By Jeanne Benedict
Eggnog with a Cookie Ornament Garnish
A holiday party without eggnog is like Christmas without the tree! Well, almost. Instead of the traditional sprinkle of nutmeg on eggnog, try chocolate curls on top and a cookie ornament garnish on the side.
Ingredients
- 4 oz. eggnog
- 1 oz. Brandy (optional)
- 1 bunch chocolate curls
- 1 cookie ornament with a ribbon
Steps
1. Add eggnog and brandy, if desired, into a mug or holiday cup with a handle.
2. To make chocolate curls: Slide a vegetable peeler along the edge of a room temperature chocolate bar and add as a topping on eggnog.
3. To make a cookie ornament: Buy or make a batch of round cookies such as chocolate chips or the chocolate covered biscuits in the photo. Use a skewer to poke a small hole in the cookie and slip a thin ribbon through. Tie the ribbon around the mug's handle allowing the cookie to dangle as an ornament.
Celebrations.com
By Jeanne Benedict
Santa's Hat
Mix up a festive cocktail that looks like an upside down Santa hat. The fluffy rim on this glass is made with coconut, which is the perfect edible match for the fur on St. Nick's cap.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 Teaspoon water
- 1/4 Cup sweetened, flaked coconut
- 3 oz. red cranberry juice
- 1 oz. Malibu Rum
- 1/2 oz. grenadine
- 1 candy cane
Steps
1. Mix together powdered sugar and water until smooth.
2. Fold a paper towel into a 4-inch square and lay it on a saucer.
3. Spread the powdered sugar mixture on top of the towel on the saucer.
4. Spread coconut in a shallow layer on another saucer.
5. Dip the rim of a Martini glass in the sugar mixture on the towel until the rim is coated.
6. Then, dip the sugared rim into the coconut. Use a spoon to pack the coconut on to the sugar coating so it stays on the rim.
7. Add the cranberry juice, Malibu rum and grenadine into a cocktail shaker with ice.
8. Shake and strain into a prepared Martini glass and serve.
9. Garnish with a candy cane. Break off the top hook of the candy cane if desired.
Celebrations.com
By Jeanne Benedict
Minty White Chocolate Liqueur Christmas Cocktail
The pale green color of this drink is absolutely lovely as a holiday cocktail. Use an opaque drink to showcase exceptional glassware such as the Riedel "O" series Martini glasses featured in the photo.
Ingredients
- 1/2 oz. green crème de menthe
- 1/2 oz. white creme de cocoa
- 2 oz. Godiva white chocolate liqueur
- 2 oz. cream
Steps
1. Add ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake and strain into a glass and serve.
Celebrations.com
By Jeanne Benedict
Cranberry-Mint Cooler with a Frozen Holiday Wreath
Cool and refreshing, this alcohol-free drink is given a holiday touch by submerging a frozen shot glass made from ice, fresh mint and cranberries into the glass.
Ingredients
- 1 Silicone shot glass mold (also available at some Bed, Bath & Beyond stores)
- 1 Cup fresh cranberries
- 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
- 1 - 2 cups water
- 3 oz. white cranberry juice
- 3 oz. club soda
Steps
1. Add cranberries into the bottom of shot glass mold cups. Cut cranberries in half if necessary.
2. Add fresh mint leaves into the mold, pushing them down so they keep the cranberries in place when water is added.
3. Pour water to the mold cups and place on a flat surface in the freezer until solid.
4. When ready to serve, unmold frozen shot glasses and place them each into a tall, slender glass.
5. Add amount of white cranberry juice and soda as listed above into each glass and serve.
Celebrations.com
By Jeanne Benedict
Feliz Navidad Maria
The spicier the better on a cold winter night! Add a Latin flair to the classic Bloody Mary by turning it into a hot holiday cocktail.
Ingredients
- 5 oz. tomato juice
- 1 oz. Silver Patron Tequila
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh horseradish
- 1 squeeze of a fresh lime
- 1 splash of Tabasco sauce
- 1 lime wheel
- 1 whole red chile pepper
Steps
1. Add tomato juice, tequila, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, lime juice and Tabasco sauce over ice in a tall glass.
2. Cut a slit into the side of the chile pepper and halfway into the lime wheel.
3. Slide the chile pepper and lime wheel on to the rim of the glass as a garnish and serve.
Celebrations.com
By Jeanne Benedict
Baileys with a Chocolate Dipped and Sprinkled Rim
Bailey's is the quintessential holiday liqueur. Create a vessel worthy of this caramel libation by dipping the rim of a Martini glass in melted chocolate and then dressing it up with chocolate sprinkles.
Ingredients
- 4 oz. Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur
- 1/4 cup chocolate melting chips or chopped Hershey's milk chocolate candy bar
- 1 shaker chocolate sprinkles
Steps
1. Melt chocolate in the microwave in 10-second increments; stir until smooth.
2. Pour chocolate on to a saucer.
3. Dip the rim of a Martini glass in the melted chocolate and immediately shake chocolate sprinkles over the chocolate rim.
4. Add Baileys and ice into a cocktail shaker with ice.
5. Shake and strain into the chocolate-rimmed Martini glass to serve.
Celebrations.com
By Jeanne Benedict
The New Gibson
Knock guests socks off at your party with this fresh take on the Gibson cocktail and a chic chive spear garnish. A generous splash of club soda gives this old country club cocktail a contemporary edge.
Ingredients
- 1 oz. premium gin
- 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
- 3 oz. club soda
- 1 splash of cocktail onion juice
- 2 chive spears
Steps
1. Add gin, vermouth, club soda and onion juice over ice in a tall glass.
2. Garnish with a couple of chive spears and serve.
Celebrations.com
By Jeanne Benedict
Blue Christmas Cocktail
Blue Curacao is a liqueur made from laraha peels, which are similar to oranges, and grown on the island of Curacao in the southern Caribbean Sea. Its gorgeous blue color in a cocktail is a stellar ingredient for signature holiday drinks.
Ingredients
- 1 oz. premium vodka
- 1/2 oz. Blue Curacao liqueur
- 3 oz. white grape juice
Steps
1. Add ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake and strain into a Champagne glass and serve.
Celebrations.com
By Jeanne Benedict
Peppermint White Chocolate with a Festive Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallow
This is my favorite holiday beverage to serve at parties. Whip up a batch for a crowd and present it in a round chafer with a ladle for guests to help themselves. Serve with chocolate-dipped marshmallows decorated with Christmas sprinkles for the ultimate celebration in cup.
Ingredients
- 6 cups milk
- 6 cups heavy cream
- 1 Cup white chocolate melting chips or wafers
- 3/4 Cup peppermint schnapps
- 1 Cup milk chocolate melting chips or wafers
- 1 pack wooden toothpicks
- 1 bag marshmallows
- 1 shaker chocolate sprinkles
Steps
1. Bring milk to a simmer in a heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add white chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in schnapps.
2. Transfer to a round chafing dish with a ladle for guests to serve themselves into individual mugs. Serve with chocolate-dipped marshmallows on the side.
3. To make chocolate-dipped marshmallows: Melt milk chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave for 10-second increments; stir until smooth. Insert a toothpick into a marshmallow and swirl the bottom half of the marshmallow in the chocolate. Immediately shake sprinkles over the chocolate. Place on wax paper until chocolate sets.
Celebrations.com
By Jeanne Benedict
S'more Mocktail
Sipping a mocktail version of this campground favorite will give guests the feeling of sitting around a cozy campfire. Enjoy a S'more beverage with your kids on Christmas eve.
Ingredients
- 5 oz. milk
- 1 Tablespoon Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
- 1 - 2 tablespoons Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
- 1 graham cracker
- 1 chocolate bar piece
Steps
1. Add milk into a mug or glass.
2. Stir in Hershey's syrup until combined.
3. Spoon marshmallow creme on top of the cocktail. Wait for a couple of minutes and the cream will settle forming a smooth topping.
4. Insert the graham cracker and chocolate bar piece into the crème topping and serve.
Celebrations.com
