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
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.
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.
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.
What You Need
For Christmas Cosmos
- Vodka
- Orange liqueur, such as triple sec
- Cranberry juice
- Lime juice
- Cranberries and lime slices, for garnish
For Candy Cane Martinis
- Vodka
- Peppermint schnapps
- Sparkling water
- Mini candy canes or starlight peppermints, for garnish
See the recipe cards for exact amounts
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.
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 Cosmos
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.
Candy Cane Martinis
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.
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
More Drinks You May Enjoy Include
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