Making Christmas Merry: Three festive favourite cocktails
Christmas is a time for celebration, and what better way to get into the festive spirit than with a delicious and festive cocktail? We share three of our favourite Christmas cocktails to bring a touch of magic to your celebrations.
From the sweet Honey Pear Margarita to the ever-festive Pomegranate Prosecco Smash, these recipes are sure to bring a smile to your face and get you feeling merry and bright.
Whether you are hosting a holiday party or just want to enjoy a special drink at home, these cocktails are the perfect choice. So gather your ingredients, break out your favourite glassware, and enjoy some festive cheer.
Honey Pear Margarita
For those who enjoy something on the sweeter side, with a hint of Autumn, this makes for a delicious cocktail. The mix of pear with the sweetness of the honey and cinnamon perfectly complement one another and blend to create this festive favourite. The addition of rosemary again is subtle but really effective and leaves you pondering how the mix of flavours work so well.
This drink is super quick to make and the garnish treatment makes these drinks perfect for parties as they spark interest. We served ours in the Muuto Raise Glasses, in the warm Ochre shade. A good size to place our pear garnish and the sepia tones of the glass work so well with the rich brown tones of the cinnamon sticks.
What you’ll need at a glance
Tequila and Triple Sec - Even those that don’t consider themselves Tequila fans, will be wanting to taste this!
Pear juice - Fresh or not, either works well.
Honey - For that essential sweetness.
Cinnamon / Cinnamon sticks - Heightens the sweetness and makes an attractive garnish. If you like a stronger-tasting drink and slightly less sweet, opt for just the garnish option.
Ingredients
4 cups pear juice
6 oz. tequila
3 oz. triple sec
2 tablespoon honey
1 rosemary sprig
Optional: ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (added for the sweeter taste), sprig of thyme, cinnamon stick or star anise to garnish
Instructions
Place ingredients into a container or pitcher and stir really well. Put in the refrigerator for at least one hour, allowing the flavours to absorb and come into play. Pour into short glasses and enjoy! It’s that easy.
Grapefruit & Rosemary Gin Cocktail
For those who prefer a fresh cocktail, not too sweet but not too bitter - the kind that’s designed to be sipped, then this is the choice for you. As it involves grapefruit you might think the result would be too tart, but that’s not the case here. With the addition of the rosemary, this creates a woody, fragrant undertone and it balances the sweet with the tart perfectly.
It takes five minutes to make and it’s not only great for the festive season but a refreshing option in summer also. We served ours in the ferm LIVING Ripple Glasses, the perfect portion size and the ripple detailing added a pleasing visual texture to the aesthetic.
What you’ll need at a glance
Gin - A less juniper-forward gin is really good in this cocktail!
Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice - Pink grapefruit juice is sweeter than regular grapefruit juice and we love the colour
Rosemary simple syrup - adds a welcome woody, fragrant undertone to this cocktail
Fresh grapefruit slices and rosemary - make a beautiful and fragrant garnish.
Ingredients
100ml gin
100ml freshly squeezed, strained pink grapefruit juice
50ml rosemary simple syrup
Two short sprigs of rosemary to serve
To make the simple syrup, combine:
⅓ cup water
⅓ cup white sugar
One large sprig of rosemary
Instructions
Take the sprig of rosemary, add equal parts sugar and water (this depends on how many cocktails you’re planning to make with the syrup) and add to a low heat until the sugar dissolves and it comes to a low simmer. Leave to cool (keep the rosemary sprigs in the syrup and then use as and when needed). Add the rosemary syrup, gin and pink grapefruit juice to a shaker with ice. Shake well. You have the option to add ice, and then strain the cocktail into the glasses. Garnish with rosemary to serve and enjoy!
Pomegranate Prosecco Smash
Lastly, we have the charming and bubbly choice. Deep rich red with pomegranate arils and touches of green to garnish, this cocktail is pretty on the eye and super festive. Rather than warming and hearty, this is another refreshing option - perfect for the festive season but equally as fitting at a summer party. The tartness of the pomegranate is offset with a splash of maple syrup, the vodka gives a little kick and the whole drink is topped off with Prosecco bubbles!
Only ten minutes to make, this is sure to become one of your festive favourites when it comes to cocktails. We served ours in the Tom Dixon Puck Cocktail Glasses, chosen for their stylish shape and a hint of glamour.
What you’ll need at a glance
Vodka - to pack a little punch
Pomegranate juice - Bringing that freshness, flavour and festive red colouring
Prosecco - brings the essential bubbles
Maple Syrup - For that sweetness to offset the tart pomegranate
A sprig of rosemary/pomegranate arils - Makes an attractive garnish that gives that festive flair
Ingredients
Crushed Ice
1 tablespoon pomegranate arils
2 ounces pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 ounce vodka
4 to 6 ounces of prosecco
1 tablespoon pomegranate arils
A sprig of rosemary for garnish
Instructions
Firstly fill a glass with crushed ice. Then add the pomegranate juice, maple syrup, and vodka and stir. Top it off with prosecco. To finish, add the arils and garnish with a sprig of rosemary for a pretty garnish. So festive and so tasty - enjoy!
We hope these recipes have brought some cheer to your celebrations and helped you get into the holiday spirit as you ring in the new year.
Are you proud of a festive cocktail you’ve created at home? We would love to see! Share your creation with us over Instagram @nest_co_uk.
Please remember to drink responsibly.
