Candy Cane Cocktails And 11 Other Crazy Holiday Drinks
In the days leading up to Christmas, you may be planning a holiday get-together or prepping for a big meal. These visually stimulating cocktails will impress not only with their good looks, but with their decidedly Christmas flavor, too. Get ready for some Santa-licious cocktails that would make even Ebenezer Scrooge giggle with holiday joy.
Candy Cane Martini
This minty fresh martini is the perfect combo of mint, crème, and vodka. Create a stripped candy effect with grenadine swirled around the inside of a martini glass and you've got yourself a Pinterest-worthy cocktail that will be trending all night long.
Chocolate Peppermint Margarita
'Tis the season for peppermint everything. When you're a tequila lover, you might feel left out in the cold. This cocktail brings you back to the party and rewards you with chocolate. Think of it as the cocktail the elves would drink if they vacationed in Mexico.
Drunken Elf
Almost every holiday movie ever made features a mandatory celebration scene at the North Pole post-sleigh takeoff. There, the elves munch cookies and toast to the end of their busy season. What exactly is in their frosty little mugs? A mix of crème de menthe, Fireball, and mashed-up candy canes, of course.
Mistletoe Mulled Wine
Punch-style cocktails are a hit at holiday parties. This mulled wine is a make-once, serve-all-night cocktail that celebrates the flavors of the holiday. Plus, December 20 is National Sangria Day, so you're really celebrating two holidays in one with this drink.
Mrs. Claus Wild Side Punch
We have a feeling there is a wild side to Mrs. Claus no one knows about. After all, she's cooped up in the North Pole with a fat cookie-demander 364 nights a year. For that one wild night out, this is the perfect punch. It's a mix of X-Rated Fusion — a blood orange, mango, and passion fruit liqueur — tequila, and pomegranate and cranberry juices, making for a crimson-colored cocktail that both looks and tastes festive.
Reindeer Tracks
Only a chef (or a moustache-wielding hipster) could come up with a cocktail that calls for fresh cranberries and rosemary. Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian is responsible for this clever cocktail that is as cute as it is tasty. Gin, sweet vermouth, and cranberry make this a legit cocktail for connoisseurs and the addition of a marshmallow, cranberry Rudolph's nose, and rosemary antlers remind you what the season is all about: ugly sweaters and themed booze.
Santa’s Little Helper
Santa's Little Helper isn't a rescued racing dog. It's four types of booze mixed with cream and ice. White chocolate liquor and Kahlúa add a creamy, rich flavor to this vodka-based cocktail that's lightened with a hint of mint from white crème de menthe. Go wild with the garnish on this one because the only thing better than a booze buzz is one that's spiked with sugar.
Sour Grinch
It's not Christmas without the Grinch. This cocktail pays homage to everyone's favorite grump, not just in color, but in its slightly sour taste, too. Midori mixed with vodka and a bit of lemon juice makes for a candy-like sweet-and-sour drink that is a fun celebration of Christmas' favorite villain. Add a maraschino cherry to remind you that even the Grinch has a heart.
St. Nick Shooter
Santa has to get the courage to keep sliding in and out of dark, dirty chimneys from somewhere. This layered shot is a mouthful of Christmas in one gulp. Three flavor zones go from sweet to minty in red, white, and green.
Sugar Plum Fairy
The Food Network's Sandra Lee created this plum wine cocktail as part of her holiday party menu. It's easy-as-pie to make, and calls for cute gumdrop garnishes, perfect for recalling the Sugar Plum fairy scene from The Nutcracker.