12 Days of Christmas Cocktails

Introduction

Bring extra cheer to your holidays with the 12 Days of Christmas Cocktails, a dazzling collection of festive drinks sure to impress any guest. Each cocktail adds a unique twist to classic holiday flavors, with vibrant colors and joyful garnishes that promise to elevate every gathering. This curated set is perfect for hosting memorable celebrations or shaking up your winter routine with new flavors each day.

Why These 12 Festive Cocktails Shine

The 12 Days of Christmas Cocktails go beyond ordinary seasonal sips by incorporating spices, fresh fruits, and creative liqueurs to evoke the enchantment of the holidays. From sparkling cranberry spritzers to warming spiked hot chocolates, each drink is thoughtfully designed to pair well with holiday meals and desserts. It’s a surefire way to delight guests and create traditions you’ll want to revisit year after year.

Choosing Ingredients for Holiday Magic

Great holiday cocktails start with fresh juices, quality spirits, and festive extras like cinnamon sticks, rosemary sprigs, or sugared cranberries. Mix and match your favorite flavors vanilla, peppermint, ginger, or chocolate for a variety that keeps every round exciting. Always use chilled glassware and freshly squeezed juices where possible to create the most vibrant and refreshing sips.

Crafting the 12 Days of Christmas Cocktails

The secret to a stunning cocktail is in the details. Rim glasses with colored sugar, infuse simple syrup with cloves or nutmeg, and layer drinks with sparkling wine for visual appeal. Gather all your garnishes before guests arrive, and prep ice-cold pitchers for batch cocktails to minimize fuss. For warm options like mulled wine or hot buttered rum, keep them warm in a slow cooker for easy serving throughout the evening.

Serving Suggestions for the Ultimate Festive Spread

Arrange your cocktails on a tray with labeled tags for each day or set up a DIY drink station with printed recipes. Add bowls of garnishes sliced citrus, herbs, holiday candy, and cinnamon sticks for a fun, interactive beverage bar. Serve your cocktails alongside a cheese board or festive appetizers to keep the party flowing from the first toast to the last sip.

Nutritional Information and Responsible Enjoyment

Each cocktail typically contains 120 – 250 calories, depending on recipe and mixers. Many are easy to make non-alcoholic by swapping in sparkling juice or non-alcoholic spirits. Always enjoy responsibly and provide water for guests to stay hydrated during holiday festivities.

12 Christmas Cocktail Recipes (Recipes Recap)

Here’s a preview of joyful cocktails you can prepare:

1. Cranberry Mimosa
2. Spiced Apple Cider Mule
3. Peppermint White Russian
4. Fig and Thyme Gin Fizz
5. Gingerbread Old Fashioned
6. Sparkling Pomegranate Rosemary Spritz
7. Mulled Wine
8. Chocolate Chili Espresso Martini
9. Eggnog Margarita
10. Cherry Amaretto Smash
11. Hot Buttered Rum
12. Citrus Champagne Punch

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this collection to instantly generate a comprehensive shopping list, sorted by store section—perfect for holiday party planning and stress-free store runs!

Instructions

1. Decide which cocktail(s) to make each day, or prep a batch for your holiday event.
2. For cold cocktails: Combine spirits, mixers, juices, and sweetener in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into chilled glasses. Garnish as desired.
3. For warm cocktails: Heat juice or cider with spices and spirits in a saucepan or slow cooker. Pour into mugs, garnishing with cinnamon sticks or citrus.
4. Serve immediately and enjoy responsibly, rotating through the recipes or doubling up for a larger group.
5. Store any unused mixers or garnishes in the fridge for up to three days.

Weekly Meal Planning

Entertaining throughout the holiday season? Save and schedule this cocktail collection so you can plan drink menus alongside your holiday meals. Smart shopping lists ensure all ingredients—fresh and shelf-stable—are consolidated and organized by grocery section.

Planning Benefits:

• Consolidates all cocktail and meal ingredients for efficient shopping
• Organizes your list by store aisle for quick, stress-free trips
• Automatically adjusts quantities when making multiple recipes
• Helps you track what you already have and prevents duplicate purchases

Pro tip: When hosting multiple events, schedule your cocktails and food recipes together to align shopping needs, reduce prep time, and minimize food and drink waste.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 10 minutes per cocktail
Cook Time: 0–10 minutes (for warm cocktails)
Total Time: 10–15 minutes per recipe, or batch prep for party service

Cheers to your most flavorful and well-organized holiday season yet!