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Christmas Bourbon Cocktails & Top Holiday Drink Ideas

Enjoy one of our favorite Christmas bourbon cocktails this holiday season, from classic to experimental recipes!

Looking for the perfect Christmas bourbon cocktails? We compiled some classic favorites for a list of our list of top holiday drink ideas to keep you feeling properly festive!

And that’s not all… we’re also bringing you some refreshing holiday drink ideas for Christmas whiskey cocktails and Christmas cocktails with vodka as well. More of a gin person? We rounded up our best winter gin cocktails, too.

These popular drinks are hot for a reason and we’re going to help you figure out what you’d like to make to induce a little boozy holiday cheer.

So, if you like bourbon, whiskey, vodka, rum, and gin, we’ve got you covered — and then some!

Christmas Bourbon Cocktails

These drinks are perfect for Christmas Eve, New Years, or really any winter holidays or cold nights throughout the season. So grab your cocktail shaker and some of the good stuff so we can gather round the Christmas tree with a big batch of any of these delicious drinks!

  • Maple Pumpkin Bourbon Steamer: Warm and wintry, this bourbon steamer includes the flavorful seasonal favorites of maple and pumpkin.
  • Bourbon Grapefruit Cocktail: Make the most of an in-season fruit with this grapefruit-based cocktail that is sweetly sour and refreshing. A perfect festive drink!
Bourbon Grapefruit Cocktail Picture
(Jennie Phaneuf)
  • Bourbon Sour with Lemon and Rosemary: Dream of sunnier days with this lemony bourbon drink that will remind you of what’s on the other side of the winter chill.
  • Apple Bourbon Bellini: Not as sweet as the standard bellini, this cocktail is great for guests who prefer the bourbon to take the lead rather than a sugary fruit.
Cranberry Orange Bourbon Smash Picture
(Jennie Phaneuf)
  • Cranberry Orange Bourbon Smash: The natural vanilla-like undertones of bourbon pair well with the tart cranberry and orange in this cocktail that will feel both familiar and refreshingly new.
  • Cherry Bourbon Vanilla Milkshakes: Give this winter booze a try as a sweetly summerish dessert with these cherry vanilla milkshakes that will fill you up in the best way.
  • Bourbon Milk: Combine bourbon with milk, simple syrup, and vanilla for a cozy, hearty cocktail that tastes great with a sprinkle of nutmeg.
  • Bourbon Hot Toddy: This historic drink has been around for centuries and is revered due to its simplicity and comfort factor. Combine bourbon, honey, lemon, and hot water for a warm cocktail that is rumored to help combat illness.
Mexican Hot Chocolate Shots Photo
(Urvashee Patel)
  • Spiked Hot Chocolate: Prepare your favorite cocoa recipe your way and add a splash of bourbon to make it boozy! Vanilla, cinnamon, dark chocolate drizzle, mini marshmallows, and whipped cream will only add to the enjoyment if you choose to add them.
  • Spiked Apple Cider: Hot or cold, a dash of bourbon in your cider, along with some cloves, a cinnamon stick, and star anise will give your childhood favorite that adult appeal.
Charred Orange Whiskey Picture
(Dan George)

Christmas Whiskey Cocktails

Let’s get into the spirit of the season with these whiskey Christmas drinks:

File 3 - Homemade Cinnamon Whiskey
(File photo)

  • Charred Orange Whiskey: Orange is an excellent companion to whiskey and the presentation and flavor profile of this cocktail will inspire you to indulge. Add orange slices as a garnish! (pictured above)
  • Maple Old Fashioned: Add maple syrup and Angostura bitters to your bourbon for a sweetly sophisticated whiskey cocktail.
  • Sazerac: A close relative to the Old Fashioned, the Sazerac is the official cocktail of New Orleans. Combine sugar, cold water, Peychaud’s bitters, and rye whiskey for this classic cocktail and top with a lemon peel for visual appeal.
Homemade Rye Bourbon Manhattan with a Cherry Garnish
(bhofack2 via iStock Photo)

  • Manhattan: Made with three simple ingredients: rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. This cocktail is a classic that keeps people coming back for more and couldn’t be easier to make on demand — perfect for when you want to spend more time socializing with guests than serving them.
  • Whiskey Sour: Comprised of whiskey, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and a cherry and orange garnish, this cocktail is the definition of simply sophisticated. Serve over ice. Try our Grapefruit Whiskey Sour or Blackberry Whiskey Sour for something slightly different!
Grapefruit Whiskey Sour Image
(Susan Palmer)

  • Hot Buttered Whiskey: This cozy nightcap will warm you up before you snuggle under the covers for a good night’s sleep after a hearty Christmas dinner.
  • Raspberry Cider Whiskey: Raspberry and cider are two lifelong favorite flavors of mine. Enjoy them in a cocktail that will feel fresh and light while giving you that perfect oak-y finish.
  • Rye and Cider: Another drink recipe that just proves whiskey holds its own with apple cider, this cocktail will pull your tastebuds in many pleasant directions.
Rye and Cider Cocktail Photo
(Brandy O’Neill)

Christmas Cocktails with Vodka

Love our Christmas bourbon cocktails but need something that works for a wider audience — maybe one that doesn’t like brown liquor? Start with these crowd-pleasers.

  • Peppermint Vodka: Can you possibly get more Christmas than this?! Peppermint vodka is going to draw the deliciously snappy peppermint flavor into a drink you can enjoy alone or in just about any recipe that complements peppermint. I strongly suggest trying it in a chocolate martini. Speaking of martinis…
Candy Cane Martini Picture
(Dan George)

  • Caramel Apple Martini: While any martini is a win, you will forever have my heart if you give me a caramel apple flavored drink! Sweet and tart, this martini will have you coming back for more. Garnish with caramel squares and a slice of a bright green apple.
  • Orange Blossom Vodka Martini: Do you sense a theme? There’s a reason. Martinis are worth the hype. This delicious orange blossom vodka martini will fit right in with your winter citrus recipes at the Christmas party. Add an orange peel garnish, if you’d like!
  • Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cocktail: While the popular breakfast cereal certainly comes to mind, cinnamon is a super popular flavor and fragrance largely associated with winter and Christmas. Serve one up today!
Marshmallow Vodka Picture
(Susannah Brinkley)
  • Marshmallow Vodka: So simple and lightly sweet, this recipe calls for adding vodka to a cup of marshmallows. Sign me up!
  • Pear Vodka Cocktail: Enjoy more fall spoils into the winter months with this pear vodka drink that has a rosemary simple syrup added to the base — mmm!
  • Moscow Mule: Indulge in the traditional cocktail recipe or add some wintry flavor this Christmas by making a Cranberry Orange or just Cranberry Moscow Mule. Looking for no cranberries? This Blood Orange Mule is simply fantastic.
Blood Orange Mule Image
(Susan Palmer)

More Christmas Drinks to Consider

Need more drink ideas with great seasonal flavors? Good thing you landed here, because we have a bunch more ideas that will give you the best results this Christmas season and time of year.

  • Mulled Wine: Wine is a classic at Christmas parties. Consider this cocktail creation that combines your favorite red with maple syrup, brandy, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and more.
Spiced Mulled Wine Image
(Brandy O’Neill)

  • Dark and Stormy: Ginger beer and rum are the perfect pairing with lime for this simple cocktail that’s widely beloved.
  • Gin and Ginger Fizz: Another easy-to-make cocktail that combines gin, elderflower liqueur, and ginger beer.
  • Gingerbread Hot Buttered Rum: Rum was always my weakness, and now it’ll be yours as well with this holiday-inspired gingerbread-flavored rum drink.
Gingerbread Hot Buttered Rum Photo
(Gina Matsoukas)

  • Spicy Ginger Rum Cocktail: Homemade ginger syrup will both warm you up and gently tickle your sweet tooth in this dark spiced rum cocktail treat.
  • Ginger Brandy: Make your own homemade ginger brandy as a perfect gift for adult-only exchanges. Use in our Ginger Brandy Old Fashioned — candied ginger, oranges and cherries, and ginger brandy are the focus of this cocktail that goes down easy and tastes great!
Negroni cocktail. Gin with cinnamon with oranges juice and star anise. The perfect cozy cocktail for chilly December evenings.
(MarynaVoronova via iStock Photo)

Whatever the flavors of your holiday call for, these cocktails will taste great and satisfy guests at parties all season long! Also, check out our comprehensive seasonal mocktail list for virgin cocktails anyone can enjoy.

We hope now you’re feeling the holiday spirit — pun intended. Now you’re ready to take your holiday parties to the next level with any of these Christmas bourbon cocktail ideas and more!