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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Christmas Cocktails

    Published: Dec 7, 2022 · Modified: Apr 26, 2023 by Dianne · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Raise a glass and toast the holidays with one (or both!) of these Christmas Cocktails! These are the best drinks to serve at your holiday party. They're great for New Year's Eve celebrations too! These easy recipes are vegan and gluten-free.

    Christmas Cocktails with text overlay

    Christmas Cocktails

    Friends tend to call me the Vegan Martha Stewart, because I love hosting parties and I like to get creative with them. (I actually tend to refer to myself as the Vegan Liz Lemon, but that's a story for another post.) I used host a Christmas cocktail party every year, and I would serve Christmas themed drinks. Two of the most popular drinks I make are the Christmas Cosmo and the Candy Cane Martini.

    two christmas cosmos

    If you're looking for mocktails to serve designated drives and non-drinkers, check out my Sparkling Iced Tea and Mulled Apple Cider recipes.

    Sadly, this year I won't be hosting my usual cocktail party, but I just may enjoy a cocktail or two with Dennis while we we watch The Muppet Christmas Carol and Robbie the Reindeer. 

    candy cane martini, christmas cosmo, and a cocktail shaker

    Is Alcohol Vegan?

    While it's possible for bear and wine to contain animal products, which are used in the filtration process, distilled drinks such as vodka, gin, rum, and whisky are vegan The distillation process doesn’t require filtration, and therefore no animal products are used. The general rule of thumb is that if the drink is clear and colorless, it is also animal-product free. If you happen to come across a distilled liquor that has color to it, such as dark run, it’s still safe – the color actually comes from the barrels the beverage was aged in.

    When in doubt, check Barnivore.com.

    sparkling water, orange liqueur, vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, peppermints, lime

    What You Need

    For Christmas Cosmos

    • Vodka
    • Orange liqueur, such as triple sec
    • Cranberry juice
    • Lime juice
    • Cranberries and lime slices, for garnish
    Candy Cane Martini

    For Candy Cane Martinis

    • Vodka
    • Peppermint schnapps
    • Sparkling water
    • Mini candy canes or starlight peppermints, for garnish

    See the recipe cards for exact amounts

    cocktail shakers with lime, peppermints, and a candy cane
    pouring a cosmo

    How to Make Christmas Cocktails

    It couldn't be easier to make these cocktails. For each recipe, you simply place the ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake away, and then pour into two glasses. 

    me with a cocktail

    Serving Your Christmas Cocktails

    Cocktail purists will tell you that you should make fresh cocktails for each guest. But when I'm hosting a party, that's difficult to do, so I'll make batch of each drink and store them in pitchers in the fridge.

    If you're not having a holiday party, you can still enjoy a cocktail! Mix up a drink and put on your favorite holiday specials or dance around your living room to Christmas music.

    Be sure to serve your cocktails with lots of tasty nibbles.

    christmas cosmo and candy cane martini with two cocktail shakers, mints, limes, and oranges
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    christmas cosmo square

    Christmas Cosmos

    Dianne
    Raise a glass and toast the holidays with one (or both!) of these Christmas Cocktails! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 drinks
    Calories 124 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ¼ cup vodka
    • 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
    • 2 tablespoons cranberry juice
    • 2 teaspoons lime juice
    • Lime slices and cranberries for garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Pour the vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice and lime juice over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until very cold and then strain into martini glasses. Garnish with a slice of lime and cranberries on a cocktail pick.
    Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!
    Candy cane martinis square

    Candy Cane Martinis

    Dianne
    Raise a glass and toast the holidays with one (or both!) of these Christmas Cocktails! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 drinks
    Calories 120 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ⅓ cup vodka
    • 1 tablespoon peppermint schnapps
    • ⅓ cup sparkling water
    • 2 mini candy canes or starlight peppermints, for garnish, optional

    Instructions
     

    • Pour the vodka, peppermint schnapps and sparkling water over ice in a cocktail shaker. Give it a quick shake, and then stir. Pour into martini glasses and garnish with a mini candy cane or a peppermint.
    Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.01mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!
    christmas cosmo with shaker, orange, and lime

    Nibble on these snacks while sipping your cocktails

    • Tomato Tarts with Spinach Pesto
    • Vegan Bruschetta with Pesto and White Beans  
    • Vegan Cheese and Apple Tarts
    • Smoked Almond Cheddar
    Cheese board with Smoked Almond Cheddar, fruit, nuts, and crackers

    More Drinks You May Enjoy Include

    • Mulled Wine
    • Mulled Apple Cider
    • Apple Cider Sangria
    • Sparkling Iced Tea
    sparkling iced tea, candy cane martini, Christmas cosmo

    « Sparkling Iced Tea
    Smoked Almond Vegan Cheddar Cheese Spread »

    About Dianne

    Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

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    Reader Interactions

    Trackbacks

    1. Vegan News You Can Use (12/15/13) - JL goes Vegan says:
      December 15, 2013 at 8:08 AM

      […] Christmas Cocktails […]

    2. Recipe Wednesday: Breakfast Baked Goods | Healthy Living Blogs says:
      December 19, 2013 at 4:51 PM

      […] from left: Cranberry Orange Sparkling Sangria from The Clean Project, Christmas Cocktails from VeggieGirl, and Grown Up Cherry Cola from Savvy […]

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    Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz, a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. I empower my clients to build new habits so they can reach their healthy living goals. I love to show others how easy it is to live a vegan lifestyle as well as how to cook deliciously easy plant-based meals. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

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