50 Winter co*cktails To Keep Your Whole Crew Warm This Season (2024)

We’ve all been there—you think you have *one* more pack of instant hot chocolate mix left, only to discover it was mixed up and consumed many cold days ago. Save the heavy sigh and make a batch on the stove with creamy whole milk, rich semisweet chocolate chips, and a little bit of whiskey to keep you warm.

Get the Spiked Hot Chocolate recipe.

Forget making your home look like Christmas; let it smell like Christmas instead. Glögg, pronounced ‘glu-guh,’ is essentially Sweden's less-sweet answer to mulled wine. The ginger and white rum curtail the sweetness, packing a spicy punch and dose of warmth to this festive drink.

Get the Glögg recipe.

Sangria is a perfect co*cktail for the holidays because it’s made all in one big pitcher and can be done ahead. Plus, your guests can help themselves to a festive co*cktail while you finish up cooking. This recipe is fairly traditional but with a holiday twist, featuring flavors like tart cranberries and warm cinnamon.

Get the Cranberry-Apple Sangria recipe.

Not only does this adorable co*cktail look the part, but if you close your eyes, it also tastes just like gingerbread cookies. The homemade gingerbread simple syrup truly is the star of this martini.

Get the Gingerbread Martini recipe.

This Christmas punch forgoes all the added sugar and instead derives its natural sweetness from apple cider. Add some spice from ginger beer and tartness from unsweetened cranberry juice, and you have a sophisticated, festive punch for your next holiday party.

Get the Christmas Punch recipe.

Turn your favorite wintery treat of frozen hot chocolate into a martini. The frozen hot chocolate is simple and uses a pre-made hot chocolate mix, and everything gets blended together for a quick festive co*cktail that would be a hit as an after dinner nightcap!

Get the Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini recipe.

Wassail is a warm, spiced punch that’s traditionally served when celebrating the ancient English Yuletide tradition of the same name. Historically, gatherers would sing and hand out mugs of mulled cider, ale, or wine in exchange for gifts. It's festive and delicious!

Get the Wassail recipe.

Oaky and sweet, with a hint of citrus on the finish, the classic whiskey Old Fashioned is truly a bourbon lover's drink. You only need a few ingredients to make this classic co*cktail too—sugar, bitters, and a large ice cube.

Get the Old Fashioned co*cktail recipe.

Ho ho ho, it’s co*cktail time! This deep red drink is an ode to a dirty Shirley. You get that fresh lime juice, the kick from the vodka, and the sweetness and color from grenadine. Don't forget about the garnishes though. Having it rimmed with sweetened coconut (to mimic some Christmastime snow) will get you from Christmas blues to feeling jolly in no time.

Get the Santa’s Hat co*cktail recipe.

No Christmas celebration in Puerto Rico is complete without a cup of coquito. Often compared to eggnog, this rum-spiked coconut drink is an iconic holiday co*cktail that packs a flavorful punch.

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Staying faithful to our queen mother, the Moscow mule, we’ve replaced the vodka with some smoked bourbon or whiskey, added some maple syrup for a touch of wintery magic, kept our lemon juice and ginger beer as our old-time residents, and included an optional roasted marshmallow to garnish (campfire → roasted marshmallow… get it? 😉).

Get the Campfire Mules recipe.

We give classic summer sangria a fall twist by adding in sparkling apple cider (of course), white wine, and Fireball. Our apple cider sangria is a fan-favorite, but this bubbly version feels a bit fancier, making it worthy of your holiday dinner.

Get the Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria recipe.

More like a cosmopolitan than a classic martini, this recipe replaces the cosmo’s traditional cranberry juice with pomegranate. Garnish with a sugar rim and a fresh rosemary sprig for the perfect drink to serve at all your fall and winter gatherings.

Get the Pomegranate Martini recipe.

We abide by this delicious co*cktail every home bartender needs to know. Tastes like a chocolate boozy milkshake and requires only three easy ingredients you likely already have on hand.

Get the White Russian recipe.

Cranberry adds a festive, blood-red twist to your favorite co*cktail, the Aperol spritz. If you don't want it to be too sweet, you can swap the cranberry juice co*cktail for 100% cranberry juice.

Get the Cranberry Aperol Spritz recipe.

Peppermint bark fans, meet your match. If you're feeling EXTRA, pair it with our other favorite holiday treat, pretzel peppermint bark. We won't judge.

Get the Peppermint Martinis recipe.

If you're truly looking to get your party started this holiday (or if you're a bourbon fan), then these apple pie bourbon shots should be a must-have at your next gathering. All you need are a few ingredients—apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg—too!

Get the Apple Pie Bourbon Shots recipe.

For co*cktail lovers who like a whiskey sour but want something a bit nuttier, this is the perfect drink. Amaretto Sour is also the ideal co*cktail for anyone who loves tiramisu, since the classic Italian dessert often includes amaretto.

Get the Amaretto Sour recipe.

Eggnog is the type of drink that people either love or really really hate. It's rich, creamy, and, well, egg-y. We fall into the camp of people who love it (like, really really love it), and we're serving it cold or hot all winter long.

Get the Classic Eggnog recipe.

This wintery version of a whiskey sour features punchy ginger flavor and tangy cranberry juice. Though it requires minimal ingredients, it’s full of strong, bright flavors that perfectly complement rich holiday hors d'oeuvres like baked brie and bacon-wrapped dates.

Get the Ginger-Cranberry Whiskey Sour recipe.