4 Festive Holiday Cocktails

Festive Holiday Cocktails

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I love a good cocktail, but have never been the greatest mixologist. It’s something I always wished I knew more about and taking a cocktail-making class is on my to do list. How fun does that sound?

I spent a week looking up recipes and another week creating tasty and flavorful cocktails that are perfectly festive, but not too sweet (which I hate). This project was one of the most fun blog collabs I’ve done in a long time! Plus I may have had a glass of two of the Pinot Grigio during the process… Shhh.

These would all be great for a dinner party, girls’ night, or for hosting family over the holidays. I especially recommend the Christmas Sangria if you’re having a large group of people over. You can make it in a big batch, and it tastes more impressive than the amount of work that goes into it. Plus it looks extra festive.

So without further ado, here are four festive holiday cocktails that will put a little jingle in your step and some sparkle in the air! I hope you love them as much as I loved creating them.

Candy Cane Sparkle

Ingredients:
– 1 bottle, Prosecco (chilled)
– Crème de Cocoa
– 2 candy canes, plus more for garnish

Directions:
1. Make the candy rim: In a Ziplock, crush 2 candy canes with a rolling-pin or glass bottle.
2. Dip the rims of your drinks in a small dish filled with White Creme de Cocoa and then dip them in the crushed candy canes.
3. Fill glasses with a dash of White Crème de Cocoa (you can put as much as you want, but I only liked it with a little) and then fill up the glass with chilled Prosecco.
4. Garnish with a candy cane (which will make the cocktail turn the prettiest shade of pink!)
5. Enjoy with a side of jingle bells!

Christmas Sangria

Ingredients:
– 2 apples: One green, one red, chopped into small cubes
– 1 cup, fresh or frozen cranberries
– 2 sprigs, fresh rosemary plus extra for garnish
– 1 bottle, Pinot Grigio
– 1/2 cup of white grape juice
– 2 tblspns, sugar
– 1.5 cups, club soda

Directions:
1. Combine apples, cranberries, rosemary, and sugar in a large pitcher.
2. Poor grape juice, club soda, and Pinot Grigio over the fruit.
3. Let sangria chill in the fridge for an hour or two. You need at least an hour for the rosemary flavor to come through and the sugar to dissolve.
4. Pour into glasses and enjoy with a side of Michael Bublé!

Sparkling Rosemary Greyhound

Ingredients:
– 2 cups, water
– 2 cups, sugar
– 6 sprigs, rosemary
– 1.5 oz, vodka
– 1 oz, Prosecco
– 1/2 oz, rosemary syrup (recipe below)
– 4 oz, grapefruit juice
– Rosemary for garnish

Directions:
1. Make the rosemary syrup: Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves (don’t let it boil!). Pour the sugar water mixture over the rosemary sprigs in a bowl and let it steep for an hour (or more). You’ll have extra syrup if you’re only making a cocktail or two, but you can store it in the fridge and use it later.
2. Make the cocktail: Fill a glass with ice cubes and add vodka, rosemary syrup, Prosecco, and grapefruit juice.
3. Garnish and enjoy: Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and sip away!

Cranberry French 75

Ingredients:
– 1 cup, water
– 1 cup, sugar
– 2 cups, cranberries (I used frozen)
– 1 oz, gin
– ½ oz, fresh lemon juice
– ½ oz, cranberry syrup (recipe below)
– 2 oz, Prosecco
– 1 lemon twist for garnish
– Frozen cranberries for garnish

Directions:
1. Make the cranberry syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves (don’t let it boil!). Add the cranberries and simmer for about 10 minutes or until cranberries soften and pop. Remove the syrup from the heat and cool to room temperature. Strain it and get rid of the cranberries.
2. Shake the cocktail: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, gin, cranberry syrup, and lemon juice and shake for a few seconds.
3. Top it off: Pour into a glass and top with Prosecco. Garnish with lemon, frozen cranberries, and enjoy!

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Comments

  1. https://premedwearspearls.blogspot.com said:

    Yummmmmmmm! I know what I will be doing this weekend!! So so cute and festive!

    https://premedwearspearls.blogspot.com

    xoxo Libby

    11.29.18 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      I’ll be coming over 🙂

      11.29.18 · Reply
  2. Alina said:

    Mmmhhh they look fantastic!!! So hard to choose only one for christmas – I def need to try them all!
    Buon natale!

    11.29.18 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      Buon natale back at you lady!

      11.29.18 · Reply
  3. Christine said:

    I love making Sangria for entertaining, but the Sparkling Rosemary Greyhound is definitely first on my list to try! Not sure if you have shared this somewhere else, but can we please talk about your nail color? It’s holiday red perfection!

    11.29.18 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      The greyhound is my favorite one on this list. It’s so crisp and clean and delicious. The nail color is a CND Shellac Gel and I can’t remember the name, I’m so sorry!

      11.29.18 · Reply
  4. Aileen said:

    Loving these cocktails but really loving all the cute barware you used!! Are you able to link any of those (ice bucket, tray, tea towel, glassware, etc.)

    Happy Holidays to you and yours!

    11.29.18 · Reply
  5. Jen said:

    These all sound so delicious and festive! Can’t wait to try them!

    11.29.18 · Reply
  6. Nikki Anderson said:

    Hey Julia – love these ideas. One question – how much of the sangria do those ingredients make? Looking to make some for a Christmas party!

    Thank you

    12.3.18 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      About 4-6 servings!

      12.3.18 · Reply