‘Tis the season to be jolly
Dazzle at your Christmas or New Years party with these yummy recipes!
In another life, I swear I was a bartender 😉
This time of year might just be my favorite. The day after Halloween through the end of Christmas Break really is the most wonderful time of the year (ok…besides summer vacation haha).
I just love everything about it. The decorations, the music, baking cookies, shopping for presents, and the most important of all…the quality time spent with family and friends. The Christmas parties, watching movies with the fam, and mixing up some boozy concoctions with my mom…the list goes on and on 🙂
The secret is out now. These are some of my favorite boozy Christmas recipes. I’ll put an alcohol free recipe at the bottom too!
Run out to the store and buy these ingredients now! Then you can spend your Christmas break sippin’ on these all cozy at home in your pjs.
The Grinch Martini
4 oz of Midori
2 oz of vodka
1 Tbs simple syrup (I’m usually a little heavy handed on the sweet stuff)
1 Tbs lemon juice
Pour the ingredients over ice in a martini shaker and shake shake shake.
Garnish your martini glasses with a Maraschino cherry, and voila!
Serves 2
Notes:
I prefer the Kirkland vodka brand. It’s cheap, and some say that it’s comparable to Grey Goose.
Midori is a green melon flavored liquor. You can buy a cheaper off brand version. I have tried it, and I’ll always stick with the original.
I can’t find Midori at Meijer anymore (not for a few years now). The corner liquor store usually has it though.
As far as simple syrup goes, you can make your own, but it’s easy to just buy some. They usually have some in stock right in the liquor section of the store along with all of the other popular mixers.
The lemon juice is not a MUST, but it does help to add a nice tart flavor. I prefer mine with lemon juice.
If you want to cut back on the alcohol percentage, then sub in more Midori and cut back on the vodka. The original recipe doesn’t include vodka, but I like mine to have that extra kick! Plus, it makes the Midori last longer.
Homemade Bailey’s
1 cup Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (NOT EVAPORATED MILK)
1 pint heavy whipping cream ( 1 pint = 2 cups)
2 TBSP chocolate syrup (add more to taste)
2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract (can add more to taste)
optional: 1/2 tsp almond extract (I usually do NOT add this)
Put all of the ingredients in a blender, blend, and enjoy!
I like mine served over ice.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days…if it lasts that long 😉
I have experimented with this one for YEARS. This is the balance of ingredients I like the best, but you can switch it up to fit your taste.
In my opinion, you have to use Jameson. Sorry. Not sorry.
If you use one cup of Jameson per batch, then one bottle will yield about 3 batches 🙂
Serves 5
Moscow Mules
I don’t know why, but I love making this one at Christmas time. Maybe it’s because the lime is a nice refreshing change from the other heavier drinks…I don’t quite know.
2 shots of vodka
1 can ginger beer
Juice of 1 lime
This one is even better if you have the fancy copper mugs.
Fill them up with ice.
Pour the 1 shot of vodka and half of the lime juice into each mug and top with ginger beer. Give it a little stir before serving.
I was binge watching Stranger Things Seasons 1 & 2 a few years ago when I first started making Mules, so now every time I drink them I get that Stranger Things feeling.
Serves 2
The nice thing about this simple recipe is that it can be modified with cranberries or whatever your favorite mix-ins are to make it a little more Christmassy.
Poinsettia Punch
1/4 vodka (lemon flavored if you’re really feeling it)
1/2 cup cranberry juice
Splash of champagne/sparkling wine
Serves 1
-or-
1 bottle champagne
2 cups vodka
1 bottle cranberry juice
Fills up a punch bowl
Pour into a punch bowl or a pitcher. You’ll want to mix the vodka and cranberry first (or better yet shake it over ice). Gently mix in the champagne. You don’t want to stir out all of the bubbly goodness.
I don’t make this one too often, but it’s perfect for a big family Christmas party or New Years Eve.
You can make it more or less boozy to your taste.
Virgin Christmas Punch
7 UP or Squirt
Sherbert (Raspberry or Lime)
This one will always remind me of my grandma. We’d have this every Christmas Day at her house. The 7 UP or Squirt makes the sherbert foam up nicely. She had this beautiful punch bowl with these little cups. It would always be the first thing that the cousins would grab 🙂 It’s fun for the kiddos.
Please let me know if you try any recipes. Send me some pictures on Facebook and Instagram.
Also, if you took a second to pin this to Pinterest, I would be forever grateful!
