Our Favorite Holiday Cocktails

andersonsglenarbor
Dec 24, 2025
3 min read

The holidays call for drinks that feel considered but never complicated. Whether you’re hosting an intimate Christmas Eve gathering or welcoming friends between celebrations, a well-chosen cocktail sets the tone.

Dennis has curated a collection of some of his favorite seasonal cocktails from Wine Enthusiast (some with his own twist) that balance classic holiday flavors with a fresh, modern feel. If you're not familiar with Wine Enthusiast - it is an amazing resource for wine lovers, and one of our favorite places to get inspiration and learn!

From crisp and sparkling to rich and comforting, each recipe is designed to be approachable, memorable, and perfect for sharing. Find the ingredients in our wine department where Dennis and Ryan will make it easy to pull together something special at a moment’s notice.

Photos from Wine Enthusiast! Check them out for more Holiday cocktails!

The Grinch

Ingredients:

One- and one-half ounce Midori

One-half ounce vodka

One-ounce pineapple juice

One-ounce dry sparkling wine

One cherry for garnish

Combine all everything but the sparkling wine and cherry in a cocktail shaker. Shake for a few seconds, pour into a rock glass filled with ice and garnish with a cherry.

White Christmas:

Ingredients:

1 oz [30 ml] vodka

1 oz [30 ml] amaretto

1 oz [30 ml] heavy whipping cream

Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish

Chill a martini glass.

Pour the vodka, amaretto, and heavy whipping cream into an ice filled shaker.

Shake until cold, then strain into the chilled glass.

Grate a little touch of nutmeg on top.

Mistletoe Margarita

Ingredients:

Kosher salt, to rim glass

Lime slice, to rim glass

1 ½ ounces silver tequila

¾ Cointreau

1 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed

2 ounce cranberry juice

½ ounce agave nectar

Rosemary sprig, for garnish

Sugared cranberries, for garnish

First, rub a lime wedge around the rim of the rocks glass to moisten, then dip the rim of the glass into a bed of kosher salt. Fill the glass with ice and set aside

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine tequila, lime juice, agave nectar and cranberry juice. Shake vigorously until chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain the cocktail into rimmed glass. Garnish with sugared cranberries and a rosemary sprig.

Sugar Cookie Martini

Ingredients:

Whipped vanilla frosting

Christmas color sprinkles or rainbow color, for rimming the glass

2 ounces vanilla vodka

1 ounce Irish cream (such as Baileys)

1 ounce amaretto (such as Disaronno)

2 ounces whole milk

½ tsp powdered sugar

Pour the sprinkles into a shallow dish or saucer. Using a spatula, neatly spread the frosting along the rim of a martini glass. Dip the frosting-covered glass into the sprinkles. Set glass aside.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the vanilla vodka, Irish cream, milk, amaretto and ice. Close lid and shake for at least 20 seconds to mix and chill. Pour into the prepared martini glass. Serve immediately.

It’s A Wonderful Life Cocktail

Ingredients:

3 oz [90 ml] half-and-half

1½ oz [45 ml] Irish cream liqueur

½ oz [15 ml] crème de menthe

Ground cinnamon, for garnish

Fill an old fashioned glass halfway with ice.

Pour the half-and-half, Irish cream liqueur, and crème dementhe into an ice-filled shaker.

Shake until cold, then strain into the prepared glass.

Dust with ground cinnamon.

Poinsettia Cocktail

Ingredients:

1½ ounces vodka

1½ ounces cranberry juice

½ ounce simple syrup

½ ounce lemon juice

2 dashes orange bitters

Prosecco, to top

Orange peel, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients except Prosecco with ice. Shake well, and strain into a Champagne flute. Top with Prosecco, but don’t stir; a layered effect is desirable. Garnish with a thin twist of orange peel.