As the Holiday season is right around the corner, so are the lavish food recipes everyone craves. Instead of food recipes, drink recipes are the new trend of 2022. To kick off the winter season, Her Campus at Hofstra has some drinks for you to try for the holiday parties everyone is looking forward to. Please note these are alcoholic drinks, so drink responsibly and only if you are 21-years-old or older.
1. Sugar Cookie Martini
Ingredients:
- Vanilla frosting and sprinkles – for rimming the glass
- 1.5 ounces vanilla vodka
- 1.5 ounces Irish cream
- 2 ounces of milk
- 1 ounce amaretto
- Ice
Recipe:
Sugar cookies are the signature of the holiday season. This drink is something sweet and creamy just in time for the sweetest tie of the year. Rim the martini glass by coating it in vanilla frosting and dipping the frosted rim into red, green and white sprinkles. For the drink, combine the Irish cream, vanilla vodka, milk and amaretto in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 15 seconds. Strain the drink into the frosted martini glass and enjoy.
2. Cranberry Moscow Mule
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces of ginger beer
- 4 ounces cranberry juice
- 2 ounces rum
- 1 lime
- crushed ice
- cranberries – garnish
Recipe:
Have any copper mugs laying around? Here’s a way to bring them out of hibernation in the cabinets. Start by filling the mug with crushed ice. Then for the drink, pour into a cocktail shaker the ginger beer, cranberry juice, rum and juice from half the lime. Shake gently for about 10 seconds. After shaking, pour the mixture into the copper mug and garnish with some cranberries, if you so choose.
3. White Russian but make it Peppermint
Ingredients:
- Candy canes
- 1 ounce Peppermint Schnapps
- 1 ounce Kahlúa
- 1 ounce vodka
- 3 ounces of milk/half and half
Recipe:
This drink is a twist on a classic. In a mixing glass, combine the Kahlúa, vodka and peppermint Schnapps with a handful of ice cubes. Then in a serving glass, place ice cubes and strain the alcoholic mixture into the glass. Once strained, pour the milk or half and half on top of the mixture and stir. To garnish, hang a candy cane on the side of the glass. A simple addition to the classic White Russian can make it more festive for the holidays.
4. Jack Frost Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 8 cups ice
- 8 ounces of pineapple juice
- 4 ounces Blue Curacao
- 4 ounces vodka or light rum
- 4 ounces cream of coconut or coconut milk
- Rim (optional) – honey & coconut flakes
Recipe:
This recipe makes about four servings, so the more the merrier for party-goers. An optional step, in this recipe, is to rim the glasses with coconut flakes by dipping the glass into honey, then into coconut flakes. To make the drink, grab a blender and fill it with ice, pineapple juice, Blue Curacao, rum or vodka and coconut milk. Blend until the mixture is smooth in texture. Slowly pour the mixture into the coconut-rimmed glasses and enjoy. Jack Frost would be pleased with this frost drink of the season.
5. The Winter Margarita
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Blanco tequila
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 0.5 ounce cranberry juice
- 0.5 ounce agave nectar
- Salt for rim
Recipe:
Do you love margaritas? Well, the winter margarita is the way to go to spice up the holidays. Start by salting the rim of the margarita glass. Combine tequila, lime juice and agave nectar in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until the shaker is frosted over and then strain over fresh ice in the salt-rimmed glass. Let the winter festivities begin.
6. Chocatini
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces of cream liqueur
- 1 ounce dark creme de cacao
- 0.5 ounce vodka
- garnish – chocolate shavings
Recipe:
Craving something chocolate post-Halloween? The chocolatini might cure that craving. In a cocktail shaker, pour in the cream liqueur, vodka and creme de cacao with ice. Shake the contents until frosted. Strain the drink into a martini glass and garnish with chocolate shavings. Hope the chocolatini satisfies that chocolate craving before the new years resolutions begin.
7. Irish coffee
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 4 ounces of coffee
- 1.5 ounces of Irish whiskey
- 1 ounce heavy cream, lightly whipped
Recipe:
Are there any coffee lovers out there? Irish coffee could be the drink for you. Start off by brewing the coffee of your choice and lightly whipping the heavy cream. Then, fill either a mug or footed mug with the coffee till it is about 3/4 full. Mix in the brown sugar til it is dissolved fully. Add in the Irish whiskey and stir again. Once the drink is finished, add the whipped cream on top. Enjoy the alcoholic coffee of everyone’s dreams.
8. Dirty Snowman
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce melted chocolate, for the rim
- 8 ounces vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup hot chocolate
- 1 ounce Baileys or cream liqueur
- Garnish – Whipped cream & chocolate shavings
Recipe:
This is the best drink for any chocolate lovers and for those in a hot chocolate mood. To make this drink look aesthetic, place the rim of the cup into some melted chocolate and dip that into some chocolate sprinkles. First, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the bottom of the mug or cup of choice. Add the cream liqueur over the ice cream. The Bailey’s can be substituted with Kahlua and a dash of creme de cacao. After the liqueur is added, pour the cup of hot chocolate over top. Put some whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top and the dirty snowman is served.
9. The Grinch
Ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces melon liqueur (this is the ingredient that makes the drink green)
- 1 ounce clear rum
- 5 ounces Sprite or 7UP
- Garnish – cherry
Recipe:
Anyone in the spirit for Christmas or who likes a good punny movie reference will get a kick out of this drink. Put some ice into the serving glass. To start, pour the melon liqueur of choice into a glass with the rum. From there, fill the rest of the glass with Sprite or 7UP until it reaches the top. Optionally, garnish the drink with a fresh cherry and take a sip.
10. Cinnamon Apple Smash
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Bourbon
- 2 ounces of apple cider or apple juice
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup
- Garnish – apple wedge, cinnamon stick, cinnamon/nutmeg
Recipe:
This drink is for anyone who loves that classic apple and cinnamon flavor for the fall. Begin by adding ice with the bourbon, apple juice, lemon juice and agave syrup into a cocktail shaker. Once the lid is on, shake vigorously for about eight to ten seconds. In the serving glass, place fresh ice in and strain the shaken cocktail over the ice. The garnish is optional but cinnamon or nutmeg can be sprinkled over top with an apple slice or cinnamon stick placed on top.