7. Christmas punch

Make an extra-large batch of this seasonal blend of citrus and spice, and all things nice.

Ingredients:

• 30 ml Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold
• 30 ml sherry
• 100ml sparkling water
• 15 ml lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey

Method: Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker, shake vigorously and strain into a cold glass. Garnish with a clove-studded orange for extra festive flavour! 

8. Perfect white Russian

This creamy beverage adds a kick to everyone’s xmas fave, Baileys.

Ingredients: 

• 50 ml Baileys
• 10 ml Coffee flavoured Baileys
• 25 ml vodka
• 1 cherry
• 75 ml milk

Method: Fill a glass with ice, pour in all ingredients and stir well. Garnish with a cherry on top.

9. Santa Collins

A festive-y take on the classic Tom Collins, this will go down a treat with your elf friends.

Ingredients: 

• 50 ml dry gin 
• 140 ml Schweppes bitter lemon tonic
• 10 ml lemon juice
• 4 pieces blackberries

Method: Muddle blackberries in a glass and add ice. Pour in gin and lemon juice, top with Schweppes tonic and stir. Garnish with a pretty li’l blackberry on top.

10. Gingerbread Man

This is the cutest way to use up all those leftover gingerbread men biscuits, and it tastes deeelish.

Ingredients:

• 30 ml Sake
• 45 ml ginger beer
• Sprinkle of cinnamon

Method: Combine all ingredients in a nice glass and stir. Pop in your gingerbread man and enjoy!

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