Each December, my awesome sister-in-law Mindy shares “Sharp Holiday Cocktails” on her Facebook page. Friends and family look forward to her recipes and photos!
This year, I’m sharing her lovely concoctions with the entire world. I promise, you will find a new favorite mixed drink. Your Christmas parties will never be the same…and you will have mixologist Mindy to thank!
Stock your liquor cabinet and get ready to enjoy these amazing cocktails! Leave some comments letting Mindy know which drinks you have tried and what you think!
I will update this blog post daily with Mindy’s new recipes and photos.
Grab your shaker jar and let the Sharp Holiday Cocktails begin!
The Grinch
This recipe is a very very mean Grinch with 5…that’s right…5 potent ingredients.
In a shaker with ice add~
- 1 1/2 oz Midori
- 1 oz Coconut Rum
- 1 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Gin
- 1 oz Blue Curacao
- 1 1/2 oz Sweet and Sour Mix
Shake and pour over ice..fill the rest of the glass with 7up.
Amaretto-Cranberry Kiss Holiday Cocktail
You know the drill…grab a shaker..drop some ice and add~
- 2.5 oz Cranberry Juice Cocktail
- 1 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Amaretto (used Knight Gabriello Santoni Amaretto)
- 1 oz OJ
Add a clementine wedge to the glass and voila!
Partridge in a Pear-Tini
- 1.5 oz Pear Vodka
- .5 oz Cointreau
- .5 oz pineapple juice
- .5 oz rock candy syrup
- 2 squeezed lime wedges
Throw them all in the shaker over ice…shake it like a Polaroid picture and strain into a martini glass. Use mint leaves and a maraschino cherry as a garnish.
The GingerMan
- 1 oz Vanilla Vodka
- 1 oz Hazelnut liqueur
- 1/2 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
- 2 oz Ginger Beer
Combine it all in a shaker with ice…shake it but be very careful. Once shaken, give it a moment to settle down…keep the lid on lockdown until it does!
Cranberry Margarita
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup Triple Sec
- 1/2 cup Tequila – silver or 100% agave (used Legado Reposado)
- 1/2 cup cranberry juice
Combine the above in the shaker and pour over ice. This is a strong drink but if you have good tequila it is awesome!
The Perfect Storm
- 2 oz The Kraken (Black Spiced Rum)
- 6 oz Ginger Beer
- Juice of a 1/4 lime
Squeeze the lime into a glass with ice, pour the Ginger Beer slowly. Then add the Kraken for the look but give it a stir before drinking.
Pomegranate Ginger Sparkler
- 1 ½ ounces Ginger-Infused Vodka
- ½ ounce Lemon Vodka
- ½ ounce Simple Syrup
- 2 ounces unsweetened Pomegranate juice
- Ginger ale
Combine the Vodkas, Simple Syrup and Pom Juice in a shaker. Once shaken, pour over ice and fill to the top of your glass with ginger ale.
Candy Cane Snowtini
- 2 oz Candy Cane Vodka
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- 1/2 oz Heavy Cream
Pour above in a shaker with ice then pour into a martini glass. This one was rimmed with course sugar but would be great with crushed candy canes! It’s like drinking candy canes with a kick.
Jack Frost
No Shaker tonight folks…time for the blender!!!
- Ice – about 7 or so cubes
- 1 cup pineapple juice chilled
- 1/2 cup blue curaçao
- 1/2 cup light rum
- 1/2 cup cream of coconut
Blend until smooth then sit back and relax!
Citrus Temptation
- 2.5 oz Limoncello (see *note below)
- 1.5 oz Orange Vodka
- Juice of a lime
Pour all the above in a shaker with ice and pour into your martini glass. Add a sugar rim for the right amount of sweetness, then garnish wish citrus slices.
*Note: used and highly recommend Limoncello by Bloomery Plantation Distillery in Charlestown, WV.
Santa’s Hat
- 3 oz Cranberry Juice
- 1.5 oz Coconut Rum
- .5 oz Grenadine
Mix the above in a shaker with ice and pour. Create a coconut rim by taking a few tablespoons of powdered sugar mixed with water on a paper towel. Cover your rim then dip on a plate with coconut flakes.
Southern Amaretto Sour
- 1.5 oz Southern Comfort
- 1.5 oz Amaretto
- 3 oz Sour Mix
Mix with ice in a shaker and pour in a sugar rimmed glass Enjoy.
Gingerbread Martini
- Ginger liqueur
- Crushed gingersnaps
- 2 tablespoons ginger liqueur
- 2 tablespoons vanilla-citrus liqueur
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coffee-flavored rum
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons whipping cream
- 1 cup ice cubes
- Garnish: partially split vanilla bean brushed with liqueur and rolled in sugar (optional)
Glass preparation: Dip glass rims in ginger liqueur and crushed gingersnaps. Store glasses in freezer up to 2 days.
Stir together 2 Tbsp. ginger liqueur, vanilla-citrus liqueur, coffee-flavored rum, honey, and whipping cream in a cocktail shaker. Add ice cubes; cover with lid, and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled (about 30 seconds). Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish, if desired.
Pear-Basil Sipper
- 3 fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup crushed ice
- 4 tablespoons pear nectar
- 3 tablespoons pear-flavored vodka
- 3 tablespoons lemon-lime soft drink
- Garnish: fresh basil sprig, pear slice (optional)
Muddle basil leaves and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Add crushed ice, pear nectar, and pear-flavored vodka. Cover with lid, and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled (about 30 seconds). Pour into a glass, and top with lemon-lime soft drink.
Candy Cane Martini
- 3 oz of candy cane vodka
- 2 ounces Crème de Cacao, clear (no color)
- Dash Angostura Bitters
Give it a shake with ice and pour into a martini glass. Rim the glass with ground up candy cane and sugar.
Feliz Navidad
- 1 1/2 oz of tequila
- 1/2 oz of crème de cassis
- 1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ginger beer
Pour the first three ingredients in a shaker with ice then pour that in a glass over ice. Then fill the rest with ginger beer.
Pomegranate Margarita
- 1.5 oz tequila
- 1.5 oz Grand Marnier
- 2 oz Pomegranate Juice
- 2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1.5 oz Simple Syrup
So these ingredients will make 2 Pomegranate Margaritas. Add all in a shaker, shake then pour over ice. I added some Pomegranate arils and lime wedges as a garnish and the rim is sugar and simple syrup.
The Pomegranate Lemon Martini
- 3 oz Citrus Vodka
- 1.5 oz Lemoncello
- 3 oz Pomegranate Juice
I also made a lemon sugar rim by zesting half a lemon and mixed it with about a 1/3 sugar. Then used my heavy simple syrup to dip the glass in.
Jingle Juice
- 5 cups orange juice
- 1 cup vodka
- 1/3 cup orange liqueur
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice
Note: this recipe makes a pitcher
Stir together orange juice and next 4 ingredients; serve over ice. Garnish, if desired with fruit-flavored candy cane sticks, cherries with stems, orange and lemon slices.
You can also pour a dash of lemon lime soft drink on top just to lighten it up a bit. This would also make a yummy brunch drink.
The Limelight
- 1.5 oz Whipped Cream Vodka
- .75 oz Simple Syrup
- Juice from half a lime
Mix above in a shaker with ice then pour into a glass with ice and top with about 4 oz of ginger ale.
Mistletoe Kiss
No shaker tonight! Grab your muddler, mint and lime and go to town in the bottom of a tall glass. I used a quarter of a lime and about 3 mint leaves.
- 2 oz Amaretto
- 3.5 oz Pomegranate Juice
- 3.5 oz Ginger Beer
Give it a stir with your straw and ENJOY!!! This is very tasty!!! Almost Cherry Coke vibe…
The Red Delight
- 1.5 oz Vanilla Vodka
- 1 oz Cranberry Juice
- .5 oz Pomegranate Juice
Shake with ice in a shaker then pour into a flute and top with sparkling wine. I added a sugar rim for a bit of extra sweetness!
Cherry Frost
- 3 T Black Cherry Liqueur
- 1 T Brandy
Shake in a shaker with crushed ice, pour into a flute with a maraschino cherry and fill with sparkling wine.