You don’t need Santa’s little helpers to help you create the perfect holiday atmosphere at your bar or club. Add a bit of cinnamon, some eggnog, cranberries or nutmeg, and you have the makings of a festive cocktail menu that will keep guests in the holiday spirit and your register singing. Celebrate all December has to offer by warming up those cocktails and your bar stools with these inspired drinks.
The Poinsettia
On the menu at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant.
1 fresh raspberry
¼ ounce simple syrup
1 ounce Stolichnaya Razberi Vodka
2 ounces Ocean Spray cranberry juice
1 ounce Domaine Chandon Brut sparkling wine
Muddle the raspberry and simple syrup; shake with Stoli Razberi Vodka, Ocean Spray cranberry juice and ice. Top with Chandon Brut sparkling wine, and garnish with long orange curl. Strain and serve in a flute.
Pear Noel
Created by Allison Evanow, founder of Square One Organic Spirits.
12 ounces Perfect Purée Pear purée, thawed
4 tsp. Perfect Purée Ginger purée, thawed
6 ounces Square One Organic Vodka
2 ounces Tawny Port
8 drops Angostura Bitters
16 ounces whipping cream*
8 tsp. sugar*
1 barspoon ground cardamom*
*Cardamom Cream:
In a bowl, add whipping cream, sugar and cardamom. Whip until thickened. Set aside.
Place pear and ginger purées into a saucepan and warm. Place mixture into shaker. Add vodka, port and bitters to the shaker. Dry shake (no ice) to blend. Pour mixture into glassware. Float cardamom cream on top of each serving and serve warmed. Makes 4 servings.
Espresso Reeftini
On the menu at Reef Road Restaurant & Rum Bar in West Palm Beach, Fla.
1 ounce espresso
½ ounce Thai coconut milk
½ ounce agave nectar
½ ounce Araku Coffee Liqueur
1 ½ ounces vanilla-infused Stolichnaya
Shake, strain and sieve into rimmed cocktail glass. Rim the glass with blended dried coconut, dark chocolate and vanilla bean.
Easier Than Eggnog
Created by Charles Joly of The Drawing Room in Chicago for DonQ Rum.
1 ½ ounces DonQ Anejo Rum
1 ½ ounces ruby Port
½ ounce simple syrup
1 egg
Fresh grated nutmeg
In a cocktail shaker, add rum, port, simple syrup and whole egg. Dry shake to combine ingredients. Add ice and shake well. Strain and pour into a white wine glass. Dust with nutmeg.
Jingle Bell Rocks
Created by Nicole Rheame of Mombo in Portsmouth, N.H., for Vermont Gold Vodka.
1 ½ ounces Vermont Gold Vodka
3 ounces tonic water
1 ounce sparkling cider
4-5 muddled cranberries
1 sprig rosemary
In a shaker, muddle cranberries. Add ice and Vermont Gold Vodka and shake vigorously. Pour into a rocks glass and top with tonic water and sparking cider. Garnish with rosemary sprig.
Merry Pisco Martini
Courtesy of Gran Sierpe Pisco.
2 ounces Gran Sierpe Pisco infused with cinnamon & allspice
1 ounce lime juice
½ ounce cranberry juice
½ ounce egg whites (optional)
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and serve in a Martini glass. Garnish with cinnamon dust.
Menorah Mojito
Courtesy of TY KU.
2 parts TY KU
1 part Sprite
squeeze of lemon
squeeze of orange
Mix two parts TY KU Liqueur and one part Sprite in a shaker and pour over ice with a squeeze of lemon and orange.
Not a Snowball’s Chance Punch
Courtesy of Tanqueray Gin.
8 ounces Tanqueray Gin
4 ounces Licor 43 vanilla liqueur
6 ounces Stirrings Clarified Key Lime Juice
4 ounces Stirrings Simple Syrup
8 ounces cold water
½ ounce Peychaud’s Bitters
1 bottle Champagne
Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl. Top with champagne. Garnish with cinnamon sticks (glass only), cloves and lemon wheels – lemon wheel with the cloves (just a couple) pierced through the meat of the fruit (in bowl and glass). Serves 8.
Snickerdoodle
Courtesy of Partida Tequila.
1 ounce Partida Resposado Tequila
¾ ounce Baileys Irish Cream
½ ounce butterscotch schnapps
¾ ounce cream
Splash of cinnamon schnapps
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a Martini glass and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Apple Pie Nog
Courtesy of Travis Hasse’s Original Pie Liqueurs.
1 quart eggnog
16 ounces Hasse’s Apple Pie Liqueur
2-4 scoops vanilla ice cream
Combine all ingredients in a blender for a quick blend. Pour into glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Makes 12 4-ounce servings.