8 Easy Christmas Cocktail Recipes For The Festive Season

As the year winds down and December settles in with its familiar chill and excitement of Christmas and the holiday season, our glasses begin to mirror our moods. This season’s cocktails lean into memory and comfort, drawing from classic winter flavours, festive spices and time-honoured spirits, while still feeling playful enough for Christmas celebrations. From mulled wine highballs to spiced toddies and frothy, dessert-like pours, these cocktail recipes are designed for slow evenings, twinkling lights and conversations that stretch long into the night.

1. Mulled Wine Highball - Tulleeho

Bright, fizzy and gently spiced, the Mulled Wine Highball feels like Christmas distilled into a glass. The familiar warmth of mulled wine is lightened with soda, making it easy-going and social rather than heavy. It’s the kind of drink that suits house parties and balcony catch-ups, where stories flow as easily as the sparkle in your glass.

Ingredients 

• Mulled wine (chilled or room temperature) Tuneeho - 60ml 

• Brandy - 45ml 

• Soda water - to top 

• Ice cubes 

Method 

• Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. 

• Pour the mulled wine over the ice. 

• Add the brandy. 

• Top with soda water. 

• Gently stir to combine. 

• Garnish with star anise. 

2. Añejo Manhattan - Maya Pistola Agavepura

This festive riff on the classic Manhattan swaps tradition for depth. Maya Pistola’s Añejo Agavepura, aged in virgin American white oak, adds layers of cocoa, dried fruit and soft smoke to the cocktail’s structure. The result is a richer, slower-sipping Manhattan that feels tailor-made for winter evenings and elegant celebrations.

Ingredients: 

• Pistola Añejo by Maya Pistola Agavepura  - 45ml 

• Sweet Vermouth - 22ml 

• Cinnamon Syrup - 5ml 

Method: 

• Add all ingredients with ice to a beaker and stir until chilled and diluted. 

• Strain into a Nick & Nora glass. 

• Garnish with a Maraschino cherry. 

3. Jingle Brew - Geist Brewing Co. 

Creamy, indulgent and joyfully nostalgic, Jingle Brew tastes like dessert and coffee hour rolled into one. Jim Beam whiskey meets Baileys, cream and coffee syrup in a comforting blend that feels instantly familiar. It’s the kind of cocktail that belongs after dinner, when the lights are low and the music is just loud enough.

Ingredients:  

• Jim Beam whiskey 

• Coffee syrup 

• Baileys 

• Fresh cream 

Method: 

• Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. 

• Fill the shaker with ice and shake until creamy and well-chilled. 

• Strain into a glass and serve immediately. 

4. Whiskmas - MONIN India 

Whiskmas brings together the warmth of whisky with the fragrant comfort of tea and spice. Earl Grey’s citrusy perfume, softened by agave syrup and lifted with lemon, creates a drink that feels soothing yet celebratory. Served warm, it’s less about indulgence and more about comfort, like a winter evening wrapped in a glass.

Ingredients 

• MONIN Agave Syrup – 20ml 

• Earl Grey tea – 150ml 

• Cardamom – 1 pc 

• Star anise – 2 pcs 

• Lemon juice – 10ml 

• Whisky – 40ml 

Method 

• Brew the Earl Grey tea and let it cool slightly. 

• In a shaker or mixing glass, combine MONIN Agave Syrup, whisky, lemon juice, and warm Earl Grey tea. 

• Add the cardamom and star anise for a gentle infusion. 

• Stir well (or shake lightly if you prefer a frothier texture). 

• Strain into a heatproof glass or mug. 

• Garnish with a star anise or a lemon wheel. 

5. Let’s Whisper Essence - Davana Vermouth Indica 

Light, ruby-hued and quietly festive, this cocktail balances bittersweet and bright flavours with effortless ease. Davana Rosso forms the backbone, layered with rhubarb’s tart sweetness, crisp apple and a gentle fizz. It’s a celebratory drink that doesn’t overwhelm, perfect for afternoons that drift into evening.

Ingredients

• Davana Rosso – 60ml 

• Rhubarb syrup – 30ml 

• Apple juice – 45ml 

• Lime – 5ml 

• Soda – to top-up

Method

• In a highball glass add Davana Rosso, rhubarb syrup, apple juice, and lime. 

• Add some ice and top it up with soda. 

• Give a gentle stir and garnish the drink. 

6. Hot Toddy - Mixologist Victor Dukru, Yuki

A winter staple reimagined with Indian spices, this Hot Toddy is all about warmth and well-being. Brandy, apple juice and honey are gently heated with whole spices, creating a soothing, aromatic drink that feels restorative. Ideal for cooler nights, it’s comfort drinking at its finest.

Ingredients

• Brandy: 60 ml

• Apple juice: 60 ml

• Honey: 15 ml

• Lime juice: 10 ml

• Indian whole spices (such as cinnamon, star anise and cloves)

• Hot water (to top up)

Method

1. Add brandy, apple juice, honey, lime juice and whole spices to a saucepan.

2. Gently heat the mixture until it begins to boil.

3. Stir well until the honey is fully dissolved.

4. Pour into a heatproof glass.

5. Top up with hot water as required.

Glassware: Heatproof Toddy Glass

Garnish: Lime slice, cinnamon stick and star anise.

7. Winter Buster Cocktail - Suresh Shetty, Director, Cahoots

Playful and visually striking, the Winter Buster balances sweetness, citrus and texture. Strawberry and cranberry bring brightness, while a silky foam adds a luxurious finish. Garnished with rosemary dusted in sugar, it’s festive without being fussy and designed to stand out at any celebration.

Ingredients

• Vodka: 45 ml

• Strawberry crush: 20 ml

• Cranberry juice: 15 ml

• Lime juice: 10 ml

• Egg white (optional, for foam)

• Blue curaçao (optional, for colour contrast)

Method

1. Add vodka, strawberry crush, cranberry juice, lime juice and egg white to a shaker.

2. Dry shake vigorously to emulsify the egg white and achieve a smooth foam.

3. Add ice and shake again until well chilled.

4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

5. If desired, add a dash of blue curaçao for a striking visual contrast.

Glassware: Cocktail / Coupe Glass

Garnish: Sugar-coated rosemary sprig

8. Nannari Solstice - Mahesh Bhatt, Mixologist, Maize & Malt

This cocktail bridges tradition and innovation with elegance. Gold rum and cinnamon whiskey bring warmth, while pineapple and lime keep things fresh. Finished with a delicate nannari foam, it’s herbal, slightly sweet and beautifully unexpected, offering a modern winter serve rooted in familiar flavours.

Ingredients

For the Cocktail:

• 40 ml Gold Rum

• 20 ml Cinnamon Whiskey

• 30 ml Fresh Pineapple Juice

• 15 ml Fresh Lime Juice

• 2 drops Aromatic Bitters

For the Garnish:

• Nannari Foam (herbal and slightly sweet)

• M&M Rice Paper

Method

1. Mix the Base: In a cocktail shaker, combine the gold rum, cinnamon whiskey, pineapple juice, lime juice, and aromatic bitters.

2. Shake: Add ice and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds until well chilled.

3. Serve: Strain the mixture into an old-fashioned glass over fresh ice.

4. Top it Off: Carefully spoon or pipe a layer of nannari foam over the drink.

Garnish: Place a piece of M&M rice paper on top of the foam for a festive, visual touch.