15 Cocktails To Serve at The Holidays and New Year’s Eve Plus Mocktails

Your house is festive, you have shopped and wrapped the presents, you’ve created your dinner menu, and mailed your cards. Now it’s time to find the cocktails you’ll be serving. This list is sure to help you pick out the perfect cocktails to serve your guests on the holidays and New Year’s Eve

 

First, let’s talk about saving that bottle or wine or Prosecco! 

Coravin

This gadget has changed my life. I love my Prosecco and I hate wasting a bottle when I only want one glass. I can now save my Prosecco from being tossed

Coravin is a wine-by-the-glass system that can preserve a bottle for wine for weeks, months, even years depending on the model. You may already be familiar with Coravin, but did you know there is an edition for sparkling wine and Champagne?

The Coravin Sparkling™ Sparkling Wine Preservation System preserves the crisp flavor and effervescence of your favorite sparkling wines for up to 4 weeks, ensuring that the last glass will taste just as amazing as the first. Coravin Sparkling™ is the sparkling wine preservation system that allows you to open a bottle one weekend, then finish it at brunch the next. Whether it’s a pre-dinner glass of bubbly, celebrating the end of a long day, or kicking off the weekend, now you can pop any bottle of sparkling wine without hesitation. 

Pure Wine 

No More Headaches!

A patented science technology to help eliminate headaches from drinking wine! Wine lovers are in love with Pure Wine purifiers (wands by the glass and bottle purifiers)! Pure Wine is the only patented science-backed technology that eliminates histamines and sulfites while enhancing the wine’s natural taste, aroma, and color. Sulfites and histamines give thousands of people wine allergies! But with them removed, those allergies like headaches, tingly mouths and congestion, disappear! Whatever your preference, red or white, your drinking experience gets better with PureWine®. It’s no wonder the brand was the “Most Wished For” Wine Accessory during Amazon Prime Day 2021 and the #1 Selling Wine Accessory on Amazon in 2021. See for yourself and grab their latest and greatest, The Phoenix® reusable wine purifier in white, an elegant accent to a bar cart or tabletop. Let’s cheers to your health and avoid the headache! Find PureWine® at Walmart, Total Wine & More, Costco.com, BevMo!, Wegmans, and World Market. Made in USA. 

Now let’s get to the cocktails!

 

Cocktail Bomb Shop

The easiest, and most enjoyable way to make cocktails. Think like bath bombs but for your drink. When dropped into sparkling water cocktail bombs fizz and create a delicious cocktail or mocktail. The company just released its holiday variety pack which included delicious flavors like Santa’s Secret Cocktail, Frosted Cranberry, Holiday Mule, and others. In the mood for some hot chocolate? The color changing hot chocolate bomb is a magical way to enjoy some this season.

This New Year’s Eve, impress your guests with more than just a typical glass of champagne. These creative spins on classic New Year’s Eve cocktails are sure to bring in the new year with a bang. 

 

Duke & Dame

Black-owned salted caramel whiskey brand that has just 1g of sugar per serving.

Duke & Dame makes for fantastic holiday cocktails, including the Caramel Whiskey Sour, the North Star, Apple Cider Mule, and Duke of Manhattan. 

Having a bottle at home is sure to elevate your at-home bar and impress your guests. Have a bottle of Duke & Dame delivered right to your door – purchase online HERE. Depending on location, a 750ml bottle ranges mostly from $26.99-$29.99.

1. Caramel Whiskey Sour

 

Ingredients: 

• 2 oz Duke & Dame 
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice 
• 1 oz simple syrup 
• Egg white (or aquafaba) 

Method: Shake ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice; strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. 

2. North Star

 

Ingredients: 

• 1 ½ oz Duke & Dame  
• 1/2 oz amaretto  

• 2 oz pressed apple juice  
• 2 dashes of grated nutmeg  
• 2 dashes of cinnamon  
• star anise for garnish  

Method: Combine all ingredients in shaker tin and shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into chilled coupe glass and garnish with star anise. 

 

Calirosa Tequila’s 

These irresistible drinks are sure to bring holiday cheer at any festivity as we close out the year Aged uniquely in California red wine barrels, Calirosa’s premium tequilas can be sipped on their own or easily mixed in delicious cocktails. Even better, the beautiful glass bottles make the perfect gift for any host!

3. Cosmo Rosa

 

2 oz. Calirosa ‘Rosa Blanco’ Tequila

0.75 oz. Lime Juice

0.5 oz. Pomegranate Juice

0.75 oz. Ginger Simple Syrup

Combine all ingredients into shaker tin.Shake. Double strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with candied ginger.

 

4. Rosa Fizz – 

 

1.5 oz.Calirosa ‘Rosa Blanco’ Tequila1 

Dash Peychaud’s Bitters

0.5 oz. Simple Syrup

0.5 oz. Lime Juice

0.75 oz. Egg White

Top With Prosecco

Combine all ingredients except prosecco into shaker tin without ice. Dry shake until frothy. Add ice into shaker tin. Shake again.Double strain into highball glass over freshice. Top with prosecco.

 

5. Sangria Roja

 

15 oz. Calirosa Añejo Tequila

2.5 oz. Jammy Red Wine

1/2 Cup Orange Juice

1/2 Cup Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Simple Syrup (Optional)

1 Cup Sliced Pears

1 Cup Orange Peels

1 Cup Lemon Wheels

1 Cup Blackberries Cinnamon Sticks Star Anise

Combine all ingredients with ice into pitcher. Stir to combine. Serve into individual wine glasses.

 

Ghost Tequila

6. Spicy Cranberry Margarita

 

This Spicy Cranberry Margarita made with Ghost Tequila is guaranteed to kick your New Year’s Eve party up a notch. Made with high quality tequila and fresh ingredients, this twist on a classic margarita is sure to leave you and your guests wanting more and repeating this recipe year after year. 

Recipe

2 oz. Ghost Tequila
4 oz. Cranberry Juice
3/4 oz. Agave Syrup
3/4 oz. Triple Sec
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
Fresh rosemary sprig
Fresh cranberries
Citrus Sugar

Direction: Add 2 oz. of Ghost Tequila, 4 oz. of cranberry, ¾ oz of agave syrup, ¾ oz. of Triple Sec and ¾ oz. of lime juice to shaker. Shake vigorously. Pour into glass of choice. Garnish with Fresh Rosemary Sprig, Limes, and Fresh Cranberries. Rim with Citrus Sugar<

Dirty Devil Vodka

7. Persephone’s New Year Wish

Forget the same old glass of champagne and indulge in a sweet and tangy cocktail by Dirty Devil Vodka. In traditional Greek fashion, smash this pomegranate cocktail for good luck and abundance in the new year. Persephone’s New Year Wish is made with sweet and sour pomegranate liqueur, legendarily smooth Dirty Devil Vodka, a splash of champagne or prosecco, and top it off with a lemon twist and pomegranate arils.

Recipe

1 oz Pomegranate liqueur
1 oz Vodka
Prosecco or Champagne
Lemon twist, pomegranate arils
Gold glitter sugar rim as garnish

Direction: Garnish the rim of a champagne flute with gold sprinkles. Add 1 oz pomegranate liqueur and 1oz Dirty Devil Vodka to a champagne flute, then top off with Prosecco or Champagne. Add pomegranate arils and a lemon twist for garnish. Rim with gold glitter sugar.

Scapegrace

Scapegrace Black is a gin with an exciting nose of pineapple and lemon, followed by spicy juniper. The flavor profile of Scapegrace Black is unique, marrying a gin drinker’s love of juniper with something dark, delightfully devious, and beautifully unexpected. The sip is full-bodied on the palate, with unctuous pepper and oil, a hint of mint, and dreamy undertones of starch mingling with tropical fruits. The finish offers visions of freshly mowed grass, sweet earth, and herbs.

From this small blue flower, a handful of other delicious botanicals, years of hard work, exacting science, the incredible distilling landscape of New Zealand––and most importantly a sense of adventure––comes Scapegrace Black, an enchantress in a glass whether you’re a good witch or perhaps a slightly naughty one.

8. Scapegrace Signature Serve

 

50ml Scapegrace Classic
150ml Premium Tonic Water
Build glass with ice
Add gin and tonic water
Garnish with a slice of orange

 

9. Scapegrace Negroni 

 

2oz Scapegrace Black Gin
0.5oz Campari
0.25oz Raspberry liquor
2 dashes Chocolate bitters
Orange twist

Filthy Black Cherry Cocktail Kit

The love is in the details with the Filthy Black Cherry Kit – just add tequila, rum or whiskey and you have 24 cocktails to impress your senses, and your friends. With syrup made from wild, all natural Italian Amarena cherries, and packaged for maximum freshness, Filthy’s Black Cherry Kit is ready to enjoy and an essential for any cocktail lover.

Filthy Premium Mixers & Garnishes was founded with the goal of making the drinks people love, better. Built out of the trunks of cars, on subway trains and word-of-mouth in the bartending community, Filthy is now the industry standard and served by the best bars, restaurants, hotels, retailers, and cruise ships, and are even available on some of your favorite airlines.

St. George Spirits Spiced Pear Liqueur (SRP: $35) 20% ABV

Both elegant and earthy, the St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur has all the complexity of a perfectly ripe Bartlett pear. A touch of cinnamon and clove spice add a warm touch and provide even more depth of flavor. Substantial mouthfeel and a long, lush finish.

The Pear Liqueur begins as the flagship pear brandy is infused with whole cinnamon sticks and whole cloves, and then pear juice and organic cane sugar are added. This brings down the proof (from 40% ABV to 20% ABV) and transforms the crystal-clear pear brandy into a jewel-toned liqueur.

With a substantial mouthfeel and a long, lush finish, the liqueur is a natural complement to a cheese plate or roast meats any time of the year, and there’s nothing better for a celebratory holiday meal. Open a bottle of your favorite sparkling wine and top if off with the St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur for an elegant twist on the wine that you already love. The balanced blend of pear and baking spices enhance the natural flavors of a crisp champagne!

Proper Hopper

1 oz Proper No. Twelve
0.5 oz Creme de Cacao
0.5 oz Creme de Menthe
1 oz Heavy Cream

Directions: Shake and strain over crushed ice. Garnish with chocolate shavings and/or mint sprig.

 

Novo Fogo Barrel-Aged ($36.99)

Novo Fogo’s Barrel-Aged Cachaça is aged for two years in American Oak ex-bourbon barrels that have been taken apart, sanded, and re-toasted. The heat and humidity of Novo Fogo’s carbon-negative distillery, located in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, changes the spirit to develop the flavors of banana bread with notes of chocolate, cinnamon bark, coffee and black pepper. This special expression was recently awarded 90 points and a Gold Medal by the Beverage Testing Institute.

The Quentão

QUENTÃO
1.5 oz Novo Fogo Barrel-Aged cachaça
6 oz Spiced Cider (heated)
0.5 oz Ginger Syrup

Directions: Stir ingredients together gently in a saucepan. Serve in glassware appropriate for hot drinks. Garnish with cinnamon stick. Optional to include a clove-studded orange peel.

Woodford Reserve 8 Day Cocktail Advent Calendar ($145.95)

Get bourbon lovers in the holiday spirit with our festive calendar. A great way to toast the season, it’s filled with the essentials you need to craft creative cocktails for eight days of good cheer. Hidden behind each window are individual portions of artisanal mixers and barrel-aged bitters from the mixology experts at Woodford Reserve, an iconic Kentucky distiller founded in 1812.

Set includes:

• Old Fashioned Cocktail Mixer
• Aromatic Bitters
• Chocolate Bitters
• Whiskey Sour Cocktail Mixer
• Spiced Cherry Old Fashioned Cocktail Mixer
• Orange Bitters
• Spiced Cherry Bitters
• Spiced Apple Cocktail Mixer

Space 54 NYC

These two cocktails were created by Elvira Grau, the owner and creative genius behind Space 54 NYC

10.  Pear-fectly Spiced Mimosa

 

1 ounce pear puree
1/2 ounce Grand Mariner liqueur
1 small slice of freshly cut ginger root
3 ounces Champagne

Garnish: Thinly sliced pear or candied ginger.

Directions: Add first three ingredients to cocktail shaker over ice and shake until incorporated, strain into champagne flute and top with 3 ounces of champagne.

 

11.  The French “54” (Nickname: “The Ball Dropper”)

1 ounce gin
1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur
1/2 ounce cranberry juice
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces Champagne (or other sparkling wine)

Garnish; Rosemary or Spruce Sprig.

Directions: Add first 5 ingredients to a cocktail shaker over ice and shake until chilled, strain into champagne flute and top with Champagne (or other sparkling wine).

 

Mezcal

12. Christmas Margarita

2oz Fresh Victor Cactus Pear &amp; Pomegranate
2oz tequila or mezcal replacement or Three Spirit Nightcap and omit the bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters (small amount of alcohol, so omit if necessary)
The top portion of 1 mint sprig
3-4 pomegranate arils
Build over fresh ice in a 10-12oz Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with the top of a mint sprig and
3-4 pomegranate arils to look like holly

Fresh Victor– Mixers

It’s time to embrace the chilling air, don that corny holiday sweater, and mix up some fun and festive drinks! The llamas around the Fresh Victor house are excited to share these recipes with you in hopes that your toasts are made with big smiles, and the memories you make will include the cocktails you shared. In preparing this recipe collection, I tried to not only play on the seasonal flavors and aromas we love, but to get a bit creative while “keeping it easy” when it comes to the mixing. This past year brought the launch of two new Fresh Victor mixers, and we could not be more thrilled with the reception they’ve enjoyed. I’ve included some Strawberry & Lemon recipes that bring the heat to this summery sipper by leaning on barrel-aged spirits, baking spices, and smoky Scotch whisky. I explored some surprising flavor combinations with our Grapefruit & Sea Salt mixer, which won “Best in Class, Mixer” at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Awards. And I threw in a little Tiki tipple to take you on that mid-winter tropical vacation you can enjoy as you sip and close your eyes.

13. There’s a Banana in My Stocking

3 3oz Fresh Victor Grapefruit & Sea Salt
3 .5oz banana liqueur (such as Giffard Banane du Brésil)
3 1.5oz aged rum (such as Bacardi Reserva Ocho)
3 Optional garnish: Dried/dehydrated banana chip/slice

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker full of ice, shake well, and strain over fresh ice in a 10-12oz Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with the dried banana slice

14.  Chock Full O’ Cheer

1oz Fresh Victor Pineapple &amp; Ginger
2oz Fresh Victor Mexican Lime &amp; Agave
1.5oz rum alternative
.5oz orgeat
3 dashes chocolate bitters
Garnish: a square of dark chocolate and sprinkle of chopped almonds

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker full of ice, shake LIGHTLY, and strain over crushed/pebble ice in a 10-12oz Old Fashioned glass.

 

Mary’s Mixers ($12.99+): 

Home to 7 different cocktail mixers that are fantastically delicious, Mary’s Mixers are inspired by ingredients that are meticulously selected, fresh, 100% all-natural and organic and flavors that have been acquired around the globe. Founder Greg Dorros spent over a decade perfecting his bloody mary mix, the first and most beloved mix of the lineup. His Original Bloody Mary Mix is also a three-year running, Gold Medal Winner & Platinum Best In Show at the International Drunken Tomato Awards! Using over twenty different ingredients, Greg takes the time to make his proprietary pickle brine in-house to create a depth in flavor you cannot find in any other bloody mary. With every cocktail in the Mary’s Mixers lineup, there is a similar story of painstakingly detailed care taken to develop incomparable, delectable blends with no additives, no preservatives and no added colors. 

15.  Mary’s Spicy Bloody Mary

Recipe

1-2 oz Vodka
3 oz Mary’s Mixers Spicy Bloody Mary Mix
Margarita or chili salt for rim
Lime wedges for garnish (optional)
Lemon wedges for garnish (optional)
Celery stick for garnish (optional)
Pickled hot chili pepper for garnish (optional)
Favorite accoutrements of choice for garnish (optional)

Directions

Take a lemon or lime wedge and run it along the rim of a chilled pint glass, turn the glass over and gently press the glass rim into the margarita or chili salt. Fill with ice and set aside.
Add vodka and Mary’s Spicy Bloody Mary Mix into a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake to combine, strain into prepared pint glass.
Garnish with lemon and lime wedges, celery stick, pickled hot chili pepper and other garnishes of your choice.

Mocktails

goodpop

With all the cocktails I make, I never thought of this!

Dedicated to driving the clean food movement with their commitment to Non-GMO, Organic and less sugar or no sugar added products. Their products use real fruit and fair trade ingredients and are dairy and gluten free. This ensures that these ingredients are sourced with respect to the people and planet.

GoodPop has a long-standing poptail tradition, and releases new ones for the holidays each year. 

Hibiscus Mint Non-Alcoholic Moscow Mule

Ingredients

• 1 GoodPop Hibiscus Mint Pop
• 1 ounce lime juice
• 6-8 ounces ginger beer

Optional Candied Mint Leaf

• 1 mint leaf
• simple syrup
• Cane sugar

Instructions

1. If using a candied mint leaf for garnish, dip 1 mint leaf in a small bowl of simple syrup. Coat all sides.
2. Dip simple syrup leaf into a small bowl or plate filled with cane sugar. Coat all sides, lightly pressing the sugar in.
3. Remove mint leaves from the sugar and onto a parchment paper lined plate. Let dry at room temperature, about 2 hours.
4. Squeeze lime juice into a cup or mule mug.
5. Top with a small handful of ice (about ½ cup). 
6. Pour ginger beer, leaving some space from the top of the glass.
7. Finish with a fresh Hibiscus Mint pop and candied mint leaf (if using)!

 

NOPE Beverages

A premium cocktail alternative with 0% alcohol. With four different flavors and at just $20, it brings a delightful alternative to the party that will effortlessly boost your zero-proof experience with basic ingredients that make you grin after every sip.

 Abstinence Spirits

An award-winning line of non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs that just became available in the U.S. in the fall after launching in South Africa in 2020.  

Perfect for mixing into no- and low-alcohol cocktails, Abstinence could be a fit for either “the perfect holiday spirit and cocktail bar at home” or “nurture your holiday hangover with self-care” (for Dry January).

The brand’s signature botanicals and artwork are inspired by the diverse flora of South Africa’s Cape Floral Kingdom. The line consists of Cape Citrus, Cape Spice, Cape Floral, and Epilogue X (each $35) and Blood Orange Aperitif and Lemon Aperitif (each $28), and sold on Amazon, through the website and in select stores.

Manhattan Mocktail

Richard’s Rainwater

Sparkling water that is incredibly refreshing and a must-have for a mixer. Available nationwide at Whole Foods Market, the sparkling water not only tastes amazing, but the bottle’s design adds a decorative element to any cocktail bar. One of my favorite things about Richard’s Rainwater is that the product is 100% pure rainwater captured from the clouds. This process uses significantly less energy than traditional bottled water and doesn’t deplete local water supplies. A win-win for everyone!

Cinnamon Apple Cider Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup ice 
• 1 ounce vodka or spirit of your choice (omit for mocktail)
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 cup no sugar added apple cider
• 1/2 cup Richard’s Rainwater Sparking Water

Instructions:

1. Optional: Combine sugar and cinnamon on a small plate. Dip the rim of the cocktail glass in a bit of apple cider, then coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
2. To the same glass, add ice. Then, pour over vodka, maple syrup, apple cider, and  Richard’s Rainwater Sparking Water and stir together.
3. Garnish with cinnamon stick and apple slice if desired.