Easy Christmas cocktails
Eat, drink and be merry! Warming, festive and delicious, these Christmas cocktails will keep you merrymaking into the wee hours.
Pomegranate martini
Perfect parts sweet and tangy, the pomegranate is an exotic gem of the winter season. It’s subtle sweetness makes it ideal for a fresh, fruity cocktail that’s not too sugary.
- 1 shot vodka
- 1 shot pomegranate juice
- Soda water
- Fresh lime
Splash a shot of vodka and a shot of fresh pomegranate juice over crushed ice in a tall cocktail glass. Fill the rest of the glass with soda water and squeeze in a slice of lime. Add another fresh lime wedge to the rim and serve with a straw or swizzle stick.
Eggnog
This iconic North American cocktail is just so wrong, it’s right.
- 6 eggs, separated
- 50g caster sugar
- 2 pints whole milk
- 200ml brandy, bourbon or dark rum
- 1 vanilla bean pod, split and seeds removed
- A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa powder
Combine the milk and vanilla in a saucepan and heat gradually. As the milk heats, mix the sugar and egg yolks together in a mixing bowl before whisking them into the saucepan. Keep whisking until thick, then remove from heat and allow to cool. Once chilled, beat the egg whites until they form peaks and gently fold them into the rest of the eggnog mixture.
Pour the eggnog over chunky ice and your brown spirit of choice. Short, old fashioned drinking glasses are best. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa powder (or a bit of all three!).
Christmas party punch
If you’re entertaining this festive season, fizzy Christmas punch is always an instant hit. A bit retro, and deliciously DIY, the punch bowl is a perfect addition to your buffet table full of party snacks.
- 2 litres ginger ale
- 1 litre cranberry juice
- 1 pint pineapple juice
- 1 pint raspberry sherbet (optional)
Mix the chilled ginger ale, cranberry juice and pineapple juice in a large punch bowl. For some extra pizazz, add scoops of raspberry sherbet to the surface of the liquid, which will give the punch a frothy creamsicle flavour as it melts. Give guests the option to pour over ice, but don’t add ice directly to the bowl or it will dilute the punch.
Hot buttered rum
A sweet, buttery, caramel-like cocktail that warms you from the inside out—what’s not to love? If you fancy a hot drink, but aren’t too keen on mulled wine, try a hot buttered rum instead.
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 50ml dark rum
- 150ml boiling water
- Cinnamon stick
- Orange wedges
Spoon the brown sugar, butter and allspice into a glass mug. Add the hot water and stir until the butter is completely melted, the sugar is dissolved and the spice is blended nicely. Next, add the rum and a squeeze of fresh orange juice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and an orange wedge.
Top tip: for another tasty option (‘Liquid Apple Pie’), remove the brown sugar from the recipe and use hot apple juice instead of water.
What’s your favourite festive beverage?
Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor
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