Making Spirits Bright

Ah, the holiday season. The season for giving, looking at lights and spending time with loved ones. We know the holiday season is full of hosting, so we are here to help offer some great cocktail (and mocktail) recipes. These fun cocktails are sure to keep your spirits high and bright this holiday season!

Holiday Moscow Mule

Here is a holiday twist on a classic Moscow mule. The red and green garnishes really pop in the copper mugs! If you don’t have any copper mugs on hand, don’t fret, this will be just as tasty in your favorite cocktail glass.

Ingredients:

• 2oz vodka
• 1oz cranberry juice
• 5oz ginger beer
• 1 lime wedge
• Cranberries & lime to garnish

Directions:

1. Fill copper mug with ice.
2. Measure 2oz vodka and pour into copper mug.
3. Mix in cranberry juice
4. Top off with ginger beer and lightly stir.
5. To garnish squeeze your lime and top with a few cranberries!
6. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Peppermint Martini

If you’re looking for a holiday cocktail that everyone will love, it doesn’t get better than this white chocolate peppermint martini. It is a decadent but easy to make cocktail that rocks!

Ingredients:

• 5oz white chocolate liqueur
• 5oz vanilla vodka
• 1oz crème de cacao
• 1oz half and half
• 1/2 oz peppermint schnapps

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker with ice, add white chocolate liqueur, vanilla vodka, crème de cacao, half and half, and peppermint schnapps.
2. Shake well, then strain into a prepared martini glass.

Minty Hot Cocoa

Hot cocoa with a little minty kick, what could be better! This is the perfect cocktail to sip by the fireplace, cuddled under a blanket, listening to your favorite holiday tunes.

Ingredients:

• Your favorite brand of hot cocoa
• 5oz peppermint schnapps
• 1oz vanilla vodka
• Marshmallows, whipped cream & crushed peppermint candies for topping

Directions:

1. Brew a cup of your favorite hot cocoa.
2. Add peppermint schnapps and vanilla vodka.
3. Top your hot cocoa with a dollop of whipped cream, a couple marshmallows and garnish with a sprinkle of crushed peppermint candies.

Jack Frost

This blended light blue cocktail is the perfect wintery treat. Rimming the glass with coconut flakes, adds a nice snowy touch that is sure to wow your guests. Remove the rum and curacao, and this is also a super fun drink that you could make for kiddos. You can replace the curacao with a couple drops of blue food coloring for the fun color.

Ingredients:

• Light corn syrup
• Coconut flakes
• 3-4 cups of crushed ice
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• ½ cup blue curacao liquor
• ½ cup light rum
• ½ cup cream of coconut

Directions:

1. Pour a thin layer of corn starch onto a shallow plate. Place coconut flakes on another shallow plate. Dip the rim of the cocktail glass in the corn syrup and then in the coconut flakes. Set aside.
2. In a blender, add the ice, pineapple juice, blue curacao, rum and cream of coconut. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into the glasses and serve immediately.

Rudolph’s Punch

Bright red like Rudolph’s nose, this punch is the perfect refreshment for all of your kid’s upcoming holiday parties.

Ingredients:

• 64oz container cranberry juice
• 14oz container pineapple juice
• 1 container frozen lemonade
• 1 can of sprite
• Orange slices & fresh cranberries (used as a garnish)

Directions:

In a large punch bowl with ice, combine all ingredients and stir carefully. Add orange slices and fresh cranberries as a garnish.

Gingerbread Smoothie

We know smoothies might sound crazy for the winter, but luckily our winters here aren’t too cold, so we can still enjoy them! If you like gingerbread cookies, you are sure to love this smoothie. It isn’t your typical fruit smoothie, but it is a perfectly sweet treat to enjoy by your Christmas tree.

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup unsweetened organic vanilla almond milk
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Dash of all spice
• 1 small handful of ice

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Pour into your glass and top with a little ground nutmeg.

Cheers to a joyful holiday season. Please remember to drink responsibly! If you are looking for more ways to kick up your holiday spirit this season, check out our “Getting into the Holiday Spirit” blog here.