Aesthetically Pleasing Holiday Cocktails For Your Fest

Whether you're in the mood for some festive flavors, or are whipping up a batch for your guests, these tasty and pretty concoctions will hold you over all season long.

Winter Spiced Pear Cocktail

Ingredients (Serves 1)

Produce

• 25 ml Lemon

• 4 Pears

Refrigerated

• 1 Egg white

Condiments

• 25 ml Pear syrup

Baking & Spices

• 250 g Caster sugar

• 1 stick Cinnamon

• 1 Star anise

Beer, Wine & Liquor

• 50 ml Gin

Instructions

STEP 1

To make the spiced pear syrup, put the ingredients in a pan with 250ml water and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the flavours have infused. Leave to cool.

STEP 2

To make the cocktail, put all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker without ice and shake vigorously. Open the shaker, fill with ice and shake again, then strain into a chilled coupe. Place a star anise on the foam to serve.

Winter Sangria

Ingredients (5 Servings)

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1 orange, sliced

• 1 cup orange juice

• 3 ounces brandy

• 1 bottle dry red wine

• 2 apples, sliced or diced

• 3 cinnamon sticks

• 1 cup ice

• star anise optional garnish

Instructions

1. Add sugar to pitcher, muddle with half an orange(sliced) with a muddler or wooden spoon.

2. Add in orange juice, brandy and wine. Muddle again

3. Add in fresh fruit, cinnamon sticks, and ice. Stir and taste! Adjust to desired flavours.

4. Garnish cups with a cinnamon stick, star anise, orange slice and more ice.

Winter Aperol Spritz

INGREDIENTS (Servings 1)

• 3 ounces Aperol

• 3 ounces Prosecco

• 1 ounce cranberry juice

• 2 ounces club soda I've also used cranberry spindrift for this!

• 1 orange wedge

• 1 orange zest twist

• 1 sprig of rosemary

Instructions

Combine the aperol, prosecco and cranberry in a glass with ice. Add in an orange wedge and a twist. Pop in a sprig of rosemary for festiveness. It's so pretty and easy!

Festive Snowball Cocktail

Ingredients (Servings 1)

• 50 ml Warninks Advocaat

• 25 ml lime juice

• Lemonade or soda

Instructions

• Shake together the Advocaat (50ml) and lime juice (25ml).

• Strain into a glass and top up with lemonade or soda.

• Serve.

Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas) Tiki Cocktail

Ingredients (Servings 1)

• 1 1/2 oz spiced rum (I used Merrymeeting Spiced Rum)

• 1/2 oz Amaro Amorino

• 1 oz lime juice

• 3/4 oz pink grapefruit juice

• 3/4 oz cinnamon simple syrup

• 1/4 oz ginger simple syrup

• 2 dashes Hella Aromatic Bitters

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill 3/4 with ice.

• Shake until chilled, then open pour into a rocks glass.

• Top with plenty of crushed ice, then garnish with cinnamon sticks, star anise, and an edible flower, if desired.

Spicy Pomegranate Moscow Mule

Ingredients (Servings 1)

• 2 ounces vodka

• juice from 1/2 lime juice

• juice from 1/4 of a small grapefruit, plus grapefruit slices for serving

• 1/3 cup pomegranate juice

• 1-2 jalapeño slices

• ginger beer, for topping

• pomegranate arils, and fresh mint, for serving

Instructions

1. Fill a cocktail glass with ice.

2. Combine the vodka, lime juice, grapefruit juice, pomegranate juice, and jalapeños in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake until combined, about 1 minute. Strain into your prepared glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish as desired. Enjoy!