CHRISTMAS & HOLIDAY COCKTAIL & LIQUEUR RECIPES

 Is your Christmas Tree up? How about your Hanukkah Menorah or your Kwanzaa candles? Are you ready for the holidays? Shopping done? You may think you're ready but you're not until you've got your cocktail cheer on!
Here's EVERY. SINGLE. HOLIDAY. COCKTAIL. I've ever concocted and enjoyed as I waited for Santa's bounty to drop down my chimney. Don't bother counting, there's over 50 seasonal drinks here at last count and each year it grows.
Okay, I live in Tucson and I don't have a chimney, but I never celebrate the holidays without some kind of seasonal libation and I give homemade holiday booze to literally everyone on my list, naughty or nice. (The naughty ones get two bottles!)
With this comprehensive database of holiday drinks and liquor recipes, you can spread the holiday cheer as well. In fact there's enough for you to try out a different cocktail twice a day for the whole month of December.
I'm sure I'll add more, I always have to do one or two new cocktails of cheer each year so bookmark and save this page.

CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS & HOMEMADE LIQUEURS
  CANDY CANE MARTINI CHOCOLATE BOURBON EGGNOG CHOCOLATE CANDY CANE VODKA CHRISTMAS CANDY LIQUEUR CHRISTMAS GRASSHOPPER  CRANAPPLE PUNCH DRUNK ELF ON A SHELF FROSTY MARTINIGINGERBREAD MARTINI GINGERBREAD COCKTAILS AND LIQUEUR RECIPE GINGERBREAD LATTE COCKTAIL HOT BUTTERED WHISKEY HOT, SPICED, SPIKED, ORANGE CRANBERRY PUNCH MULLED APPLE CIDER  PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR MARTINI  PEPPERMINT PATTY COCKTAIL PEPPERMINT LATTE COCKTAIL
SANTA'S COOKIES & MILK COCKTAIL
SAUCY CHRISTMAS CRANTINI SPARKLING CRANBERRY CRUSH SPARKLING HIBISCUS MARTINI WHITE CHOCOLATE WINTER SOLSTICE COCKTAIL WHITE CHRISMTAS EGGNOG MARTINI
HOLIDAY COCKTAILS BY FLAVOR
APPLE COCKTAILS CRANBERRY COCKTAILS EGGNOG COCKTAILS GINGERBREAD DRINKABLES
POMEGRANATE COCKTAILS
PUMPKIN COCKTAILS

THE CHRISTMAS MARTINI ARCHIVES ANGEL'S KISS
CHRISTMAS COSMO
CHRISTMAS CRANAPPLE MARTINI
CHOCOLATE MERRIMINT MARTINI
FRUITCAKE MARTINI
GINGERBREAD MAN MARTINI
HAPPY ELF MARTINI
HO HO HO MARTINI HOLLY BERRY MARTINI
HOT BUTTERED RUM
JINGLE BELLS MARTINI
JOLLY SANTA MARTINI MERRY CHERRY MISTLETINI
MERRY MELON MARTINI
MISTLETINI
MULLED CIDER MARTINI PEPPERMINT PATTY MARTINI
RUDOLF'S REINDEER MARTINI
SNOWBALL MARTINI
WINTER APPLE MINT MARTINI
WINTER SNOWFLAKE MARTINI
 
You'll find many of the above Christmas Martini Recipes as well as some holiday trivia and merry martini making tips in my MERRY MARTINI MIXOLOGY BOOK

Updated 12-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

COOKIES and MILK SHOT COCKTAIL for SANTA CLAUS

On Christmas Eve instead of putting out a plate of cookies and milk why don't you give Santa some real Christmas cheer? I'll bet it will improve the quantity and quality of the presents under your tree and in your stockings come Christmas morning.

 

Nothing says "gimme better swag" than a nice shot of booze waiting at the bottom of that chimney . . .

SANTA'S

COOKIES & "MILK"

SHOT
(The Jolly Old Elf is gonna LOVE you this year!)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Oz. Coffee Liqueur
1/2 Oz. Irish Cream

1 Oz. Whiskey

GARNISH: Crushed Christmas Cookies Rim

DIRECTIONS:
Dip the rim of your glass in some of the Irish Cream and then into assorted crushed Christmas cookies - I use a combination of Oreos, sugar cookies and gingerbread men.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then add the coffee liqueur, vodka and cream and shake until chilled.
Pour into your glass then slide add a mini chocolate candy cane for good measure. Set on a tray with some of the same cookies gor Santa's arrival.

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS: 

P.S. Merry Christmas and I get 10% of your present haul if this works.

Updated 12-2021

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CHOCOLATE COCKTAIL RECIPES - LOTS of Them!

I have been posting cocktail recipes for over fifteen years and I am a huge chocoholic, so it's no wonder I have so many chocolate inspired cocktails. But even I was not aware of how many until I lined them all up in one place. If you can put chocolate in it, on it or around it I've found a way to add booze to it. I still don't know how many I have, even with them listed here, there's so many I lose count! And I didn't even include my chocolate coffee recipes, you can find those over at my Coffee Cocktails.  I also didn't include the ones I did for The Beatles Anniversary, Star Wars or Star Trek.

And don't be surprised if I add more here, chocolate is my favorite everything. I might need an intervention.

  CHOCOLATE COCKTAILS   The Classic CHOCOLATE MARTINI BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE ALMOND MARTINI BOSTON CREAM PIE MARTINI BOURBON ALEXANDER BOURBON PEANUT BUTTER CUP COCKTAIL BRANDY ALEXANDER  BROWNIE MARTINI CHOCOLATE BOURBON EGGNOG CHOCOLATE BROWNIE MARTINI CHOCOLATE BUNNYTINI CHOCOLATE CAKE MARTINI & LIQUEUR CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MARTINI CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE MARTINI   CHOCOLATE CHERRY CORDIAL MARTINI CHOCOLATE CHERRY VALENTINE SHOOTER CHOCOLATE CHIP MARTINICHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MARTINI CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY COCKTAIL CHOCOLATE COVERED COCKTAILS CHOCOLATE COVERED NUTS COCKTAIL CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY MARTINI REDEUX CHOCOLATE CREAM EGG MARTINI  CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE MARTINI CHOCOLATE FIG MARTINI CHOCOLATE FONDUE MARTINI CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT COCKTAIL CHOCOLATE MANHATTAN CHOCOLATE MARGARITA  CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE MARTINI CHOCOLATE MOJITO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE MARTINI  CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE MARTINI CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUP MARTINIS 2   CHOCOLATE PORTER BEER FLOATS CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN COCKTAIL CHOCOLATE ROB ROY  CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY SANGRIA COCKTAIL CHOCOLATE SALTWATER TAFFY MARTINI  CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE MARTINI CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY MARTINI REDEUX  CHRISTMAS GRASSHOPPER CREAM CHEESE BROWNIE MARTINI DEM BONES CHOCOLATE WINE SHAKE  DERBY PIE COCKTAIL  DRUNK ELF ON A SHELF COCKTAIL DRUNKEN OREO TRUFFLE COCKTAIL DRUNK RUSSIANS ENGLISH TOFFEE MARTINI  FERNET CHOCOLATE MOCHA FRAPPE SHAKE HAMMERED NAIL HOT CHOCOLATE TODDYHOT FUDGE COCKTAIL HOT FUDGE SUNDAE MARTINI GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE MARTINI  GRASSHOPPER HEAVENLY HASH MARTINI   LOVE NOTION #9 CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY SANGRIA MACCHIATO EGGNOG MILKY WAY MARTINI  NOT SO WHITE RUSSIAN  NUTELLA MARTINI  ORANGE TRUFFLE MARTINI PEARS HELENE MARTINI PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE MARTINI PEPPERMINT PATTY, PART DEUX REALLY DRUNK BROWN COW FLOAT ROCKY ROAD MARTINI RYE RACKETEER SIN FOR A SAINT CHOCOLATE MARTINI SLIGHTLY BANANAS, DEFINITELY COCONUTS CHOCOLATE COCKTAIL S'MORES COCKTAILS'MORES SHOOTER TASTE OF STREEP CHOCOLATE MARTINI TIRAMISU MARTINI TOOTSIE ROLL MARTINI WINTER WHITE CHOCOLATE COCKTAILYOU NEED A HUG COCOA

     CHOCOLATE LIQUEURS, VODKA & EDIBLE CHOCOLATE COCKTAILS: CHOCOLATE MOJITO TRUFFLES CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP EDIBLE COCKTAILS
KAHLUA CHILI CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
CHOCOLATE ECLAIR EDIBLE COCKTAILS WHITE RUSSIAN TRUFFLES CUPS BOOZE INFUSED CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES 
HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE VODKAS & LIQUEURS:
CHOCOLATE CANDY CANE VODKA & COCKTAIL RECIPES
CHOCOLATE CAKE VODKA and CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE MARTINI RECIPES CHOCOLATE VODKA & LIQUEUR RECIPES 
THE CHOCOLATE MARTINI ARCHIVES Art Nouveau Chocolate Martini Berry Chocolate Frappe Martini  Blonde Brownie Martini Butterfinger Martini Candy Bar Martini Chocolate Banana Martini Chocolate Covered Banana Martini Chocolate Covered Strawberry Martini Chocolate Easter Bunny Martini  Chocolate Kiss Valen-tini Chocolate Malt Martini Chocolate Merrimint Martini Chocolate Mint Cookie Martini  Chocolate Mintini Chocolate Mousse Bunny-Tini Chocolate Pecan Martini  Chocolate Raspberry Martini Chocolate and Roses Martini  Chocolate Wafer Martini Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Martini Derby Pie Winner's Circle Martini Devil's Food Cake Martini  Jingle Bells Martini Mississippi Mud Pie Martini  Oreo Martini Peeping Easter Martini Snickertini Spiced Chocolate Martini The Big One Earthquake-a-Tini White Chocolate Cheesecake Martini White Chocolate Martini 
 
Updated 9-2022 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE VODKA & LIQUEUR RECIPES

  Here's FOUR (4) ways to make your own homemade chocolate booze! That's right, four. If you're a chocoholic who loves cocktails you'd best bookmark the page.   HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE VODKA

INGREDIENTS:
1 C. Best Quality Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 - 750 ml. Bottle of Good Vodka
   
EQUIPMENT:
Large Glass Container with Lid
Medium Metal Strainer (the size the coffee filters will fit)
Coffee Filters
Decorative Bottles with Sealable Caps or Corks
Labels

DIRECTIONS:
Mix:
Simply pour the unsweetened cocoa powder and the vodka into your large glass container and seal the lid.  Place this in the refrigerator for a minimum of two weeks and up to a month.  Shake the bottle well at least once a day.
After two weeks you can taste test your chocolate vodka to see if it’s “chocolate-y” enough for you. The longer you allow the cocoa to distill in the vodka the stronger, and more mellow, the chocolate taste.
Strain:
Once your chocolate vodka has the right amount of flavor for you, it’s time to filter.  To do this, simply place your metal strainer over a bowl or container, slip in the coffee filter and pour in your chocolate vodka and allow this to strain. You’ll do this several times, using new filters each time. It takes from ten minutes to 30 minutes or longer for each filtering step so just pour it in and walk away to do something else.  Patience is its own reward here. When your chocolate vodka is completely filtered you’re ready to pour into your decorative bottle and add your label!
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE LIQUEUR

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
3/4 C. Water
5 Tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 – 750 ml. Bottle of Good Vodka
1 Vanilla Bean

TOOLS:
Small saucepan
2 Qt. Glass Container with Tight Lid
Medium Metal Strainer (to fit the coffee filters)
Coffee Filters
Decorative Bottles with Caps or Corks
Labels

DIRECTIONS:
Mix:
Heat the sugar, cocoa and water in your saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to boil, stirring constantly.  Immediately after the boil starts, reduce your heat to low and stir until all the ingredients are completely dissolved.  Remove from the heat and allow this mixture to cool to room temperature.
Once cool, pour this cocoa mixture into your glass container, stir in the vodka and add your vanilla bean halves.  Seal up and store in the refrigerator for two weeks, shaking the bottle vigorously every day.
Strain:
Remove the vanilla pods.  Set your metal strainer over a bowl or container (I like to use containers with a pour spout!)  Place one coffee filter in the strainer then pour in the chocolate liqueur.  This will strain slowly as it will be thick, so I like to only fill each filter about half way and use a new filter each time. Be patient and slowly the liquid will filter through, it can take up to an hour or more for each filter.  Repeat until you’ve filtered all of your chocolate liqueur, using a new coffee filter each time.
Bottle, Age, Enjoy:
Once you’ve filtered all your chocolate liqueur you can pour into your decorative bottle(s) and label.  You can enjoy your chocolate liqueur immediately, but if you allow it to age for another month you get a smoother, richer depth of flavor.
TWO WAYS TO MAKE EASY CHOCOLATE LIQUEUR FROM CANDY BARS

There are two methods for creating a Chocolate Candy Bar Liqueur from your favorite candy bar.  One is easy as 1-2-3 and the other involves just a bit of work. I’ve used both methods and find both work depending on what kind of candy bar you’re using!

1-2-3 EASY & DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CANDY BAR LIQUEUR

INGREDIENTS:
1 Bottle of Vodka
1 Cup Candy Bar Pieces Chopped Up

TOOLS:
Glass Container for distilling
Possibly Straining Equipment*

DIRECTIONS:
This easy recipe simply involves taking your candy bar(s), chopping them up into small enough pieces, adding them to your vodka and then placing your bottle or container in the freezer** for up to two weeks. (P.S. I cheated and used mine the next day and they were good, but the extra distilling time really mellowed them out!)  I find this works very well with plain chocolate or flavored chocolates.

If you’re using plain chocolate there is no need to strain your liqueur, you can simply bottle it in a decorative bottle, add a label and it’s ready to enjoy or be given as a gift.

I don’t recommend this method for candy bars with caramel, nougat or hard pieces of toffee or similar ingredients; instead I suggest using the heating method below.

I used this technique to create Chocolate CAKE Liqueur using CAKE vodka for my Chocolate Birthday Cake Martini in place of plain vodka as well!
ALMOST AS EASY YUMMY

CHOCOLATE CANDY BAR LIQUEUR

INGREDIENTS:
1 Bottle of Vodka
1 Cup Candy Bar Pieces Chopped Up

TOOLS:
Double Boiler (or equivalent*)
Glass Container for distilling
Possibly Straining Equipment*

DIRECTIONS:
Here you are going to heat your candy pieces in a double boiler (I use a metal or Pyrex bowl that sets inside a medium saucepan but leaves a good inch and a half for water as a double boiler).  Fill your sauce pan or double boiler about half full with water and set bowl on top.  You want enough water to surround the bottom of your bowl but not enough that it will seep over the top! You cannot get water into melting chocolate as the chocolate will seize and be ruined. (Yes, experts can recover from this but let’s not have to deal with that, okay?)
Place your chopped up candy bars into the bowl and bring your water up to a gentle simmer (I use a medium low heat) until they start to melt.
You are going to slowly add your vodka and stir constantly to mix and incorporate it into your melting candy bars. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO ALLOW ANY OF THE VODKA TO COME IN CONTACT WITH YOUR BURNER OR FLAME!  Do not let the vodka mixture boil as this will evaporate your alcohol!
Once all the vodka is added, continue to stir until the mixture is completely blended.  Be patient with caramel or nougat as these will melt last.  Once blended, set your chocolate liqueur mixture aside to cool.
At this point, if your candy bars contain any nuts or fruits or other solids, strain these out using a large metal strainer and strain directly into your glass distilling container. If no solids need to be strained out, simply cap off tightly and place in the freezer** for up to two weeks.

BOTTLE AND ENJOY:
Now you’re ready to bottle, label and enjoy or share your newly brewed Chocolate Candy Bar Liqueur!

*Refer to the straining methods above.
**Alcohol does not freeze at typical home refrigeration temperatures, so you don’t have to worry, you’ll have a very cold but liquid liqueur to enjoy.   Now try some out in my Tons of CHOCOLATE COCKTAILS

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PURPLE HAZED MARTINI for Jimi Hendrix

     THE PURPLE HAZED MARTINI
In honor of the great guitarist of the sixties, Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970)   I'm always experimenting with new liqueurs and brands so I picked up a small mini bottle of 99 Grapes to give it a try. While I would not, in all likely hood, ever drink this liqueur straight, I found the imitation grape flavor very reminiscent of the grape soda I used to love as a kid and this is what inspired this recipe. The sweetness of the liqueurs is cut nicely by the soda and you get an adult version of grape soda!

When I mixed it all up and poured it into my martin glass it was the most beautiful purple cocktail I'd ever mixed up and for some reason I thought of Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze. Thus, under the influence of alcoholic grape soda, The Purple Hazed Martini was born. It might be young but, like me and all the rest of us old hippies from the sixties, it's experienced!

Now, excuse me while I kiss the sky.
  

The

PURPLE HAZED

MARTINI 

INGREDIENTS

1 Oz. 99 Grapes 1 Oz. Chambord
2 Oz. Club Soda
Splash of Blue Curacao
Grape Candy Stick   GLASS: Cocktail (martini).   TOOLS: Cocktail shaker.   DIRECTIONS:
Chill your martini glass in the freezer.
Add 1 cup of ice to your cocktail shaker then pour in the 99 Grapes and the Chambord. Shake until well chilled.
Pour halfway into your cold martini glass. Top with the soda. Garnish with the grape candy stick and serve.

  Image from http://www.beeldengeluidwiki.nl/index.php/Gallery:_Hoepla    Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva

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ESPRESSO COCKTAILS and RECIPES

WHAT IS ESPRESSO? ESPRESSO is made when a small amount of nearly boiling water is forced under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. The result is a drink with a higher concentration of caffeine that has a crema foam on top. This shot of concentrated coffee is usually served in small espresso or demitasse cups.
THE ESPRESSO MACHINE Though Angelo Moriondo, given credit for creating the first espresso machine, hand built his steam driven machine in 1884, it was not designed to serve individual servings. In 1901 Luigi Bezzera refined Moriondo's design and, finally, Desiderio Pavoni of the La Pavoni family, bought the patents in 1905 and began to produce espresso machines mechanically. For more details on the history of espresso and the espresso machine visit The Smithsonian online.
ESPRESSO COCKTAILS CAFE NOIR COCKTAIL  CREME BRULEE COCKTAILDRUNK RUSSIANSESPRESSO MARTINI
ESPRESSO YOURSELF
ESPRESSO VODKA RECIPE
FERNET MOCHA FRAPPE SHAKE
FRAPPATINI NOT SO WHITE RUSSIAN PEPPERMINT LATTE COCKTAIL SALTED CARAMEL MACCCHIATO MARTINI SHOT O' GOLD TIRAMISU MARTINI WAKE UP CALL
EDIBLE ESPRESSO COCKTAILS WHITE RUSSIAN TRUFFLE CUPS with ESPRESSO CAVIAR MOCHA ESPRESSO EDIBLE COCKTAIL
If you've happened upon this post on November 23rd, HAPPY NATIONAL ESPRESSO DAY!

Updated 11-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

Crème Brûlée Cocktail Recipe

 This is a truly impressive cocktail to serve to your friends, it delivers the wonderful Crème Brûlée flavors but it's the beautiful caramel garnish that turns this from good to great.

Directions for making the breakable, hard caramel garnish are below. You'll want to practice making the hard caramel garnish a few times - drizzling the caramelized sugar is a bit of a trick. I used a dessert sized spoon in the end and started outside my target area as the first drop is large. When you start moving the spoon the thread thins out - move too fast and the threads get too thin and delicate, too slow and you get big clumps. With a little practice you'll be in control but if you're impatient you can always just break off the nicer areas and drape them inside the glass.

The

Crème Brûlée

Cocktail

1 Oz. Caramel Vodka

1 Oz. Salted Caramel Liqueur

3 Oz. Heavy Cream

GLASS: Prepared Caramelized Sugar Garnish, Pinch of Nutmeg

GLASS: Cocktail (martini) or Coupe

TOOLS: Cocktail Shaker

DIRECTIONS

Prepare your caramelized sugar garnish ahead of time (instructions are just below.)

Chill your glass in the freezer.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then pour in the caramel vodka, caramel liqueur and the heavy cream.
Shake until well chilled.

Strain into the chilled glass.
Dust with nutmeg then place the hard caramel garnish atop the glass for the guest or customer to break into their cocktail.

Here's the instructions for making the Hard Caramel Garnish on a convenient recipe card:

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS:

A little history of Crème Brûlée
The origins of custards can be traced back to the ancient Romans who were the first to use eggs as binding agents and employed the techniques in creating patinae, crustades and omelettes.  The dessert type custards we are familiar with today date back to the Middle Ages where they were most often eaten like a pudding or employed as fillings in pastries or binders in tarts - the word custard is derived from crustade, a tart with a crust.

There are many claims to the invention of Crème Brûlée.  Trinity College in Cambridge, England claims they invented the dessert in the 1600's where they called it a Cambridge Burnt Cream or Trinity Cream, they even have a special branding iron they use to brand the caramelized topping.  Spain lays claim to a very similar dessert called a Crema Catalana, also from the 1800s, but it was the French in the 19th century brought what they called "burnt cream", literally translated as Crème Brûlée, into the world of modern cuisine.

The earliest known print reference to it is in a cookbook by François Massialot's in 1691 but a 1731 edition of Massialot's changed the name of the same recipe from "crème brûlée" to "crème anglaise".

Crème Brûlée usually is traditionally served in individual ramekins then topped with prepared discs of caramel or sprinkled with sugar which is then caramelized under a broiler/salamander, a butane torch or by flambéing a hard liquor on it.

National Crème Brûlée Day is every July 27th.

Updated 7-2021

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