If you think about it, everyone contributes something special to the holiday - Grandma cooks Christmas dinner, cousin Jen who puts extra thought into each gift, Aunt Lucy takes all the pictures and a crazy uncle Bob makes everyone feel uncomfortable.
This year, participate by being the holiday mixologist. Serve up a chilled bottle of champagne with a little something extra to make a toast Christmas day.
All recipes are from some of my favorite food websites. I added some fun names to put each cocktail in the holiday spirit! CHEERS!
Mistletoe Mojo
Cranberry & Pear Cocktail
Ingredients
2 tablespoons dry cranberries
1/2 cup organic pear nectar
32 ounces Moscato d'Asti wine
8 small sprigs fresh rosemary
Directions
- Put cranberries in a small bowl; add 2 tablespoons warm water. Soak until cool, about 15 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and refrigerate until serving.
- Divide pear nectar evenly among eight tall champagne glasses. Add cranberries, and then gently pour the Moscato d'Asti into the glasses. Garnish each with a rosemary sprig.
Son of a Nutcracker Bellini
Raspberry Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail
Ingredients
8 tablespooons pomegranate juice
1 pint raspberry sorbet
4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
chilled champagne
Directions
Freeze your glasses until frosty.
Add 2 tablespoons of pomegranate juice to the bottom of each glass.
Add a few small scoops of the raspberry sorbet and 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds to each glass.
Top with chilled champagne. (I continued to top off the glass with more champagne as I drank, because there is more than enough sorbet to flavor several glasses full if you wish.)
Frosty's Flute
Add rock candy to a simple glass of champagne for the ultimate winter effect.
Tinsel in a Tangle Cocktail
Sparkling Pear and Elderflower Cocktail
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Hangar One Spiced Pear Vodka
1/2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
Brut Champagne or dry sparkling wine, chilled
Lemon twist, for garnish
Directions
- Combine the pear vodka, St. Germain, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker becomes frosty, then strain into a Champagne flute or coupe.
- Top off with Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.
Naughty or Nice Mimosa
Apple Cider Mimosa
Ingredients
Apple Cider
Champagne
gold and silver sprinkles for rim of glass (optional)
apple slices for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Dip the top of each champagne glass into water and then dip in the sprinkles to coat.
- Pour each champagne glass ½-3/4 full with apple cider.
- Top with champagne
PHOTO AND RECIPE FROM THE COOKIE ROOKIE
Always, Maddi B.
Head photo from CamilleStyles.com