Holiday Cocktails on my top 5 list for New Year’s
New Year’s is coming and we all know that means one more round of holiday cocktails. If you are like me, New Year’s Eve is a favorite holiday. I love this holiday for its simplicity — no gifts, no feasts, no wild traditions, just good snacks, good friends and, most importantly, good booze. Champagne is an old stand-by for this holiday but sometimes you just want to punch it up a bit and have something truly flavorful and fancy.
Holiday cocktails to make on New Year’s Eve
Below is a list of the cocktails I’ve made over the past year that would make your New Year’s Eve something special. Gin appears a lot but can easily be subbed for vodka. Bourbon is another favorite, and you can switch it for Brandy if that’s what you have on hand. Champagne is used mostly as a topper, to add bubbles and flavor, and can be substituted for Topo Chico if you are not a champagne person. Decide your drink, grab your favorite glass and your bar tools, and let’s go!
Have one to add? Tell me in the comments!
The Rosemary Gin Fizz
This drink combines all of my favorite elements — bubbles, gin, and herbs from my garden. Also, if you are out of cranberries from holiday cooking, any other berry will do in the muddling process (I suggest strawberries). To make this one more festive, sub out the Topo Chico for Prosecco.
Empress French 75
This is a classic made with a twist by adding some herbs or some rosemary simple syrup. The Empress gin makes it extra fancy with its beautiful purple color and botanic flavor. Additionally, this one again combines gin and champagne — two of my favorites.
Christmas Sangria
I know it’s not Christmas anymore, but this one really should be called “winter sangria” because it serves wine drinkers all season long. With red wine, bourbon (or brandy), and cinnamon, this one packs a punch. You can lighten it up with as much sparkling water as you need, or make it stronger if that’s what you’re doing this NYE — you do you.
Pomegranate Sidecar
This one is a classic with an interesting twist. Molassity approached me and asked me to use their organic pomegranate molasses, and the results did not disappoint. A sidecar is great on its own, but this one is super special and is perfect for a holiday cocktail. However, If I made it again, I’d add the juice of half a cara cara orange (which is pink!) because they are in season now and add such a lovely flavor and color.
Thyme vodka fizz
There are two versions of this one. I made thyme-infused vodka, which you can find in this recipe, and I highly recommend. It’s easy, and takes a couple of days, so get started now! You can do this recipe with really any fruit or citrus, and top it with champagne or sparkling. This one is special enough for New Year’s Eve, but also easy enough for every day.
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About The Author
Sarah
I am a mom of two and wife to a martial arts school owner, full-time social media professional and avid cook and gardener. I love creating recipes and involving my kids in the process. The food we cook is usually dairy-free and gluten-free, and sometimes paleo, but we make exceptions (ahem, sourdough bread). The “hippie” part of this blog comes into play in the ingredients we use—I’m pretty vigilant about the health of my family and you could even call me “crunchy.” The “modern” part is that I am busy! You won’t catch me making my own nut milk or churning butter (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I’m more than happy to take the shortcuts provided by our lovely grocery stores and online shopping —especially in the midst of this global pandemic.