21 Classic Christmas Cocktails for the Holiday Season

Spiked eggnog is a true classic when it comes to Christmas cocktails.

This crowd favorite is always a hit at holiday parties. Whether you make your eggnog from scratch or mix a premade eggnog with your favorite liquor, this drink adds the perfect touch to a cozy winter night. 

Check out the best rum to use in your eggnog.

Mojitos are usually associated with the summer, but the White Christmas Mojito gives a fun, festive twist on the classic tropical cocktail.

A White Christmas Mojito takes the typical white rum recipe and incorporates coconut rum, as well as coconut milk and pomegranate arils.

This easy-to-make cocktail recipe results in a sweet and creamy Christmas treat.

Hot Buttered Rum is an old-school Christmas cocktail that isn’t for the faint of heart.

The beverage is exactly what it sounds like: warm, spiced rum with butter.

Although the high amount of rum gives the drink quite a kick, the buttery taste is irresistible. 

If you're looking for something warm to drink, check out other popular hot cocktails.

A Gingerbread White Russian is a sweet and indulgent cocktail that will get you and your friends into the holiday spirit.

While a standard White Russian contains vodka, cream, and Kahlua, the gingerbread version elevates the cocktail with ginger and cinnamon flavoring.

This cocktail is great for someone who likes sweet cocktails but wants to avoid rum and other sugary alcohol. 

If you prefer lighter flavors in your cocktails, you can take inspiration from winter citrus dishes and make a Holly Jolly Christmas Citrus Cocktail.

This cute and tasty beverage includes vodka, citrus juice, and elderflower.

For an extra classy touch, you can use pomegranate seeds as a garnish. 

A Sugar Cookie Martini is the perfect cocktail for impressing guests at a holiday party.

This chilled cocktail features vanilla vodka, Irish cream, and a few other sugary ingredients.

You can quickly make it in bulk ahead of time and then wow your guests with a gorgeous sprinkle-laden presentation. 

Anyone who appreciates whiskey will like an old-fashioned. You can spice up this traditional cocktail by making a Christmas Old Fashioned.

The main twist in this beverage is switching out the simple syrup for cardamom and maple syrup instead.

A Christmas Old Fashioned is ideal when you want to nurse a drink while sitting by the fire. 

A Jingle Bell Smash is a holiday version of a whiskey smash and arguably tastes better than the original.

For a Jingle Bell Smash, all you need is bourbon, cranberry juice, and rosemary simple syrup.

The cranberry juice adds just enough citric sweetness while the rosemary adds a delicious herbal undertone. Check out other cranberry cocktails for a tart red Christmas drink.

For a quick and affordable Christmas cocktail that you can make a big batch of before the party starts, you can’t go wrong with Christmas Sangria.

A Christmas Sangria is somewhat like the cold version of mulled wine, incorporating ingredients like cinnamon and cranberries to give the drink a holiday vibe—it’s tasty and refreshing, perfect for a casual celebration. 

The Spicy Sweet Grinch Cocktail is an adorable, themed cocktail with a surprisingly sophisticated flavor profile.

This vodka-based beverage used sugar and honey for sweetness and a few jalepeños for a hint of spice.

A Spicy Sweet Grinch Cocktail is an excellent option if you want a truly unique holiday drink. 

Holiday Pear Sangria is similar to Christmas Sangria, but it leans more heavily on crisp fruit flavors, such as pears and apples.

The best elements of this sangria are the pear-flavored brandy and candied ginger, which set the drink apart from a mainstream sangria recipe. 

Check out other pear cocktails if you like this flavor!

Rum is a reliable liquor for yummy Christmas cocktails, and Blood Orange Ginger Cranberry Mojitos are no exception.

This sugary mojito is loaded with sweet ingredients, such as blood orange soda and brown sugar.

Serve this drink to your pal who loves sweet cocktails but doesn’t like the heaviness of traditional Christmas beverages. 

Margaritas are satisfying and simple cocktails to make, and a Christmas Cranberry Margarita will bring life to any holiday gathering.

For this cocktail, mix tequila with cranberries and rosemary simple syrup.

You can make your margaritas extra festive by garnishing each drink with a few sugared cranberries.  

Spiced pears are an underrated holiday treat, but you can rectify that by making winter-spiced pear cocktails at your next get-together.

Gin lovers will greatly appreciate this lightly spiced wintery gin cocktail.

The spiced pear syrup works perfectly with gin and the foam from the egg white adds the right amount of texture. 

This Grinch Cocktail recipe is a great choice if you’re looking for a campy, themed drink made with popular flavors.

For alcohol, this drink uses rum and Midori liqueur. The only other ingredients are lemon-lime soda and a maraschino cherry for a garnish.

The result will be a pleasantly sweet, bright green cocktail. 

A Mistletoe Kiss Cocktail is just as cute as you would imagine.

This drink is essentially a vodka soda with lemon juice and rosemary simple syrup, as well as rosemary sprigs and cranberries for garnishing.

You can either make this cocktail for a small group or prepare it in bulk for a large party. 

The Very Merry Ornamentini, otherwise known as a Christmas Ornament Cocktail, is somewhat involved to make and drink, but it’s worth it if you want your guests to have a memorable and creative dining experience.

This orange and cranberry vodka martini has to be carefully poured into a round ornament, and then the receiver of the drink pours the ornament into a martini glass.

It’s a bit of a project, but the presentation is gorgeous. 

A Pomegranate Paloma is an accessible Christmas cocktail that is guaranteed to make all your friends happy.

This cocktail has tequila, club soda, pomegranate juice, and simple syrup.

It’s moderately sweet with just enough of a bite from the tequila, and the pomegranate flavor adds a wholesome holiday feel. 

Despite the name, Rudolph’s Tipsy Spritzer may be a good choice for a festive beverage that doesn’t go too heavy on alcohol.

This vodka-based cocktail is mixed with ginger ale and several holiday citrus juices to create a light and fruity drink, ideal for a family-friendly Christmas party. 

The Spicy Pomegranate Moscow Mule will delight folks who enjoy spicy Christmas cocktails.

This vodka and ginger beer cocktail incorporates pomegranate and grapefruit juice, as well as a couple of jalepeños, to form a seasonal spicy treat.

Be sure to check with your guests to confirm how many jalepeño slices they want in their drinks—a few jalepeño seeds can go a long way!

Mulled wine is the ultimate Christmas drink that everyone should have at least once during the season.

Mulled wine is a warm, spiced beverage that includes all of your favorite holiday favors, as well as a bit of hard liquor for an extra kick.

If you set aside the time, you can easily prepare stovetop mulled wine and serve it at your next dinner party. 

Check out our favorite red wines to use in mulled wine.