Winter gets a bad rap when it comes to going out and having fun. Who wants to leave home when it’s icy outside – especially when you can stay warm and enjoy a glass of hot chocolate while watching movies in your pajamas?
During the wintertime, it gets darker earlier, and the weather isn’t as conducive to cute outfits. Plus, sitting in a car that’s not warmed up yet just seems like bad news. Still, why not have a party of your own with some fun winter cocktails?
Holiday celebrations are abundant this time of year, but a bottle of red wine doesn’t always scream ‘fun!” However, we’re not all mixologists or bestowed with the bartending gene.
So, Missologist founder Nicole Schaefer spoke with TMS to encourage everyone to try their hand at making their own winter cocktails. Just for a bit of background – Missologist is a cocktail-making subscription service that makes mixology fun and accessible to women (though men are totally welcome to try it out, too!)
When it comes to holiday cocktails, Schaefer says we should be “incorporating the flavors that are popular during those seasons.” She also suggests considering which cocktails will pair well with meals as well as incorporating some warm winter cocktails to counter the colder temperatures.
“The holidays are a time where you are seeing family, friends, etc., so it’s a perfect time to enjoy a drink (and sometimes necessary to deal with family),” Schaefer explains. “I think it’s so fun to make cocktails for other people and to experiment with holiday flavors. You can really create a sense of community over cocktails.”
We’ve scoured the internet for some winter cocktails (and mocktails!) to bring out your inner mixologist this season. So read on for some cold-weather drink inspiration.
Holiday-themed cocktails
This time of year is the perfect chance to try your hand at crafting fun winter cocktails. From Thanksgiving and Hanukkah to Christmas and New Year’s Eve, there are plenty of opportunities to mix up some drinks. No worries, though – they don’t have to be complicated or expensive.
White Christmas Margarita
Margaritas are, of course, the perfect batch cocktail. Usually, though, they remind you of summer by the pool, not Christmas vacation. This spin on a classic marg shared by Delish incorporates coconut milk and cranberries for more holiday spirit.
Sugar Cookie Martini
Another winner from Delish and fun one for the children at heart, this Baileys and vanilla vodka cocktail is similar to a White Russian; it’s just way more fun! Plus, this can easily be made vegan by substituting the milk for plant-based milk of your choice and by using the new almond milk Baileys.
The Sufganiyot Cocktail
Enough about Christmas. We’ve got something for the celebrators of Hanukkah out there. A classic Jewish dessert served during this time is the sufganiyot, which is similar to a jelly doughnut. While the dish itself is all kinds of great, this drink from blogger Faith Kramer does not disappoint. There’s even some Manischewitz in there, of course.
Tangerine Elderflower Spritz
This New Year’s Eve cocktail from Diana at Unusually Lovely is sweet and bubbly, so you’ll have no trouble staying up past midnight if you’re enjoying a few glasses of this spritz. The tart and sophisticated flavors of tangerine and elderflower work in tandem with the champagne to keep your palate on its toes. Make this in a punch bowl for guests, or enjoy it as an aperitif for you and your significant other to sip on while watching the ball drop into 2022.
Drinks to warm you right up
One fun thing about winter cocktails is that they can be served nice and hot, so the alcohol content is not the only thing warming you up from the inside. While an Irish coffee (or hot chocolate) is a great winter go-to, you can mix to impress with some of these more creative drink recipes.
Blue Moon Milk
Another excellent option for Hanukkah, Love & Olive Oil’s Blue Moon Milk, is subtle in flavor and sweetness. The color of this drink is its wow factor, as it’s made blue using butterfly pea flower powder. This drink can also be made vegan using plant-based milk.
Salty Maple Buttered Cider
This sweet, rum-based drink shared by Serious Eats goes great with dessert! The addition of salt here goes a long way to wake up your taste buds.
Caramel Apple Hot Toddy
Becky Hardin over at The Cookie Rookie brings us another drink with some hot apple cider action. The caramel apple hot toddy is ideal for snowy days and Christmas movie marathons. Don’t let its sweetness fool you, though. This hot toddy packs a punch with both bourbon and vodka.
Fun for the whole family
Some people don’t drink at all – and even if you do, you may not want to drink all night. Hey, someone has to drive home, right? Whether you have underage guests or you have a long day of fun ahead of you, drinking an alcohol-free beverage doesn’t have to mean cracking open a Coca-Cola or sipping on water for hours. Instead, try one of these ideas for a toast-worthy winter mocktail.
Sleigh Driver
The perfect punch for a nice night in, the Sleigh Driver shared by Eating Well is fruity and spicy. The allspice and ginger in this recipe make the ideal holiday drink for the youngsters and the oldsters (and for everybody in between). Garnish with whole cranberries, lemon slices and chopped up pear, and this drink ends up looking a lot like a special holiday sangria.
Frost Bite Mocktail
The Little Kitchen shared this next mocktail from Sierra Mist. The mint in this recipe makes it extra refreshing. The blueberry garnish, too, makes for a cold-looking beverage. The zestiness of the lime and sweetness of the grape juice meld into the perfect companion to a holiday dinner.
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