10 Best Spiced Christmas Cocktails

It’s that time of year again. Decorations are going up, gifts are being bought and holiday plans are being made. With the festive season fast approaching, you may be thinking about this year’s Christmas spread. Thinking of spicing things up? Take a look at our guide to Christmas Day Cooking Essentials where we cover all the spices you’ll need. But as essential as Christmas dinner is, the drinks shouldn’t be forgotten. Whether you’re planning on making some welcome drinks for guests, or some digestifs to sip on after a meal, we’ve put together some delicious spiced festive cocktails.

1. Spiced Christmas punch with vodka

This recipe for a spiced Christmas punch with vodka by Bren Did is the perfect party drink for the festive season. It’s a simple recipe which won’t take you long to prepare, so you don’t have to worry about keeping an eye on the cooking at the same time. This Christmas punch has all the refreshing flavours of fruit juice, ginger ale, vodka, triple sec and spices like ground cinnamon, allspice and ground nutmeg. You can find all these spices on our website.

2. Christmas spiced White Russian

White Russians are always a good idea. But when you add Christmas spices, they’re even better. This recipe for Christmas spiced White Russian by Simply Delicious is one of the easiest cocktails to make. You can even make it up to two weeks in advance and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge. Simply mix vodka and Kahlua with a spice syrup, add a splash of heavy cream and serve. For the spice syrup, you’ll need vanilla, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon.

3. Christmas gingerbread Moscow mule

On the topic of Russia, here’s another drink we think you’ll enjoy. This recipe for Christmas gingerbread Moscow mule by Sugar and Charm isn’t just delicious – it’s also super fun to drink. The chilled cocktail clashes deliciously with the warming spices like ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, ground cardamom and ground cloves. Add some ginger syrup, vodka, lime juice, molasses and soda and you have yourself a real crowd pleaser.

4. Winter spiced apple cocktail with rum

When it comes to winter fruits, nothing stands out more than apples. In fact, you may want to check out our post on 10 Best Winter Fruits Recipes to see how to use up your stock of fruits. As well as pies and puddings, apples go really well in cocktails. This recipe for winter spiced apple cocktail with rum by The Cook Report is a delightful winter warmer that you won’t be able to get enough of. It’s really easy to make too – all you need is apple juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, lemon peel, dark rum and some apple slices to garnish.

5. Spiced apple margaritas

Still have a surplus of apples? Here’s another way to use apples in your cocktails. This recipe for spiced apple margaritas by Cookie and Kate are so very Christmassy – all the way down to the spiced sugar and salt rims. Although you’ll only need some ground cinnamon, you’ll find that it’s just right to complement the sweetness of the honey, tartness of the apple juice and the light oakiness of the reposado tequila.

6. Festive spiced cranberry and orange vodka

Since we can’t get enough of winter fruits, we’ve also included this recipe for festive spiced cranberry and orange vodka by Fuss Free Flavours. It’s a lovely winter digestif, perfect for curling up by the fire after you’ve had a little too much to eat. The fruity flavours of orange and cranberry pair well with warming spices like cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Not too keen on vodka? It’s equally as good with gin.

7. Christmas sangria

A sangria is a fruity, crisp and refreshing drink that’s usually enjoyed in the summer. But who says you can’t have sangrias in the winter? Add a festive touch to this traditional Spanish drink with this recipe for Christmas sangria by Kitchen Nostalgia. You’ll need some red wine and brandy, as well as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Alternatively, you can use our Mulled Wine Spice Mix which combines allspice, lemon peel, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The recipe doesn’t shy away from using winter fruits either. You’ll need persimmon, pomegranate, tangerine, lemon, lime and kiwi. Salud!

8. Spiced cranberry rosé spritzers

This recipe for spiced cranberry rosé spritzers by Half Baked Harvest is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit. Made up of homemade spiced cranberry syrup, woodsy rosemary, fruity rosé, elderflower liqueur, zingy citrus and spicy ginger beer, it’s a whole collision of flavours that work wonderfully well together. For the spices, you’ll need either cardamom pods or ground cardamom. Want to spice it up even more? Add a dash of ground cinnamon.

9. Spiced Manhattan cocktail

A Manhattan is always nice at a party. But this recipe for a spiced Manhattan cocktail by A Spicy Perspective is a unique take on the classic cocktail, and a party for your taste buds. With cognac and spice infused vermouth, it’s the perfect seasonal drink. Make sure you have allspice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cayenne pepper and sea salt. You can put your own twist on the recipe by using our Fleur de Sel, often referred to as the ‘caviar’ of the salt industry. Hand-harvested on the coast of France, it has a delicate and pleasant flavour. Although it’s never used for cooking, it’s the perfect finishing salt.

10. Pear and brandy punch

Looking to impress your dinner guests? This pear and brandy punch recipe by Tesco Real Food is a classy cocktail that’s bound to get some approving looks. Inspired by classic French flavours, this recipe uses brandy and white wine combined with a spice infused pear syrup, for which you’ll need mixed spice, ground ginger and cinnamon sticks. Garnish with crisp pears and fragrant fresh rosemary for a finishing touch.