If you’re a cocktail fan and want to celebrate with your very own holiday-inspired beverages, you have come to the right place! With families doing Christmas a little differently this year, it is important to keep up the joy and cheer in your home this season. What better way to stay in the “spirit” of Christmas than handcrafting your own tasty creations? We have some great simple recipes for you to try. Cheers!
Peppermint Snowflake
“Dashing through the snow in a one–horse open sleigh” conjures up child–like excitement every time I hear Jingle Bells being hummed or sung for the first time of the holiday season. There is a smell in the air and a chill in the breeze that lets you know winter has arrived. Southern New Mexico is such a beautiful place to live, but most of it is not known for extensive snowfall, so I created this cocktail to offer a little bit of that postcard–perfect holiday feel. This cocktail is served ice cold, but the warming spices and flavors come through in a soft and inviting way. Peppermint Snowflake is a great way to celebrate. For convenience on Christmas day, you can prepare the cocktails early and store them in your refrigerator, then have the whipped cream, peppermint, and chocolate at the ready to complete your beverage.
1 ounce Pyrat XO Reserve Rum
1 ounce RumChata
1/2 ounce Godiva White Chocolate liqueur
1 ounce half and half
Vanilla whipped cream
Crushed peppermint candy
Chocolate shavings
Red icing
In a mixing glass, combine Pyrat Rum, RumChata, Godiva, and half and half, shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, preferably decorated with red icing stripes. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle crushed peppermint and chocolate shavings. Enjoy!
Crazy Cranberry Champagne Cocktail
There is no question that my favorite holiday of the year is New Year’s Eve. I love all the optimism, the smiles, and the sense of relief that everyone in the room feels that another year has passed. The parties we attend or the people we invite to our homes are ones that we choose, without an ounce of obligation. It’s the time we make resolutions to become better versions of who we are. New Year’s Eve has a light and refreshing feeling with the cool crisp winter air that has an effervescence and if we are lucky, ends with a sweet kiss. This simple cocktail is made to reflect this sentiment. I made a couple variations to this classic cocktail to give it a little more optic appeal and textural surprise.
5 ounces Gruet Blanc de Blanc Sparkling wine
1 Fee Bros. Cranberry bitter-soaked sugar cube
1 crushed watermelon hard candy
On a plate or napkin, place sugar cubes and pour a few drops of Cranberry bitters on top. (Be careful not to put too much bitters, as it can make the sugar start to dissolve.) Take a champagne flute and dip the rim of the glass in agave nectar, then dip it into your crushed candy. Fill champagne flute with Gruet, then drop in your sugar cube gently. Serve and toast to 2021!
The Honest Apple
In February 1809, Abraham Lincoln was born in a part of Kentucky that was still rugged frontier. Eventually his family moved to the Knob Creek farm, where he lived until 1816. Freddy Noe, the master distiller of Jim Beam, named his favorite whiskey after this Kentucky landmark. Knob Creek is an excellent choice for a holiday cocktail because of its distinct barrel–aged flavor and smooth deep character. The Honest Apple is a “cold toddy” essentially, and if you add hot water instead of ice, you can make a hot toddy! I use a holiday spice blend in the honey to create a sensual experience that lifts this drink to a higher complexity and depth of flavor.
1 1/2 ounce Knob Creek 9 Year Bourbon Whiskey
1 ounce lemon juice
1 ounce spiced honey
To make spiced honey, take 1 cup of honey and 1 cup of water, place in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn temperature down to a simmer and add 1 sliced apple, star anise, cloves, vanilla, and a cinnamon stick. Let simmer for 30 minutes, then allow to cool. Strain your honey syrup and store for future use.
In a mixing glass, take all ingredients, shake, and strain into a coffee mug over ice, garnish with apple slices, ground cinnamon, and cloves. Sip and smile!
Persephone’s Present
As you drive around Southern New Mexico in fall, you begin to see the pomegranates turning that vibrant red color, letting you know that the jewels hidden inside the organic treasure chest are ripe and ready to consume. This refreshing fruit makes for a fantastic burst of flavor during the cooler months. The margarita is sure to drown out any holiday stress with just a couple sips of Persephone’s illicit elixir. The aroma of the lime zest gives this cocktail a subtle freshness, while adding beautiful color and visual appeal.
1 1/2 ounces Patron Roca Silver tequila
½ ounce La Pinta Pomegranate liqueur
¼ ounce Palini limoncello
1 ounce fresh lime juice
½ ounce agave nectar
Lime zest (make sure you zest your limes before using them for juice)
1 spoonful pomegranate seeds
In mixing glass, combine Patron, La Pinta, Palini, lime juice, and agave nectar. Shake and strain over ice in a rocks glass. Spoon in your pomegranate seeds, then add a nest of lime zest, and serve.
Please enjoy all these cocktails responsibly and happy holidays!
Written by Daniel Gonzales • Photography by Amanda Gonzales
Originally published in Neighbors magazine | 2019
Posted by LasCruces.com