It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Cocktails!

Festive Drinks for the Holidays

Whether you’re in charge of bringing some cheer to the office Christmas party or planning an elaborate meal for family visiting over the holidays, it’s time to toast to the season! Take a sip of these winter drinks and get ready for the season of giving, light, and love. We’ve rounded up a variety of fun and eye-catching cocktails to help you start celebrating in style!

’Tis the Reason Coquito

By Tiffanie Barriere from Netflix’s Drink Masters and High on the Hog | Yields 8–12 servings | Stemmed glass

Ingredients

12 large eggs

1 lb. sugar

1 tsp fresh nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

14 oz crème de coconut (try my homemade)

14 oz condensed milk

8 oz Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced Rum

8 oz Don Q Gold Rum

2 oz green chartreuse

2 oz rich vanilla syrup

Directions

Crack eggs inside the bowl and add sugar. Beat eggs with sugar until sugar dissolves. Pour crème slowly while whisking to prevent curdling. Add rum and chartreuse and stir until the liquid turns light brown. Do not cover the bowl; chill in the refrigerator for no less than 3 hours. In a separate bowl, whisk 2 egg whites until whipped into a meringue and chill for service. Serve in your favorite glass using a ladle. Garnish with 1 bar spoon of merengue and nutmeg.

Santa’s Sbagliato

By Martini & Rossi | Yields 1 cocktail | Rocks glass

Ingredients

1 oz Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale Bitter

1 oz Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale Rubino

1 oz Martini & Rossi Prosecco

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a rocks glass and stir gently. Garnish with an orange slice, and enjoy!

Christmas in July

By Jessica Strand | Yields 1 cocktail |Wineglass

Whip this up when you’re craving warm summer days in the winter. Paper umbrellas are not required but are highly recommended.

Ingredients

4 oz [120 ml] crème de coconut

4 oz [120 ml] pineapple juice

3 oz [90 ml] rum

2 or 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Sweet & Spicy Sugar (see page 26 of Very Merry Cocktails), for garnish

1 pineapple wedge, for garnish

1 maraschino cherry, for garnish

Directions

Combine the crème de coconut, pineapple juice, rum, and bitters in a blender with a generous cup of ice. Blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour into a wineglass. Spread the Sweet & Spicy Sugar on a small plate and dip both sides of the pineapple wedge in the mixture. Garnish the glass with a skewer of the prepared pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry.

Reprinted from Very Merry Cocktails by Jessica Strand with permission of Chronicle Books © 2020. Photo by Ren Fuller

Jacklyn Frost

By the Bungalows Key Largo – Key Largo, FL | Yields 1 cocktail | Martini glass

Bungalows Key Largo is embracing the blue hues of its oceanside retreat with the Jacklyn Frost martini. This tropical treat is a refreshing escape in a glass as it blends the botanical charm of Empress gin with the creamy richness of half and half and a touch of coconut cream. While the splash of pineapple juice adds a sunny twist, the blueberry syrup gives it a stunning hue that sparkles in the glass. Cheers to the magic of the tropics!

Ingredients

2 oz Empress gin

1 oz half and half

1/4 oz crème de coconut

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz blueberry syrup

Vanilla buttercream icing, for garnish

Coconut flakes, for garnish

Dehydrated orange slice, for garnish

Directions

Rim a martini glass with buttercream and dip the rim into the coconut flakes. In a shaker, combine the liquid ingredients, add ice, shake, and strain into the glass. Garnish with a dehydrated orange slice. Cheers!

Ornamentini

By Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago – Chicago, IL | Yields 1 cocktail | Martini glass

Enjoy the spirit of the season with a vibrant blend of spiced pear liqueur, cherry juice, lemon juice, and Angostura bitters, topped with a rosemary sprig. This festive cocktail from Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago comes in an ornament-shaped glass nestled inside a martini glass. Pour the cocktail from the ornament into the martini glass, adding an interactive, celebratory twist to your holiday experience.

Ingredients

3 oz spiced pear liqueur

3/4 oz cherry juice

1/2 oz

lemon juice

4 dashes Angostura bitters

Sugar, for garnish

Rosemary sprigs and cinnamon stick, for garnish

Directions

Place a white sugar rim on the martini glass. Combine all liquid ingredients and bitters in a shaker. Shake for 10 seconds. Using a funnel, pour into clear glass ornament. Set the ornament in the martini glass. Garnish with the cinnamon stick and rosemary sprig. Happy holidays!

Ponche Navideño

By Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta – Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico| Yields 16 servings | Rocks glass

This holiday season, Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta invites you to savor the spirit of Mexico with a festive cup of Ponche Navideño, or Christmas punch—a warm, fragrant drink steeped in tradition. Wherever you are, bring a dose of Vidanta’s holiday magic into your home with your own batch of Ponche Navideño—because sometimes, joy is worth a pilgrimage. Designed to serve 16 guests, it’s a must-make centerpiece for any holiday gathering.

Ingredients

1 gallon water

2 whole cinnamon sticks

8 whole cloves

5 tamarind pods, husks removed and seeded

8 ounces whole tejocotes (crab apples)

4 guavas, peeled and diced

2 red apples, peeled, cored, and diced

2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced

2 (4-inch) sugar cane sticks, peeled and diced

1 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 medium oranges, sliced

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

Brandy, rum, or tequila (1–2 ounces per cup of punch)

Directions

Lightly toast the cinnamon sticks in a dry pan and reserve. Heat the water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, tamarind pods, and tejocotes in a large pot. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the tejocotes are soft. Remove the tejocotes from the pot and cool. Once cool, peel the tejocotes, trim the ends, halve them, and remove any seeds. Return the apple halves to the pot. Add the guavas, apples, pear, sugarcane, prunes, raisins, oranges, and sugar. Simmer the mixture for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. To serve, ladle the punch into mugs with the simmered fruit. Add liquor of choice to each cup and stir.

Snowball Sipper

By Hotel Crescent Court – Dallas, TX | Yields 1 cocktail | Snowman glass

Add a whimsical twist to the holiday season with the Snowball Sipper from Hotel Crescent Court’s swanky lobby bar, Beau Nash, in the heart of Uptown Dallas. Served in a charming snowball-shaped glass, this creamy, minty cocktail combines the smoothness of RumChata, the refreshing chill of peppermint schnapps, and the subtle nuttiness of almond milk—a charming treat for the season.

Ingredients

2 oz RumChata

1 oz Peppermint schnapps

2 oz Almond milk

Directions

In a cocktail shaker, combine RumChata, peppermint schnapps, and almond milk. Add ice and shake well until chilled. Pour into a snowman-shaped glass filled with fresh ice for a festive toast!

Tropical Merry Mixer

By Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort – Aruba | Yields 1 cocktail | Hurricane glass

Celebrate the holidays with a tropical twist at Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort in sunny Aruba! Treat yourself to a Tropical Merry Mixer, a lively take on Aruba’s famous Aruba Ariba cocktail. Crafted with a blend of vodka, rum, Grand Marnier, banana liqueur, fresh tropical juices, and a splash of grenadine, this refreshing drink bursts with island flavors. Whether you’re lounging by the pool or raising a glass to the sunset on Eagle Beach, the Tropical Merry Mixer is the perfect way to add some sunshine to your holiday celebration. One sip will transport you to paradise!

Ingredients

1 oz vodka

1 oz rum

1 oz Grand Marnier

1/2 oz banana liqueur

2 oz orange juice

2 oz pineapple juice

1/2 oz grenadine syrup

1/2 oz fresh dragon fruit juice

Orange slice (optional, for garnish)

Cherry (optional, for garnish)

Directions

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and add the vodka, rum, Grand Marnier, banana liqueur, orange juice, pineapple juice, grenadine syrup, and fresh dragon fruit juice. Shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds to combine and chill the drink. Strain into a hurricane or tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry, if desired, and serve immediately. A tropical fruit liqueur or another flavored liqueur perfectly complements the fruity flavors—enjoy your vibrant, tropical holiday cocktail!

Bonus Treats by Don Q Rum!

Whether enjoying with your deliciously spiced holiday cocktails or on their own, these Don Q-infused desserts will make for a perfect addition to your spread.

Don Q Bonbons | Yields about 30 bonbons

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Don Q Cristal Rum, Don Q Gold Rum, or Don Q Coco Rum

3 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3 Tbsp light corn syrup

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Mix your Don Q Rum of choice, crushed vanilla wafers, cocoa powder, and light corn syrup to make dough. Cut into teaspoon-sized portions and roll into balls. When all the balls are formed, roll in powdered sugar, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Yum!

Don Q Rum Cake

Yields 8–12 servings

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small box vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2

cup oil

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup Don Q Gold Rum

For the glaze:

1/4 lb butter

1/4 cup Water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Don Q Gold Rum

Directions

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour a Bundt or 9×13-inch baking pan. Mix all ingredients. Bake for 1 hour. Cool. Invert on a plate (if using Bundt pan). Repeatedly prick the top with a skewer to prepare the cake for glazing.

For the glaze: While the cake is baking, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in Don Q Gold Rum. Drizzle the glaze evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Allow the cake to absorb the glaze. Repeat until the entire glaze is used. Cheers!

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