Features
Our favourite festive cocktail recipes
by Elizabeth Young
published on 29 November 2021, last updated on 14 November 2025
With a little more time on your hands to play mixologist and plenty of booze knocking around to help you get creative, Christmas is the ideal time to try your hand at making a cocktail or two. From gently spiced to suitably sparkling, these recipes promise a touch of sophisticated festive charm.
Hendrick’s Stocking Filler Cocktail
This zesty gin-based cocktail is the perfect use for the tangerine sitting at the bottom of your Christmas stocking.
Chocolate Orange Smasherac
A typically creative recipe from the team behind The Alchemist Cocktail Book , this “smasherac” is a twist on the classic New Orleans Sazarac. Flavoured with chocolate cookie syrup and orange bitters, it’s a festive treat.
Christmas Spice Cocktail
“Here’s to all the flavours of Christmas in one fruity and spicy concoction”, says Olly Smith. With cardamom and orange-spiced gin, pomegranate syrup and topped up with bubbles, this is a cocktail to celebrate with.
Stanley Tucci’s Christmas Cocktail
Inspired by a Cosmopolitan, Stanley Tucci’s holiday cocktail features Ketel One vodka and Cointreau muddled with cranberry juice and pomegranate seeds and garnished with a raspberry wrapped in a mint leaf and skewered with a small stalk of rosemary.
Venetian Manhattan
A Venetian twist on this classic cocktail from Russell Norman’s Venice , this smart tipple will add some serious sophistication to your festivities.
Mr Micawber’s Hot Gin Punch
This warming drink is a delectable mix of fruit, brown sugar, and festive spices – perfect for sipping after a winter walk.
The Dandy
The warm, golden colours of this Hawksmoor at Home cocktail exude 1920’s sophistication. Serve with seasonal berries for a truly festive touch.
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