The Most Festive DIY Cocktails

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the end of 2021 is a great excuse to clink glasses for the mere fact that it’s ending. If you agree, we’ve put together a list of our favourite festive DIY cocktails to get you into the Christmas spirit (literally).

The Holiday Jam

Method: Add all ingredients into a shaker, add ice, and shake. Fine strain into a glass. Garnish with blackberries.

Gingerbread Martini

Christmas just got even more exciting with this festive drink, made with spiced caramel sauce, vodka, and Baileys Irish cream liqueur.

Ingredients:

• 60ml caramel sauce (and extra to serve)
• ¼ tsp mixed spice
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 6 ice cubes 
• 120ml double cream 
• 60ml vodka
• 1 tbsp Baileys 
• Whipped cream, to serve
• Small gingerbread men, to serve

Method: Combine caramel sauce, mixed spice and ginger in a small jug. Place ice cubes, cream, caramel mixture, vodka and Baileys in a cocktail shaker. Secure lid. Shake well to combine. Pour into chilled serving glasses. Dollop with whipped cream. Drizzle with extra caramel sauce. Decorate with whole and crushed gingerbread men. 

Kir Royale

Method: Ideally, place a Champagne flute in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes. Firstly, pour the crème de cassis into the bottom of the glass. Top up with well-chilled Champagne or Prosecco and drop in a fresh or blackberry to garnish before serving.

Sherry Sour

Method: Place all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously until cold and strain into 2 coupe or martini glasses. 

Campfire Cocktail 

Curl up by the fire and enjoy getting a little toasted with this sweet and smoky treat. 

Ingredients:

• 50ml Bourbon
• 5ml homemade marshmallow syrup
• 100g mini marshmallows 
• 400g caster sugar
• Handful of ice

Method: To create the syrup, boil the marshmallows with 500ml water. Once they have dissolved, add the sugar and stir to dissolve it until it is all completely combined. Stir all ingredients over ice and serve with a toasted marshmallow (optional). 

Chai White Russian

Method: In a pot, boil 240ml water. Remove from heat, add the chai tea bags, cover and steep 10-15 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the honey. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 3-5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla. Let cool. Fill a glass with ice. Add the vodka, Kahlua, and chai tea syrup. Stir gently. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. Garnish with cinnamon and star anise, if desired. 

Holly Jolly Citrus Cocktail

Serve up this christmas cocktail in a pitcher for friends and family this season.

Ingredients:

• 30ml vodka
• 15ml elderflower liquor
• 80ml freshly squeezed clementine or blood orange juice
• Ginger beer, to top 
• Pomegranate seeds
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or mint 

Method: Fill a cocktail glass with ice. Add the vodka, elderflower liquor, and clementine juice. Top with ginger beer. Add the pomegranates and thyme or mint.

Christmas Mojito 

Method: Put the marmalade, dark rum, mandarin juice and slice, and the star anise in a jar, screw on the lid and leave until ready to serve. To finish, add some ice to the jar, screw the lid back on and shake well to mix and chill everything. Top up with tonic, then serve.

Gluhwein

Traditionally enjoyed at the markets in Germany and other parts of Europe, enjoy this boozy winter warmer this Christmas.

Ingredients:

• 1 orange, halved and sliced
• 1 bottle of red wine
• 200g caster sugar
• 5 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2-star anise
• 3 slices of fresh ginger (peeled)
• 150ml brandy, rum, amaretto or schnapps

Method: In a pan, combine the orange slices, wine, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and ginger. Warm for 10-15 minutes over low heat, making sure the mixture doesn’t boil. Pour in the alcohol and serve in glasses while still warm.

French 75

Method: Put the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup in a shaker, fill with ice and shake hard, then strain into a flute and top with champagne. Using a zester or peeler, peel a long strip of lemon zest, making sure not to get too much pith. Twist over the flute to release the oils and drop them into the glass.

Pine Barrens

Method: Place all of the ingredients, apart from the cranberries and the rosemary into a shaker. Shake and strain into Collins glass. Garnish with the cranberries on the bottom and the rosemary sprig on top.

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