Holiday Cocktails To Serve At An Elegant Christmas Celebration

Let’s be honest — an Australian Christmas isn’t complete with at least one or two amazing cocktails making an appearance during your Christmas get-togethers. Skip the boring beer or wine this year—festive parties deserve a ton of fun and festive drinks such as Christmosas and Jingle Juice!

Whether you’re looking for a serious hit of vodka, rum, tequila or champagne, we’ve got a drink for you. Check out our top 6 elegant Christmas cocktails that are sure to steal the show this festive season!

1. Naughty Rudolph

Ingredients:

• 2 cups ice
• 1 cup Ginger Ale or Ginger Beer
• 1/4-1/2 Cup Morello Cherries, de-stemmed
• 100ml Vanilla Vodka
• Cherries and Pretzels, to garnish

Method:

1. Add all ingredients except the garnish cherries and pretzels to your blender. 
2. Blend until smooth and all the ice has been crushed into a slushie-like texture. 
3. Garnish with a cherry “red nose” and pretzel “antlers”
4. Bottoms up!

 2. The Classic Christmosa

Ingredients:

• 2 Granny Smith apples, chopped
• 1 cup whole fresh cranberries
• 1 cup green grapes, halved
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup sparkling grape juice
• 1 (750-ml.) bottle Champagne, Prosecco, or Cava

1. In a large pitcher or fruit punch bowl, combine apples, cranberries, grapes, and pomegranate seeds. 
2. Ensure that your liquids are well chilled prior to preparing your drinks. 
3. Pour over sparkling grape juice and Champagne and stir well. Serve in fancy cocktail glasses and enjoy!

3. Raspberry Cream Cocktails

Ingredients:

• 4 fresh raspberries
• 4 ice cubes
• 30g thickened cream
• 30g chambord
• 30g vodka

Method:

1. Quantities above are for individual cocktails. To begin, muddle raspberries into the bottom of cocktail glasses. 
2. Once crushed, add ice. Pour over cream, Chambord and vodka. 
3. Cocktails can be made in advance by pre-mixing the cream and liquor in equal parts (30g of each per serving), and refrigerating in a pitcher until ready to use

4. Pomegranate and Violet Granita

Ingredients:

• 300g caster sugar
• 1L (4 cups) cranberry and pomegranate juice
• 1 cup (250ml) vodka
• Seeds of 1 pomegranate
• Edible violets, to serve

Method:

1. Place sugar and 1L (4 cups) water in a pan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly reduced, then pour into a bowl.
2. Cool slightly, then stir in the juice. Transfer to a 2L (8 cup) container. Freeze overnight until frozen. Scrape with a fork into crystals.
3. Divide vodka among 8 serving glasses and top with granita. Scatter with pomegranate seeds and edible violets. 

5. Eggnog Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 6 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup dark rum (or bourbon)
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 250ml thickened cream
• 500ml full cream
• 1 cinnamon stick

Method:

1. In a large bowl, beat the yolks with a hand mixer at medium speed until frothy.
2. If you’re not cooking it, gradually add the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg as you continue beating. Otherwise, skip to Step 3.
3. If you’re cooking the mixture, warm the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Add the vanilla extract, sugar, and nutmeg.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the eggs. Put the mixture back on medium heat and cook, stirring gently, until it reaches 71C. Stir in the brandy and rum.
5. Chill it until you’re ready to serve, but ensure that it is best to keep it chilled at all times.
6. Garnish each individual serving with the nutmeg sprinkled on top and a cinnamon stick.

 6. Grapefruit, Cardamom and Rosemary Fizz

Ingredients:

• 60g rosemary syrup (recipe below)
• 90g cardamom infused gin (recipe below)
• 140ml grapefruit juice
• Splash of Prosecco, chilled
• Rosemary sprigs and grapefruit peel, to garnish

Cardamom Infused Gin:

• 260ml gin
• 6 cardamom pods

Rosemary Syrup: 

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Method:

1. In a small jar with an airtight lid add gin and cardamom pods. Seal and store in a dark cupboard for 24 hours.
2. To make the rosemary simple syrup, bring sugar, water and 2 rosemary sprigs to a simmer in a small saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Remove the rosemary and use right away, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
3. To make the cocktail pour rosemary syrup, infused gin and grapefruit juice over ice in a cocktail mixer and shake to combine.

Let’s be honest — a refreshing cocktail always seems to turn a get together into a true party if you mix up one (or all!) of the drinks from this top 6 holiday drinks list. What are some of your favourite boozy holiday beverages to serve come Christmas time? Merry Christmas and be sure to drink responsibly!